Role description:
Markshall Estate is a great place to work! We have begun to deliver a new organisational growth strategy (2020-25) with a focus on environmental sustainability, public engagement, and education, which reflects the core aims of the Charity. The Charity celebrates its 50th Anniversary in November 2021 which will be a crucial stage in our development.
The Programme and Partnerships Manager is a new role, leading and demonstrating change with an exciting, busy public programme. We have a lovely team of 35 contracted people, and this number grows seasonally. The postholder will work very closely with the Executive Director and Operations Director to deliver relevant parts of the new 5-year development strategy. The role is responsible for conceptual programming, practical delivery of events, sponsorship and grants fundraising, and income generation through ticket sales. Part of the Senior Management Team, this role will have direct reports and manage the work of relevant consultants, contractors, and suppliers.
We are looking for an established, public events professional, keen to grow and develop in the role, with minimum 3+ years relevant experience at a cultural or heritage site, and experience of managing a team. The Programme and Partnerships Manager will be highly organised, commercially minded, and experienced in each aspect of preparing and delivering high quality events and securing sponsorship and funding, enabling Markshall Estate to deliver on its strategic aims. The successful individual will be data-focused and financially astute, proficient and confident in their own abilities with regards to budgets management, analysis, planning and accurate reporting. The postholder will possess excellent time management, prioritisation, and scheduling skills.
You’ll be a self-starter and finisher, a team-player with lots of energy, and a positive outlook. The new Programme & Partnerships Manager will need to manage a busy workload and be hands-on across a range of tasks as required.
We’re keen to embed the values contained within our strategy into all aspects of the operational business, and therefore, an interest in environmental matters, sustainability and nature-based solutions would be welcomed.
Key Result Areas: Primary objectives
- Work closely with the Executive Director, Operations Director, and team to conceive and deliver the public programme to support the Charity’s future objectives and help ensure its financial sustainability.
- Ensure that the public programme at Markshall Estate communicates and delivers an active pro- environment and climate action ethos and is sustainably produced, in line with our vision, mission and values.
- Ensure that the public programme at Markshall Estate is of the highest quality and raises the Charity’s profile.
- Set the working schedule, structure, and processes for future public programming at Markshall Estate, ensuring that every aspect of planning and production complies with programming and operational policies.
- Be responsible for, actively manage, and report on income generation for the public programme through minimum £30K sponsorship/grants annually, and maximising profit through ticket sales annually.
- Demonstrate innovation and creativity in identifying and developing profitable new commercial opportunities and areas for business growth in public programming.
- Work closely with the team to ensure successful planning, scheduling and implementation of the public programme and financial and environmental sustainability of each event, and ensure the wider team’s contribution to the public programme.
- Capitalise on all commercial and income-generating opportunities associated with the public programme.
- Be a visible ambassador for Markshall Estate, developing effective relationships with stakeholders.
- Keep up to date in all areas of the role, be aware of trends and forecasts to ensure the effectiveness of the activities under the remit of the postholder and determine where resources should be prioritised to support cultural change within the organisation.
Funding partnerships
- Work with the Executive Director, Finance Manager and Fundraiser on the sponsorship and grants funding plan, manage this plan carefully, and keep the public programme budget updated each week.
- Work with the Executive Director and Finance Manager to produce a sponsorship strategy, as part of the overall fundraising strategy for Markshall Estate.
- Identify appropriate corporate sponsorship opportunities across the public programme and build strong relationships with other business areas across the organisation to negotiate and deliver sponsorship benefits.
- Work with our Fundraiser on grant funder prospects for the public programme and note timelines and deadlines in line with the future public programme.
- Maintain and update the sponsorship database undertaking detailed prospects research.
- Initiate and coordinate approaches to potential sponsors and funders, establishing contact, producing, appropriate proposal and support documentation, and follow up and maintain communication with sponsors.
- Negotiate and finalise sponsorship agreements, ensuring contracts are put in place in a timely and efficient manner.
