Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the post of Head of Marketing and Communications for the River & Rowing Museum. The closing date for applications is 9am on Monday 16 December 2019 and initial interviews will take place in London on Friday 10 January 2020.

This letter is intended to help you complete the application form. Please read it carefully before completing your application form and if you have any difficulties, please contact us at recruitment@rrm.co.uk.

The application form is your opportunity to provide all the information we need to help us understand how you meet the requirements of the job, and plays a crucial part in the selection process, helping us to shortlist candidates for interview, and as a basis for the interview itself. To ensure fairness to all applicants, short listing decisions are based solely on the information you supply on your application form. Even if we already know you as a current or previous employee, it is important that you complete the form in full.

All vacancies are accompanied by a job description and a person specification setting out the main duties and responsibilities of the post in the job description, and the knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for in the person specification.

Depending on the number of applications, it may not be possible to shortlist for interview all candidates who meet the Essential Criteria. However, as part of our commitment to the ‘Disability Confident’ scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the Essential Criteria.

We prefer to receive applications by email so if you wish to apply electronically, you will need to download the form onto your computer, complete it and return it via email to recruitment@rrm.co.uk

Please remember that email is not a secure form of communication. We are unable to accept CVs so please do not attach your CV, references, or copies of educational certificates to your form. If there is insufficient room on the form in a particular section, you can simply attach an extra page and mark it clearly with your name and the job title.

The ‘Supporting Statement’ section of the form is where you make your case for the job and is your opportunity to tell us specifically why you wish to apply and what makes you a suitable applicant. You should include anything you feel would be useful in support of your application telling us as much as possible about yourself in relation to all the items listed in the job

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description. Please remember that those involved in the selection process cannot make assumptions about you - tell us everything relevant to your application and complete all the sections on the form.

Data ProtectionInformation provided by you as part of your application will be used in the recruitment process. Any data about you will be held securely with access restricted to those involved in dealing with your application and in the recruitment process. Once this process is completed the data relating to unsuccessful applicants will be stored for a maximum of 6 months and then destroyed. If you are the successful candidate, your application form will be retained and form the basis of your personnel record. By signing and submitting your completed application form you are giving your consent to your data being stored and processed for the purposes of the recruitment process, equal opportunities monitoring and your personnel record if you are the successful candidate.

Equal OpportunitiesInformation provided by you on the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will be used to monitor our equal opportunities policy and practices. This part of the form will be detached from the main body of the application form and will not form any part of the selection process. The River & Rowing Museum seeks to employ a workforce that reflects the diversity of backgrounds and cultures within which we operate and to provide a working environment free from any form of harassment, intimidation, bullying, victimisation or discrimination. We will treat individuals openly and fairly with dignity and respect, and value their contribution towards providing a quality service to our customers.

All members of the organisation will be expected to adhere to these principles and we will challenge behaviour which is unacceptable, in particular on the grounds of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or marital status.

Work PermitsUnder the Asylum and Immigration Act, we are required to check that anyone taking up employment with us has the legal right to work in the UK. Successful applicants will be asked to provide us with documentary evidence to support their entitlement to work in the UK prior to taking up employment.

In the event of an offer of employment being made, we will take up references and reserve the right to validate all information entered on this form.

For further information about the River & Rowing Museum, please visit us at rrm.co.uk

Good luck with your application!

Dr Sarah PoseyDirector

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Head of Marketing and Communications

Are you a skilled and successful marketing professional in search of a new challenge? The River & Rowing Museum is a dynamic independent museum celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. We are seeking a creative and energetic individual to join our small, high achieving team, to help deliver our new Forward Plan and vision to bring the river to life.

About youYou will be a well-established professional with proven marketing and communications abilities, and with at least five years’ experience of traditional and digital marketing and communications channels. You will possess exceptional interpersonal skills and will be comfortable working on your own initiative. You will bring flair and imagination to the role, underpinned by a commitment to professional best practice and compliance. The ability to prioritise the Museum’s opportunities, and balance various demands on your time is vital. You will also contribute to the strategic development of the organisation as a key member of the Leadership Team. You will have a keen interest in museums, arts and heritage and will be an enthusiastic advocate for our work.

