We are the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting early-career artists, makers, curators and producers to develop and thrive across the UK. Over the next year we will be working closely with organisations across the UK to develop and deliver new opportunities for artists that enable them to take significant steps forward in their work and careers. Please visit our website to find out about our mission, values and funding programmes.
To support our work and manage key elements of it, we are recruiting three new team members: a Project Manager and two Team Assistants.
These vacancies have come up because three of our team are moving on in their lives and careers over coming months. While we are sad to see them go, it does create a once in a blue moon opportunity to build a new team. You might like to listen to this recorded conversation with some of our current team – it gives a real-life insight into who we are, what we do and how we work.
We are excited to share these opportunities widely and meet new people. We would particularly like to hear from you if you feel under-represented in the arts or funding sectors and/or haven’t followed a ‘traditional’ career pathway. We know that intersectional diversity is vital to a dynamic, effective team and are keen to further strengthen our work by bringing in people with new and/or different skills, experiences, perspectives and ideas.
This job pack includes:
- Role description
- Skills and experience we are looking for
- Terms and conditions
The jobs page on our website includes further guidance on how to apply, the selection process and equal opportunities.
The closing date for applications to all three roles is 10am, Monday 15 May. First stage interviews will take place on 24 and 25 May on Zoom. Second stage interviews will take place on 8 June in person at Jerwood Space, London.
We hope that this job pack will give you all the information you need to support your application. Cath Mattos, freelance Recruitment Manager, is on hand to answer any question and set up conversations with us if you’d like to find out more. Please get in touch – we will be happy to help.
Best wishes,
Lilli Geissendorfer, Director
Who we are
Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting early-career artists, makers, curators and producers to develop and thrive across the UK. We collaborate with organisations across artforms, disciplines and genres to create transformative opportunities and a more sustainable sector. Over two decades, Jerwood Arts has been at the forefront of supporting extraordinary, distinctive and visionary artists to develop their practices and create outstanding new work.
Our small team are based in an office at Jerwood Space, London and travel extensively to support our work across the UK. Supported by a board of Trustees, we spend around £1.4 million each year.
More information about Jerwood Arts is available at www.jerwoodarts.org
Project Manager
- One role available
- 12 months fixed term, with potential to extend
- Full time, flexible working supported
- £31,000 per annum
Jerwood Arts is seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and diligent person with an interest in early-career visual artists to join the team as Project Manager. The role will be responsible for managing funding processes and key relationships with funded organisations.
Reporting to: Director
What you will be working on
Over the next year, Jerwood Arts will be focused on designing and delivering high-impact funding programmes and opportunities for early-career artists, makers, curators and producers, including:
- Supporting organisations to run sector-leading development programmes that support extraordinary early-career artists through the Jerwood Developing Artist Fund
- Designing and delivering specialist programmes, awards and fellowships collaboratively in partnership with organisations including Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open, Jerwood Survey III, Jerwood Writer in Residence and new initiatives around poetry and dance. See Supportedfor more examples
- Funding individuals and collaborative practices directly through the Jerwood New Work Fund
What role you will play
Your main responsibility will be day-to-day management of the Jerwood Developing Artist Fund for organisations. Working closely with the Director and Deputy Director, you will manage the fund’s application process and support potential applicants to develop programmes that will enable the most extraordinary early-career artists, makers, curators and producers to take significant steps forward in their work and careers. You will support funded organisations to embed our values in their programmes, creating accessible and inclusive conditions for early-career artists to thrive.
You will also manage programmes and relationships with partners on high-profile national visual arts-focused awards such as Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open and Jerwood/Photoworks Awards. You will share responsibility for helping us learn from our work, managing implementation of our evaluation frameworks, feedback surveys and data analysis. The role also makes a significant contribution to helping us communicate publicly about the impact our funding has.
Who is this role for
The role will suit you if you enjoy being highly organised, are confident balancing a varied portfolio of work and responsibilities, and can manage stakeholder relationships with care and diplomacy. You will need an understanding of the context for arts funding in the UK and how arts and cultural organisations develop and run their programmes for early-career artists.
You will be open to working flexibly, including evenings and some weekends, to engage with the wide range of cultural activities we support throughout the year. The Project Manager can be based anywhere in the UK, with a requirement to join us at Jerwood Space in London a minimum of once a week.
You do not need to have experience in all of the areas included in this job pack to apply. This could be your third or tenth job. Jerwood Arts sits on the edge of the funding and arts sectors, and it’s likely you are currently working in a related role – for example fundraising, talent development, producing, curating, programming, funding, grant management, arts and cultural policy, arts consultancy and evaluation, arts education. We look forward to hearing how you would apply your transferable skills to this role.
Main Responsibilities
- Funding Programme management: day-to-day management and delivery of Jerwood Arts’ funding processes for organisations and specialist visual arts programmes. Manage a portfolio of relationships with funded
- Communications: Deliver timely and accurate updates on programmes and artists project outcomes for use across website and social media channels.
- Evaluation, Learning and Impact: Collect and manage data across our programmes for evaluation and organisational learning.
