Programme Manager, Cultural Education

Reports to: Head of Creative and Extended Curriculum

Location: West London – currently operating an agile working policy with two core days (Mon and Weds) in the office

Contract: FTC (3 years)

Pattern: Part Time (0.7 to 0.8 FTE)

Closing date: 08/03/2024 at 10am

Interviews: 12/03/2024

Full time salary: £40,000 to £45,000 (depending on experience)

At Ark, we believe that access to the arts and culture is a right, not a privilege, and that all children deserve to enjoy a life enriched by art, culture, and heritage, regardless of their circumstance or where they go to school.

Sitting alongside our approach to music and sport, and with thanks to support from the Clore Duffield Foundation, we are now seeking to develop a rich universal entitlement in the arts and cultural learning for every child in our network.

Focused on working in partnership, our ambition is to build connections between cultural organisations, individuals, and schools that:

• Foster quality teaching in the arts within our schools
• Support a dynamic extra-curricular arts programme (within and across schools)
• Ensure that every child in our school has regular and systematic access to the best the arts, culture and heritage sectors have to offer, through trips, visits, and residencies

We are committed to continuing to develop this work in consultation with pupils, school staff, local communities, and cultural organisations, but we imagine that when in it is fully operational, strands of work will include:

• Artists from a range of disciplines co-teaching and resident in schools
• Residencies in schools by cultural organisations such as orchestras, dance, and theatre companies
• Group exhibitions and productions developed in partnership with cultural organisations
• Creating new Clore Learning Spaces/Studios in selected schools
• ‘Scholarships’ to support talent development

The programme will have a place-based element, focused on the Ark Schools in Hastings, Portsmouth, Birmingham and London and a national element, developing provision across and between all Ark schools.

Working at local level:

A place-based focus on our schools and their surrounding areas, recognising the unique needs, challenges and opportunities of that community. We know that Hastings, Portsmouth, London and Birmingham are home to vibrant, artistic communities with many galleries, museums and theatres, and we are keen to ensure that this artistic vibrancy transcends the walls of our schools there.

National partnerships:

Develop impactful programming and partnerships across our national network of schools and 30,000 pupils. We expect this will utilise digital and online communities as well as in-person work where on offer.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a cultural education programme across Ark Schools that is inclusive of all children and young people in our network
• Lead the planning and implementation of an annual programme of activity, ensuring all relevant parties are set up for success
• Lead on key areas including strategy, funder reporting and key bids
• Develop an impact and evaluation strategy, ensuring it clearly demonstrates impact and tells the story of our work
• Be a key contact for funders, external relations, and partners, providing updates as requested
• Establish a network of ‘Cultural Champions’ made up of teachers and leaders in our schools
• Ensure the interests, ideas and feedback of pupils, teachers and partners are accurately reflected in decision making at all levels
• Consult widely with pupils, parents, teaching staff and the wider community
• Connect with local and national cultural organisations, building relationships and identifying appropriate partners
• Manage all aspects of effective partnership working, this includes but is not limited to: contracting and onboarding, supporting with invoices and ensuring value for money
• Lead on in-person activity, including responsibility for venues liaison, equipment, transport, and timetabling
• Manage all aspects of the programme budget, ensuring that funds are spent in a way which maximises impact
• Work with partners to ensure their practice and ways of working are aligned with Ark’s inclusive ethos and expectations around quality

Knowledge & Skills

• Experience of strategic and operational leadership within a school or arts organisation
• Experience of leading and developing an education programme in an area of the arts and/or culture, with a particular focus on working with schools
• Experience of recruiting and developing aligned partners, with experience of finding, connecting, and supporting those individuals or organisations who may fall outside of traditional networks
• Experience of drawing on a wide range of art forms, people, and organisations to create a rich and varied creative experience for young people
• Experience of creating and managing significant budgets, contract negotiation and fundraising
• Able to translate strategic plans into actions, and adept at communicating messages and feedback

View the full job description and person specification here

About Ark

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 30,000 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20^th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working, with currently two days a week in our state-of-the-art office in West London working alongside colleagues
• Regular social events, monthly free breakfast, and daily fruit
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

How to Apply:

Apply with a CV and cover letter on our online recruitment portal. Applications to be submitted by Friday 8^th March 2024 at 10am but please note: we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response.

This ATS application form should take no longer 20 minutes to complete. At any time, you can pause, save, and log back in. If you have any difficulty with meeting the deadline for application, please contact recruitment@arkonline.org

Interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.  

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link. 

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.