Deputy Director

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Job Title: Deputy Director  

Salary: £34,000 - £38,000 (pro rata depending on experience)

Reporting to: Director

Contract terms: 4 days a week. 32 hours (flexible working). Some occasional weekend and evening work which is compensated by TOIL. Permanent contract after a 3-month probation period. 

Annual leave: 28 days (pro rata) + statutory holidays

Usual place of work: First Floor, Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Closing date: 6pm Tuesday the 13th October 2020

THE PERSON 

We are looking for a dynamic, collaborative and passionate individual to join our dedicated staff team at a senior level. Our ideal candidate will come to us with good experience of working in the arts, and have a particular interest in the strategic, developmental, financial and operational aspects that are necessary to effectively run a small-scale arts organisation. 

This role may suit you if you are interested in progressing to a more senior leadership role, or are returning to work. We are an equal opportunities employer and would particularly welcome applications from disabled candidates and those that identify as Black or People of Colour as these groups are currently under-represented within our staff team.  

THE ROLE 

The Deputy Director’s post is a new role, which has been created to help us envision, map out and deliver the next exciting phase of our long history. Working closely with our Director and Board of Trustees, you will play a vital role in ensuring the future development, ongoing financial resilience, management excellence and smooth running of New Contemporaries. 

As Deputy Director you will be directly responsible for all aspects of our financial management, day-to-day operations and staffing, as well as supporting our strategic development, fundraising efforts, relationships with key funders and governance. You will also deputise for the Director when required. 

You will be joining a staff team that currently comprises Director, Programme Curator and Programme Assistant. 

ABOUT NEW CONTEMPORARIES

Established in 1949, New Contemporaries is the leading UK-wide organisation developing, supporting and promoting artists emerging from established and alternative fine art programmes. We consistently provide a critical platform for emerging and early career artists primarily through our annual open-submission exhibition, which is toured nationally, and a wide range of other valuable professional development opportunities. 

A registered charity, New Contemporaries identifies, nurtures and promotes artistic talent remaining relevant to emerging artists through our ability to be proactive, resilient and adaptable to an ever-changing art world. 

New Contemporaries is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England in the 2018-23 funding round, and Bloomberg Philanthropies are the current title sponsors of the annual exhibition. A close working partnership with both funders has existed for a number of years. 

For further information on New Contemporaries history and recent exhibitions please see www.newcontemporaries.org.uk

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategic Management, Fundraising and Income Generation 

Play an active role in the development of our strategic vision for 2022 on, with a particular focus on building our resilience and delivery capacity

Lead on the annual evaluation of our activity against our Business Plan targets, and help shape and identify our future goals

Annually review our fundraising strategy to ensure that our income targets are in line with our Business Plan and planned activity

Lead on the strategic approach relating to the sale of artwork 

Investigate key innovations in fundraising sharing these with our Director and Programme Curator

Research and identify potential new sources of funding from a wide variety of different public and private sources 

Generate funding bids as well as support our Director in writing major strategic applications 

Manage and maintain our funding agreements to ensure all quarterly and annual reporting conditions are met and payments received

Prepare submissions and reports for funders to support the management of these key relationships

Organise and attend special patrons’ events to nurture and grow our group of individual supporters

Deputise for our Director when required 

Actively participate in the contemporary art world, networking with artists, gallerists, collectors, funders, institutions to widely promote our work 

Finance 

Oversee our financial systems, ensuring that they operate properly with all records maintained in a systematic and accurate manner 

Management of financial activity including issuing invoices and payments, managing petty cash, liaising with our bank, overseeing the accurate coding of income and expenditure by the team

Play an active role in the preparation, management and monitoring of our annual budget and any individual project budgets 

Liaise with our bookkeeper and accountant to ensure the timely produce quarterly management accounts, cashflow statements and end of year figures

Manage up-to-date records of Supporters and submit Gift Aid applications

Oversee the monthly payroll and pension process including compliance with statutory employer responsibilities

General and Staff Management 

With the Director, maintain existing and develop new strategic relationships with partners 

Draft and manage contracts with artists, partners and suppliers

Ensure that our office infrastructure supports all aspects of our activity, including IT equipment, storage, insurance and maintenance 

Lead on our HR practices making sure that they comply with legal requirements and best practice

Take the lead in the management of our paid Intern Programme

Ensure that all our policies are implemented, managed and maintained and actively promote compliance

Oversee the gathering and maintaining of data and statistical records for fundraising and reporting purposes 

Manage our relationship with our landlord, Rich Mix including attending tenants’ meetings

Feed into our Communications and Audience Development Strategies

Governance and Compliance 

Oversee our Risk Management process with support from our Director 

Ensure the necessary returns are submitted in a timely manner to the appropriate authorities (Companies House, Charities Commission, HMRC etc.)

Support the work of our Board of Trustees and relevant Sub-Committees, including helping to prepare board papers and meeting minutes

General

Take responsibility to be fully aware of our activities and programme of events at all times

Attend exhibition previews, meetings, receptions and events as required

Any other duties as may reasonably be requested

This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Deputy Director. It is not wholly comprehensive or restrictive and may be reviewed with the post holder and the line manager as required. 

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION 

Essential Skills and Attributes 

• Experience of working in a similar or relevant role

• Experience of business planning and strategic management 

• A proven record of fundraising from a wide variety of sources and managing raised funds 

• Strong financial management, monitoring and reporting experience

• Good knowledge of and familiarity with the UK arts funding system and Arts Council England NPO reporting

• Experience of developing and implementing policies and procedures 

• Experience of managing staff, with a strong ability to build team-spirit in the workplace

• Excellent planning and time management, with the ability to multitask and prioritise within a busy working environment

• Experience of working in a small team, with a willingness to carry out a wide variety of tasks

• Excellent administrative and communications skills, both written and verbal with strong attention to detail

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to engage a variety of stakeholders

• A broad understanding of contemporary art practice and associated debates nationally and internationally 

• Experience of working directly with artists, writers and curators

• Good IT skills, particularly in MS Word, Excel, Photoshop etc on Mac. 

• Knowledge of small business accounting software such as Xero 

Desirable:

• Knowledge of national and international arts organisations and a good network of contacts 

• Experience of contract drafting and negotiation

• Knowledge of marketing and audience development in the arts

• Comfortable with public speaking 

• Driving licence

Benefits:

• Auto-enrolment into NEST pension scheme. Contribution rates 5% employee, 3% employer on gross salary

• Training opportunities

• Some flexibility in working hours