Job Description
Creative United is an entrepreneurial community interest company committed to supporting creative livelihoods. We work with partners across the public and private sectors to design and deliver programmes that enable economic growth and social impact. Our vision is for artists, creative enterprises and cultural organisations to have access to the skills, advice and services they need to achieve their ambitions for growth and impact within their communities.
Purpose of the Role
This new senior role will be responsible for driving the delivery and development of a new business support programme for creative enterprises. You will provide vision, influence organisational priorities and drive income generation, ensuring the programme delivers measurable impact. You will lead the new programme through a period of testing as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), identifying ways to improve it as a result of the test period. Crucially, working closely with Creative United’s Senior Management Team, you will ensure the new programme generates interest and sales from its target market and fulfils its brief to build skills and confidence in growing creative businesses.
This new programme offer is being developed following the success of Creative United’s publicly funded business support programme Re:Create, which has been delivered in partnership with the London boroughs of Wandsworth, Richmond-upon-Thames and the City of Westminster. The new programme is a priority business development opportunity for Creative United. We will be bringing an exciting and transformative new business support programme – designed especially for leaders of creative enterprises with a growth mindset – to market, enabling them to invest in their development as profitable, impactful creative enterprises.
Candidate Profile
We are seeking candidates who believe in our mission to support creative livelihoods. You will be motivated by helping creative people pursue their business ambitions, understanding that the creative industry in the UK is not just an economic powerhouse, but a force for social good. You recognise that barriers exist for many people to build an enterprise that not only produces creative products and services loved by their audiences and customers, but also capitalises on this to generate sustainable income for founders and employees alike. You have deep experience of working either within the creative industry or arts sector, and can bring this experience to bear on developing ways to support others to succeed. An excellent writer and speaker, you are adept at communicating sometimes complex information, data and narratives through reports and presentations. You are also a stickler for delivering projects to time, to budget and to target. Above all, you enjoy working collaboratively, sharing your skills and experience with others, and always appreciate opportunities to learn.
Responsibilities
Programme leadership:
* Leading the implementation and evaluation of the MVP delivery and test period
* Overseeing the end-to-end delivery of the programme during the MVP testing period
* Developing training content in collaboration with Creative United's business advisor network
* Sourcing and engaging with business specialists to enable delivery of a range of business support
* Developing the programme KPIs and evaluation framework, tracking programme outputs and outcomes
Commercial development:
* Identifying target market creative businesses and, working with Creative United’s marketing team, engaging with potential customers/programme participants
* Driving conversion from potential customers/participants into sales
* Cultivating and maintaining funder and partner relationships, and sourcing potential sources of funding to extend the reach of the programme
Stakeholder Engagement:
* Managing Creative United's business advisor network, ensuring excellence in business mentoring and training delivery
* Managing participant journeys ensuring a rewarding experience and maximum impact for their businesses
* Represent Creative United at a Senior level, including contribution to programme and company-wide strategy development and speaking at industry events, panels and conferences
* Reporting to colleagues, the Creative United Board and other key stakeholders
Person Specification (Essential Requirements):
* At least 5 years’ experience working in a leading or strategic project or programme management role in the arts or creative industries.
* Demonstrable experience of delivering successful income generative programmes or projects which successfully reach their target market and convert interest into sales.
* Good experience of setting and managing a project budget, tracking income and expenditure
* Demonstrable knowledge of the sectors, businesses, economic landscape, challenges and communities within the creative industry.
* Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to deliver complex information to a range of stakeholders.
* Strong data analysis skills, able to take information on a spreadsheet and turn it into meaningful reporting for a range of audiences.
* Excellent people and relationship management skills, able to keep track of multiples sets of needs and priorities.
* Excellent IT skills with confidence in use Microsoft Office suite, data analytic tools, project management platforms, a CRM and online survey-making tools
* Able to commit to a minimum of 2 days per week working in Creative United’s central London office
* Willingness to travel and to undertake occasional evening and weekend hours required (for which time off in lieu will be provided).
To Apply:
Please send a letter of application setting out your relevant skills and experience with reference to the full job description, along with a copy of your CV.
Applicants MUST submit a cover letter with their application.
Equal Opportunities
Creative United is committed to diversity and inclusion in its recruitment and employment practices and policies. Our mission is to create an inclusive and diverse team of people, whose differences are our strength.
If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements for the recruitment process for this or any other role at Creative United please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your needs.