Specific Responsibilities
Funding Programme Management
- Manage the application and selection process for the Jerwood Developing Artists Fund
- Manage a portfolio of relationships with arts organisations funded through the Jerwood Developing Artists Fund
- Manage the delivery of Jerwood Arts’ visual arts awards, such as Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open and Jerwood/Photoworks Award and support other visual arts programmes such as Jerwood Writer in Residence
- Manage the Jerwood Arts’ application portal, maintaining and building new online application forms and evaluation surveys
- Provide advice and technical support for applicants
- Develop an in-depth knowledge of funded organisations’ work through online and in-person meetings, seeing funding outcomes and building high-trust relationships with supported artists
- Ensure project and programme reporting is completed in a timely manner by funded organisations and supported artists
- Contribute to development of new programmes and partnerships, especially with a visual arts focus
- Stay up to date with arts sector developments, including leadership changes, especially in the visual arts
Communications
- Write regular updates on funded artist development programmes and the artists we support for our website and social media
- Ensure comprehensive record keeping on beneficiary activities and artist achievements
- Work closely with partners and the Digital Engagement Manager to announce opportunities, selected artists and outcomes
- Contribute to communications strategy across our funded programmes, particularly around call for entry campaigns
Evaluation, Learning and Impact
- Manage the collection of qualitative and quantitative information from applicants and funded organisations to help Jerwood Arts learn and improve its funding practices
- Coordinate internal and external funding programme evaluation to support reporting to trustees, partners and funders
- Produce updates, analysis and summary reports to support press, communications, advocacy, internal learning and strategic planning as required
- Ensure the Jerwood Arts contacts database up to date, ensuring compliance with data protection policies
- Contribute to development and delivery of Policy and Action Plans across our work to improve ways of working, including in response to feedback from applicants and supported artists and organisations
General
- Represent Jerwood Arts with a professional manner
- Act with discretion and maintain confidentiality
- Contribute to the successful life, work and overall running of Jerwood Arts by adhering to is policies and procedures
- Enact Jerwood Arts values
- Promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of Jerwood Arts
- Contribute to strategic planning and policy development as required
- Be an active member of the Jerwood Arts team and provide support for colleagues in the team as and where required
- Develop an understanding of Jerwood Arts work and act as representative and supporter at relevant events and engagements
This job description is not exhaustive and will not form part of your contract of employment. It may be reviewed and amended from time to time within the reasonable remit of the role.
Skills and experience we are looking for
We will support new team members to learn Jerwood Arts’ ways of working and can provide role-specific training and development to develop their skills in areas where they may have less experience and/or feel less confident. Overqualified candidates will not be prioritised in the selection process.
Experience
- Five or more years of project management experience
- Some experience of working collaboratively on organisational partnerships
- Some experience and/or understanding of working with early-career visual artists, makers and curators
- Some experience of evaluation methods and working with data
- Some experience working on communications
Skills and abilities
- Outstanding ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people
- Excellent written communication skills
- Highly organised, with strong time and workload management skills
- Ability to manage a project from start to end, and keep up to date records
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
- IT confident, ideally with Office 365, SharePoint and WordPress
- Confident working with databases
- Confident with remote working and leading online meetings
- Able to act with discretion, diplomacy and maintain confidentiality
Personal attributes and interests
- Interested in supporting early-career visual artists, makers and curators
- Interested in arts funding and policy across the UK
- Takes pride in their work
- Willingness to learn
- Approaches work with a positive, constructive attitude
- Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
- Responds positively to differing points of view
- Actively committed to improving equity, diversity and inclusion
Working for Jerwood Arts
Term and conditions
- 12 months fixed term, with potential to extend
- Full time, flexible working supported
- Based in London minimum one day per head
We encourage staff to develop a healthy work life balance and support requests for flexible working if it fits with the requirements of the role. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss what flexible working arrangements would suit you best in advance of applying.
Our headquarters is in a step-free office in our sister organisation Jerwood Space’s building, one of the top rehearsal centres in London. There is a café run by The Gentlemen Baristas on site and it is close to Southwark, London Bridge, Borough and Waterloo stations.
The office is open Monday to Friday. We come into the office one or more days a week, depending on what’s going on, as well as regularly visit organisations and projects we are working with across the UK.
The Project Manager can be based anywhere in the UK, with a requirement to join us at Jerwood Space a minimum of once a week.
Salary and benefits
- Salary: £31,000
- Pension contribution: Employee’s 5% contribution will be matched by Jerwood Arts
- 25 days per annum plus bank holidays and office closed between Christmas and New Year
- Jerwood Arts Cycle to Work Scheme
- Discount at the Gentlemen Baristas’ School House Cafe and weekly free team lunch
- Access to free employee counselling services
- Enhanced parental and sick leave pay
Induction and access
Jerwood Arts is committed to creating an inclusive culture and ensuring staff have the right equipment and software to deliver their role. We welcome conversations about how we can make new staff feel comfortable, including about working patterns and styles.
Professional development
Jerwood Arts is a learning organisation and professional development is offered to all staff, individually and as a team.
Probationary period
Three months (subject to review)
Notice period
Two months (one week during probationary period)
How to apply
You can apply using the online form here.