- Implement and oversee the evaluation of all Markshall Estate sponsorships with team support, including managing the servicing of sponsors to ensure contractual obligations are carried out to the highest standards.
- Establish and monitor the progress of sponsor prospect lists for events and activities on the programme.
- Implement and manage corporate cultivation events to ensure sponsors continued and increased support.
- Initiate and deliver creative proposals to attract sponsors across the public programme.
- Act as liaison between the sponsors and all relevant Markshall Estate business areas, ensuring that all obligations to the sponsor are complied with, including management of all sponsor hospitality events.
- Attend as a host and undertake specific roles or tasks at cultivation and sponsor events.
Financial management
- Provide weekly funding income and ticket sales updates to the Executive Director and Operations Director.
- Manage the public programme budget, and individual profit and loss budgets for each event.
- Ensure that budgets are scrupulously managed, never overspent, and that value obtained for expenditure and profit for the Charity is maximised at all times.
- Ensure that all Markshall Estate financial and procurement rules and procedures are adhered to.
- Produce regular financial and non-financial performance reports against agreed key performance indicators.
- Ensure the effective management of contracts and relations with external partners to support the needs of the business and provide value for money.
HR/Management
- Lead on scheduling programming meetings and creating structures and processes for the team to adhere to.
- Ensure that appraisal, objective setting, and Personal Development Plans for all direct reports are completed.
- Lead and minute programming meetings, disseminate actions, and ensure these are carried out on time.
- Ensure all public programme related policies are in place.
- Work with the Programme Operations Manager on all risk management and health and safety planning.
- Keep up to date with training and best practice in public programming, sponsorship, and income generation development.
Other responsibilities
- Be an active ambassador for Markshall Estate and maintain a professional approach at all times.
- Carry out all responsibilities in a way which supports Markshall Estate’s brand values.
- Develop the reputation of Markshall Estate and its position with local, regional, and national stakeholders.
- Deliver on agreed personal objectives in line with organisational goals and objectives.
- Work effectively with colleagues, contractors, and suppliers to continually improve standards.
- Manage time and workload effectively, take responsibility for all aspects of your work.
- Build strong relationships across the organisation with staff and volunteers, promoting a good team- working culture of excellence, professionalism, and consistent communication.
- Work within the terms and conditions of employment, adhere to the policies and procedures of the Charity.
- Undertake evening and weekend work as needed; plan and communicate time in lieu with Line Manager.
- Demonstrate awareness of equal opportunities for all and a deep understanding of diversity and social inclusion through your work and communications.
- Undertake any other duties that may be reasonably required.
Knowledge and experience:
- First degree or equivalent and/or Events Management or Business Management qualification.
- Excellent IT skills including use of Microsoft Office, Excel at an advanced level; Fundraising database management and Project Management software experience would be an advantage.
- A strong operational events delivery background with demonstrable experience of leading service delivery in a complex and fast paced environment with challenging deadlines.
- Experience of leading sponsorship programmes.
- Experience of managing income generation through sponsorship, grants funding and ticket sales.
- Experience and knowledge of Health and Safety management in a visitor-focused environment.
- Experience of risk management in a visitor-focused environment.
- Excellent networking and collaborative skills, able to win support of colleagues and stakeholders.
- Ability to communicate professionally and effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills.
- Commercially astute, entrepreneurial, proven capacity to work innovatively and independently.
- Ability to think and act strategically and work collaboratively with Senior Managers and Trustees.
- Innovative and creative approach to problem solving and developing solutions.
Key criteria for success
Income generation and effective team working is key to the success of this role. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will include a £30K annual sponsorship/grant funding target in 2022 and a separate target for programme revenue (TBA).
After two months in post, the successful candidate will have completed and be operating a profit and loss budget for all planned events through 2022-3, and after six months, will have raised £15K sponsorship/funding (50% of annual target).
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