Marketing & Communications Assistant Flexible

The Role

• Part time (0.6) which equates to 24 hours per week.
• Salary £19,760 (pro rata)
• Based in Plymouth, Devon.

The Marketing and Communications Assistant will support our Marketing and Communications Manager to deliver strategic, forward facing, straight talking, communications for the Barbican Theatre across print, web, social media, digital and any other suitable avenues. The role will involve working some evenings and weekends as part of our small and agile team. The role focuses on digital content creation with emphasis on video creation, blogs, vlogs, photography and social media content. The post holder will have a flair for being creative when developing ways to target new audiences, especially through the use of digital.This is a hands-on role and you will have responsibility for the planning and creation of content to support our Marketing & Communications Manager and other members of the Barbican core team.

This is likely to require non traditional office style hours at times since most events are evenings or weekends.

Qualities we’re looking for

• Enthusiastic with a can-do attitude
• Has a passion for engaging new people with our work
• Agile and flexible to adapt to the needs of the department and company
• Eager to learn and develop new skills
• Organised
• Great attention to detail
• Excited about performing arts
• Passionate about inclusion and accessibility

We are excited to meet people who

• Have creative flair and are full of ideas, who will bring new, innovative communication tools to the organisation.
• Are proactive, and self motivated, with good record keeping processes.
• Can be an all round team member – comfortable working in a small core team, and working, when needed on public events, leaflet drops, putting up posters, supporting classes, webinars and other Barbican Theatre deliverables.
• Are comfortable undertaking public facing work and communication on occasion
• Are comfortable working with young people.
• Are comfortable with having an enhanced DBS check
• Can feed into the creative and cultural development of Barbican Theatre.
• Can be a positive, constructive and open collaborator across Barbican’s Theatre’s portfolio of work, and team.
• Can work in accordance with the values and policies of Barbican Theatre

Please read our Impact Report for details of our work and impact in 2020 and 2021 including our PETROL HEADZ project in 2021 (opens in a new window)

Key responsibilities include: 

• To maintain a commitment to the highest standards of customer care throughout the organisation ensuring quality communication and marketing support to ReBels, visiting artists, hiring customers and the general public.
• Create, deliver and monitor the marketing and communications strategy and the annual marketing plan as designed by our Marketing and Communications Manager.
• Help identify new marketing channels to raise Barbican Theatre’s profile locally, regionally and nationally
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications Manager, and CEO to produce exciting and engaging marketing materials for theatre’s own produced work
• Manage the distribution of all marketing materials, both print and online
• Co-ordinate, as directed the theatre’s digital marketing, including social media and email, using tools like Google Analytics, Meta and Dotmailer to monitor results
• Co-ordinate, as directed the website and generate fresh, engaging content
• Monitor and evaluate marketing activities, produce marketing reports and contribute to Senior Management meetings as required
• Support the Marketing & Communications Manager with all CRM and show/ event integration.
• Support the Marketing & Communications Manager and other members of the team with any administrative tasks
• Be available to support the Box Office and Front of House with bookings and enquiries
• Support senior staff with fundraising bids appropriate to Barbican Theatre’s mission
• Report to staff and funders on specific projects as required
• Stay up-to-date with the latest legislation, consumer behaviour and marketing tools
• Act as an effective advocate for Barbican Theatre and represent the theatre at key meetings, groups and networks
• An understanding of GDPR would be advantageous (but training can be given)
• Experience of using software such as photoshop, In-Design and other Adobe Creative Suite applications would be an advantageous (but training can be given)
• Attend staff and other relevant meetings, participate in training and other forms of staff development
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the post as directed by your line manager

About Barbican Theatre: 

Barbican Theatre is committed to building Plymouth’s cultural voice. We have been working for 42 years to inspire the next generation of artists and entrepreneurs to find their creative voices (voices often unheard).

We are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) and a registered charity. We specialise in creating performances and events for unique spaces, mixing genres and styles to create innovative, accessible work, and taking performances that people want to engage with, direct to their communities.  We are committed to inclusivity regardless of cultural, sexual or social background.

Our CEO is award winning choreographer Laura Kriefman, who specialises in the fusion of movement and technology, and has an extensive background across a number of art forms. She is supported by a highly experienced core team of professionals in production, tech, marketing, finance, event management, theatre, and dance.

People can get involved with our work in so many ways; not just as a participant or an audience member. We have opportunities to engage with technical, choreography, directing, writing, producing, designing, digital, film making and much more.  There are so many opportunities and experiences we want to help emerging talent explore and engage with so that together we can create work that inspires, challenges, entertains and educates. We believe that creativity belongs to everyone so we ensure our performances and workshops are affordable and accessible.

Barbican Theatre is a registered charity, funded by Arts Council England, Plymouth City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, Youth Music, and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Instagram: @Barbican_Theatre
Facebook: Barbican Theatre Plymouth
Twitter: @BarbicanTheatre
YouTube: BarbicanTheatrePlym

Applying, Selection Process & Interviews

We believe our work will be stronger with greater diversity and welcome applications from those who bring difference. Barbican Theatre welcomes the whole person to work, and we understand that each of us bring our experiences, our backgrounds and our own unique view and interpretation to what we do. Supporting our staff means they are not appointed to represent specific groups or organisation.

If you’re interested please do apply

You may not have worked in a cultural organisation before, or in an organisation like Barbican Theatre. If you are interested in this role – please do apply. Perhaps you have cultivated your own social media channel and followers by developing engaging content. Did you manage a social media channels for a club or group at university? You may have skills in film or photography which have developed from simply taking photos and films during your spare time. Have you been involved in fundraising and are passionate about making a difference and offering opportunities for the under represented to engage with the arts? We believe all of these experiences have transferable context for this role.

We ‘see’ everybody

We value everyone’s contribution and understand that writing or presenting your experiences and qualifications via film or voice recording is not the best way to ‘meet you’. Therefore we offer every person who applies the opportunity to attend an informal 10 minute zoom conversation before we proceed with selecting people to interview /meet with in person for a longer chat.

Please contact our Marketing & Communications Manager,  Jo Cann,  marketing@barbicantheatre.co.uk if you have any questions or are unable to use zoom and she will be happy to discuss other options.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for this position please complete the following:

Application form (opens as a google form in a new tab) please also ensure you complete a copy of our Equal Opportunities form below.

Equal opportunities form (opens as a google form in a new tab)

Application deadline: 12noon Monday 8 August 2022

Initial informal chat on zoom: 11 – 15 August 2022 (approx 10 mins long) 

Second interview (in person):  18 – 23 August (approx 30 mins long) 

Start date: ASAP

Barbican Theatre is an accessible recruiter and employer and we will work with candidates to ensure their access needs are met during the interview process and will ensure access requirements do not factor in decision making.