Glow Newcastle is a brand-new organisation that has grown out of Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership. We have recently achieved charitable status. The aim of the organisation is to ensure that young people aged 0 – 25 in Newcastle have access to high quality cultural opportunities in school and outside of school.
We are seeking an ambitious and entrepreneurial Founding Director who will lead the development of the organisation. There are many exciting opportunities to develop Glow as a dynamic, well-networked organisation that can have a lasting impact on children and young people in Newcastle. We want to support children and young people to develop their creativity, and to celebrate it; to build their confidence and connection with other; to ensure their voices are heard across our city; and that they are well-prepared for employment whether that’s in the cultural industries or beyond. We want to be of value to and work in partnership with teachers and the education sector in the city and artists, creatives and the cultural sector.
Our current overarching aim is that children and young people in Newcastle upon Tyne are able to reach their potential as creative, connected, active and engaged citizens
The current objectives are as follows:
- More children and young people engage with culture in and out of schools particularly more under-represented groups
- There is greater equality of opportunity to access arts and culture for children and young people across all schools in Newcastle Trusts, sustained by teachers’ knowledge and skills
- More parents, families and carers are aware of and support arts and cultural activities
- There is more awareness amongst children and young people and their teachers of the opportunities available for careers in the cultural sector
Programme
We have up to now been project-funded by Culture Bridge North East with match funding from partner schools to run a programme called InspiredBy, these are co-creative artist residencies in schools across the city. We completed that programme successfully and have recently secured a further Partnership Investment grant from Arts Council to build on the work achieved.
The forthcoming programme will consist of:
8 x co-creative artists residencies with schools in the city, part funded by the schools
CPD for teachers
Careers support for young people
A public celebration of the work
The Director will oversee the delivery of this funded programme.
Budget
We have sufficient funding to run a lean operation which provides for some reserves and company overheads until end of March 2025. There is also funding for a part time Programme Coordinator, which the Director would appoint, and some funding for freelance support with certain areas of the operation.
Funding
The budget for the above programme covers some funding towards a Director and a Programme Coordinator, with a small amount for central costs. In addition the funding picture is as follows: we have for the past 2 years received £5000 core funding from Newcastle City Council and anticipate that will continue next financial year. We have also had a commitment from TWAM (who look after the Arts Council funding for LCEPs) that we will receive £10,000 core funding per year for the next period of NPO agreement. We also currently have a grant from the North of Tyne to support careers work and CPD. A key role for the Director will be to broker partnerships and raise funding from range of other sources.
Governance
Newcastle Cultural Education Partnership has always had a very strong leadership and buy-in from the education sector in Newcastle. The partnership has been overseen by an Advisory Group made up of representatives of all 5 Trusts in Newcastle. Together they represent almost all the state schools in Newcastle. So we have strong support from the education sector. Representatives from the cultural sector also sit on that Advisory group. We want to ensure those members and more continue to remain engaged with Glow.
There is a founding board of Trustees of Glow, Newcastle they are:
Becky Jackson – Headteacher Cragside Primary School, Newcastle
Rob Adams – Headteacher Gosforth First School, Newcastle
Anna Disley – Executive Director, New Writing North who is also Chair
Board meetings are also attended by Andrew Rothwell, Arts Manager Newcastle City Council as an observer.
The trustees would like to expand the board and the new Director would be involved in that process.
Main Purpose
The main purpose of the founding Director role will be to establish Glow as a dynamic and innovative organisation supporting, promoting and celebrating the creativity of children and young people in Newcastle. Working closely with a committed and experienced board of Trustees you will set up the systems and working practices of this new organisation, and a key role will be to develop the resources, capacity and partnerships to ensure this is a sustainable organisation.
Responsibilities
Resource and Partnership Development
- Build resources for Glow from a mix of funding sources, including Trusts and Foundations, Local and Combined Authority, Private Sector, Schools, Universities, Sales
- Manage communications with keys funders including Arts Council and Newcastle City Council
- Promote Glow and its work amongst public, private and voluntary sector in the city, including the Combined Authority
- Work with Newcastle Cultural Compact to help deliver its work with children and young people
- Ensure the education sector in the city of Newcastle embraces the benefit of Glow and is part of programme design and development
- Ensure the cultural sector in the city of Newcastle embraces the benefit of Glow and is part of the programme design and development
- Ensure that Glow is part of a network and an influential voice amongst LCEPs in the north-east and across the country
- Develop relationships with universities based on shared research interests
- Identify and maximise commercial income opportunities for the organisation
Organisational Development
- Ensure that Glow is well-promoted, with a far-reaching social media and web presence (this may involve appointing a freelancer to oversee this area)
- Line Manage and appoint the Programme Coordinator
- Ensure that young people are influential in the development of the organisation
- Ensure that all freelance artists are well-inducted, appropriately contracted, paid and supported
- Develop / oversee the development of Glow’s polices and ensure there are systems in place for keeping them up to date and fully understood by the people they affect
- Take on the role of Safeguarding Officer for Glow
Strategy Development
- Be fully aware of the region’s cultural and economic development strategies and understand how Glow can contribute to these agendas
- Keep up to date with shifts and developments in cultural and cultural education policy, the skills agenda and the education sector in general
- Develop and implement the organisation’s strategic and business plan
Programme / Artistic Development
- Ensure the programmes Glow delivers are of the highest quality in artistic and engagement terms
- Find innovative ways of ensuring young people and especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds are engaged in Glow’s work
- Ensure that all of Glow’s programmes are fully evaluated and that the impact is communicated to partners, funders and the wider public
- Ensure all the programmes are well-managed
- Ensure that the work Glow creates is celebrated in the city, and audiences are developed for the work
Financial Management
- Manage the finances of Glow, ensuring work is delivered within budget and according to cashflow forecasts
- Set and manage the organisational budgets
- Ensure the management accounts are prepared and clearly presented to the board in a timely manner
Governance
- Manage the governance of the organisation, providing the board with thorough and appropriate papers in a timely manner, and ensure meetings are minuted
- Ensure that the board is able to oversee risks to the organisation
- Work with the current trustees to undertake a skills audit and recruit new board members according to gaps in expertise and knowledge
- Liaise with the Chair of the board to identify an agenda for meetings
- Ensure all Charity Commission returns are completed in a timely manner
Skills and Experience Required
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of fundraising
- Demonstrable experience of partnership development and management
- An appetite for innovation and entrepreneurialism
- Experience of working in cultural education and / or the educational sector
- Experience of managing budgets, preparing and presenting financial reports
- Understanding of Cultural Policy
- Well organised with close attention to detail
- Experience of managing creative projects
Desirable
- A leadership role in a similar organisation
- experience of working with young people
- experience of governance
- experience and understanding of marketing and PR
- Experience of managing people
- Experience of recruiting people
Terms and Conditions
21 hours across three days per week with 1 unpaid hour for lunch
25 days holiday (pro-rata) per year plus statutory bank holidays
To apply for the post, please send your CV plus a covering letter of no more than 3 pages explaining why you would like the job, why you are qualified for the role and how you would go about securing a sustainable future for Glow.
Please email this to Anna Disley, Chair of Glow by Monday 11 December at 9.00 am to anna@newwritingnorth.com. Please contact Anna with any questions you may have or to arrange a conversation about the role.
Interviews for the role will take place in central Newcastle on Friday 15th December. We hope be in touch with successful candidates to arrange interviews by the end of Tuesday 12th December.