Purpose of roleReporting to the Director, the Head of Marketing and Communications will be responsible for devising, planning and delivering marketing, media and communication strategies that promote the Museum and all its activities. The core purpose of the role is to attract and build the Museum’s audiences, ensuring clarity in the communication of its offer, and maximizing its profile. You will build on the findings of the Museum’s recent audience research conducted by Morris Hargreaves McIntyre to deliver on our ambitious visitor targets, playing a key part in ensuring the overall success and profile of the River & Rowing Museum. This is an exciting time to join the Museum and really put your stamp on its new marketing and communications strategy and plan, and increase our impact.

The role also covers the promotion of our commercial strands, retail, venue hire and group travel.

BackgroundThe River & Rowing Museum is an award-winning museum and gallery, idyllically located on the banks of the River Thames in Henley on Thames, South Oxfordshire, close to the M4, M40 and within easy reach of both Oxford and Reading by both road and rail. Our vision is to bring the river to life - creating a powerful sense of place, enhancing the wellbeing of our communities and supporting a more sustainable natural environment. An effective Head of Marketing and Communications is key to delivering our ambitions for the future.

Opened in 1998 by H.M. The Queen, the Museum has established itself as one of the leading independent museums in the country. It was selected by The Times (May 2013) as one of the ‘50 best Museums in the world’, and in 2016 has been identified as one of the top 10 Family Friendly Museums in the U.K. The Museum is recognised as crucial to the local tourist economy and attracts over 118,000 visitors a year.

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The Museum’s award-winning building was the first major UK commission by Sir David Chipperfield and continues to be acclaimed for its minimalist design. It currently houses five permanent galleries including The Wind in the Willows, a gallery devoted to the work of artist John Piper and the International Rowing gallery. The temporary exhibition programme in 2019 includes a stunning exhibition of the work of artist and textile designer William Morris, - ‘An Earthly Paradise: William Morris and the Thames’ and a family friendly interactive exhibition in the summer ‘Bears!’ from Seven Stories, Newcastle.

Education is central to the Museum’s charitable objectives and its success in both formal school workshops and informal learning is a source of pride. Each year over 20,000 young people visit our purpose-built education centre that was doubled in size in 2006 with the support of a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant. In 2013 and again in 2018 the Museum was awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education.

The Museum is currently open 7 days a week, throughout the year and sits in Mill Meadows by the side of the River Thames. It has a high quality and popular café, lively shop, plus a number of event spaces suitable for parties, weddings, lectures or conferences.

Completed applications should be sent to: recruitment@rrm.co.uk by 9am on Monday 16 December 2019 or be received by post on the same date: Recruitment, River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxon, RG9 1BF. Initial interviews will be held in London on Friday 10 January 2020.

Should you wish to discuss this role informally prior to submitting your application, or to arrange an informal visit to the museum, please contact the Director, Sarah Posey, sarah.posey@rrm.co.uk

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Job Description: Head of Marketing and Communications

Responsible to: Director

Responsible for: Marketing Assistant

Location: Henley on Thames

Salary package: £36,000 - £40,000 per annumThe Company operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme

Holidays 20 days per annum rising to 25 after two years, in addition to 8 Bank/Statutory Holidays per annum

MAIN SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILTIES

Core

Develop, manage and deliver the Museum’s Marketing and Communications Strategy (including digital), achieving agreed financial and performance measures and targets.

Working closely with colleagues, develop and communicate the Museum’s Marketing and Communications Plan and schedules.

Review audience, sales, and marketing data, and work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that all projects and initiatives are positioned for success

Work with the Leadership Team to ensure we strategically inform choices that help to ensure that our audience and budget targets are achieved.

Develop and manage the Museum’s brand and image and ensure that all print and electronic promotions are within the organisation’s guidelines.

Understand the Museum’s different target audiences and tailor messaging accordingly

Responsible for producing all promotional collateral and signage for the Museum, briefing designers and writing copy, and including proofing, image clearance, logo approval, securing competitive print quotes and ensuring timely delivery and distribution.

Commission, collate and manage images for use across marketing and communications activity.

Develop local, regional and national media and promotional partnerships, building collaborative opportunities, competitions and print and digital contra agreements, and placing ads.

Work closely with colleagues to maintain existing relationships with a wide range of partners, organisations and individuals.

