Deadline: Thursday 14 January 2016
Location Manchester preferred, London considered
Salary Competitive package
Industry Arts & heritage, Music, Charities, International
Hours Full Time
Contract Permanent
Description
A rare opportunity has arisen for a dynamic Music Programme Manager to join a small and high-performing team at the British Council Music Department. This role leads on the development of music programmes across all genres across 1 – 3 regions of the world, and will contribute to the development of cross-cutting, cross art-form and cross-Departmental programmes (English, Education and Society) as appropriate. The Programme Manager works closely with Arts Managers and other British Council staff overseas to agree programmes and activities which respond appropriately to local opportunity and context, contributing to the British Council’s cultural relations purpose. The Programme Manager provides the connection to the UK sector and is able to draw upon a wide-ranging knowledge of contemporary UK music across a wide range of genres and network of UK contacts to provide specialist advice, contributing directly to project design, implementation, management and evaluation. S/he will manage relationships within the UK sector and support the management of finance, contracts, information and evaluation in relation to project delivery.
Context
The British Council has offices in over 100 countries around the world, and was founded to create ‘a friendly knowledge and understanding’ between the people of the UK and wider world by making a positive contribution to the countries we work with, and in doing so making a lasting difference to the UK’s international standing, prosperity and security. The programmes we use to do this are wide-ranging and cover the arts, education, English, science and society.
Music Department is one of the six specialist art forms in Arts Group, and works with the British Council’s global network of offices to achieve significant impact and change by finding new ways of connecting and seeing each other through the arts. Our aim is to see stronger creative sectors across the world that are better connected with the UK. We believe arts and culture are vital to prosperous, secure societies, and that offering international cultural connections and experiences strengthens their resilience. We are uniquely able to make a difference thanks to our extensive and diverse networks in the UK and internationally, enabling us to respond to the individual context of each place we work in. Our arts programme aspires to transform lives, building on the UK’s cultural and artistic strength and diversity.
In the Music team we use our connections and understanding of the UK contemporary music sector across all genres from classical to urban to advise and support our international colleagues on working with music within cultural relations programmes and provide a link to the UK. Together we develop projects to encourage showcasing, collaboration and professional exchange. We work in partnership with musicians, composers and music sector professionals to build relationships between the music sector in the UK and around the world. We wish to extend our presence to the North of England through our office in Manchester. We would prefer the role to be Manchester-based, but it could potentially be based in London.
The successful candidate will:
Create opportunities for the UK music sector that encourage international showcasing, collaboration and professional exchange within a cultural relations context.
Contribute to developing the digital representation of Music Department’s work.
Work on multiple programmes with different cultural and operational contexts (resources, capacity, infrastructure, market, political).
Work within cross-departmental and multi-location teams to deliver music programmes within a large, complex international organisation.
Some of the main duties in this role are:
Leading in the development and presentation of specific project or programme proposals, including the music-related component of wider programmes, to ensure these are soundly based and gain approval.
Actively building professional networks and information channels that maintain an excellent understanding of relevant developments, stakeholders and opinion formers in the music sector (in both the UK and internationally), representing our work in music externally, to support the creation of high quality project and programme proposals.
Providing proactive advice and support to colleagues, particularly overseas, to ensure locally developed and/or implemented projects and programmes are high quality, cost effective and based on a genuine understanding of the key priorities and best practice within music.
Ensuring the provision, collation and analysis of participant and stakeholder feedback and other evaluation as appropriate on all relevant projects and programmes so their quality and effectiveness can be assessed and, recommend improvements.
Building and maintaining effective relationships with internal partners and stakeholders, to ensure effective, integrated and joined-up delivery of portfolio goals in a complex matrix environment.
Essential knowledge and experience:
A good, wide knowledge of UK contemporary music across a range of genres, and the ability to make critical judgements.
A good network of contacts across the UK music sector.
Substantial recent professional experience in the UK music sector.
The ability to write effectively for a variety of different audiences.
More information about the role can be found from the website.
Benefits:
Generous pension
32 days annual leave
Flexible working policy
Childcare vouchers
Season ticket loan
Cycling Scheme
If you are interested and feel you are suitable for the role, please apply before Thursday 14th January 2016 at 23:59 GMT.
The British Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and is keen to reflect the diversity of UK society at every level within the organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. In line with the British Council’s Child Protection policy, any appointment is contingent on thorough checks. In the UK, and in other countries where appropriate systems exist, these include criminal record checks.