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Ensure that metrics are produced to monitor and evaluate digital performance across all activity, and that results are disseminated and used appropriately to inform future activity

Provide proactive risk management for marketing and communications activity

Oversee any external delivery of marketing and communications

Ensure that internal and external messaging cohere.

CRM/Data/Research

Maintain and manage data held on the Museum’s CRM and use this strategically to effectively communicate with our subscribers

Ensure data security and compliance with GDPR

Develop a strategy to maximise survey response rates using newsletters, social media and print

Web/Digital

Devise and deliver a lively and comprehensive social media strategy for the Museum to extend digital reach, develop followers and build e-newsletter subscriptions

Review and develop the website ensuring that it is a dynamic and high-functioning communications platform

Working with colleagues, develop a year-round narrative and content plan covering the website and social channels, creating and implementing the Museum’s social media and email marketing campaigns, announcements and newsletters.

Oversee the day to day management of the Museum’s website: writing and updating the online content regularly

Use Google alerts and analytics, and data from audience insights, to create content and ideas which can be used to effectively market the Museum.

Press, PR and special events

Maintain press contacts, create press releases and circulate them in the most effective and timely fashion, working with press contacts to gain additional exposure and to highlight special projects

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Commission and manage any contracts with external PR agencies

Coordinate the scheduling of press briefings, tours, interviews, film and photography as required, and respond to press enquiries for content, filming permission etc.

Manage guest lists and coordinate invitations for Private Views and launches, including design, distribution and RSVPs.

General

Stay up to date, comply with marketing and communications best practice and act with integrity.

Adhere to Museum policies, procedures and code of conduct, to protect people and the Museum’s reputation, including in relation to Health and Safety, Safeguarding and GDPR.

Develop and maintain the appropriate policies and plans for Marketing and Communications.

Recruit, induct, manage and develop staff.

Plan, manage and report on budgets.

Work closely with other members of the Leadership Team to support the further development of the service.

Together with other members of the Leadership Team, you will have responsibility for:• Implementing the Museum’s Forward Plan• Maintaining the Accredited status of the Museum • Working towards achieving financial sustainability• Actively supporting and demonstrating the Museum’s Values• Working as part of a team and supporting colleagues across the Museum.

The above job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of key responsibilities, duties or requirements, and you are expected to carry out any other duties commensurate with the scope and scale of your role. The job description should be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains an accurate reflection of your role.

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Person Specification: Head of Marketing and Communications

1.Qualifications, experience & knowledge

a) At least 5 years of marketing and communications experience preferably with a track record in a similar arts/cultural environment

b) Experience of devising and implementing marketing and communications strategies

c) Experience of using a range of digital and social media channels effectively

d) Experience of overseeing website design, producing web content and e-marketing

e) Experience of writing copy for print, online and PR

f) Demonstrable experience of print planning and production

g) Experience of developing contra partnerships

h) Experience with evaluating the effectiveness of online campaigns using online

analytics tools

Essential

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2. Skills & Abilities

a) An aptitude for creative and innovative marketing

b) Excellent written and spoken communication skills including excellent editorial and copywriting ability, plus a meticulous eye for detail

c) Strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to engage and work effectively with our staff, trustees, and a range of external contacts

d) Proven ability to multi-task and prioritise your own workload, meet deadlines, and to work effectively under pressure and to tight timescales

e) Proven team working skills and the ability to motivate, inspire and develop staff

f) Strong negotiation skills

g) Ability to think clearly, assess priorities, and make decisions to solve problems effectivelyh) A focus on delivery with the ability to turn ideas into action

i) Ability to work with a range of software including MailChimp, wordpress, and

Microsoft Excel/Office

j) Experience of using content management systems for websites and CRM

k) Understanding of SEO and search engines

l) A strong commercial awareness, and ability to create, analyse and report on financial information and management accounts

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m) Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends to meet the requirements of the

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3. Behaviour & Characteristics

a) Highly motivated with the desire and drive to deliver, and able to meet targets

b) Able to create and maintain positive, trusting, and mutually beneficial relationships

c) Communicates in a timely, straightforward, respectful, honest and engaging manner with colleagues and stakeholders

d) Interest in museums, arts and heritage and ability to convey a passion for the Museum’s work

e) Creative, proactive and resourceful

f) Proactively seeks to advance own professional expertise and knowledge and supports others to do so

g) Has a flexible and adaptive approach to work, executed with energy, flair and enthusiasm

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