Applications close at noon on Wednesday, 27th March, 2024
The beautiful Northumberland market town of Hexham has been voted one of the happiest places to live in the UK. Hexham Community Partnership, the development trust for the town, plays a key role in this. We organise events, promote tourism, work with other organisations involved in developing the town and seek to engage the whole community in making Hexham even better.
Our new Partnership Manager must be equally at home presenting a business case to potential funders as to safely planning and producing an event that attracts several thousand people.
This is a high-profile, and varied, part-time role with a high level of autonomy that requires an enthusiastic, creative and well-organised manager. The flexibility to lead weekend and evening events is essential.
Job description
Job Title: Manager of Hexham Community Partnership
Hours: 22.5 hours per week
Salary: £33k per annum pro rata
Pension: NEST scheme
Holiday: 17 days total (30 days pro rata)
Reports to: Hexham Community Partnership Board
Work base: The Queen’s Hall, Beaumont Street, Hexham
Hexham Community Partnership
Hexham Community Partnership (HCP) is the development trust serving the small market town of Hexham – which has been voted one of the UK’s happiest places to live.
Working closely with the Town Council, Hexham Cultural Network, community organisations and businesses, its role is to make Hexham a more vibrant, enterprising and adaptable market town for residents, businesses and visitors.
A not-for-profit limited company with a small staff team, HCP can also call on a growing number of enthusiastic members and volunteers who help with events and other activities.
The Manager reports to a board of voluntary directors who are able to offer specialist advice and support in a wide range of areas including finance, HR, communications, law, sponsorship, event management and social inclusion.
Key strands of work include:
● Cultural Development – Hexham prides itself on the range and quality of artistic and cultural activity taking place throughout the year, and HCP plays a role in most of the key town events. Delivering on its own or with partners, HCP supports the events of others with practical assistance, advice and promotional activity through a wide range of cultural networks
● Promoting the town – HCP manages the Visit Hexham website and social media channels, which serve to attract visitors to Hexham by promoting events, the shopping offer – including local independent shops – and accommodation
● Social Enterprise – HCP is the sole shareholder of the Forum Cinema, a community enterprise with any profits being used for the benefit of the town and surrounding areas
● Community Transformation – HCP is proud of the part it has played in the success of the Hexham East community house – No.28 – which was established in 2008 and now plays a central role in the life of the town offering information, support and a range of groups and activities FREE to all local residents. A small team of staff and volunteers offers much-needed 1-1 support for community members on a variety of often complex issues and signposts people to relevant services. Beyond No. 28, HCP has a role in the wider Hexham community through the Team Hexham Volunteer Hub providing opportunities for volunteers as well as maintaining the hexhamcommunity.net website that regularly posts information and updates for the Hexham community. HCP also chairs the West Northumberland Voluntary Community Sector Alliance networking group meetings each quarter.
Looking ahead, the Partnership recently held workshops with support from the Centre for Rural Design to look at opportunities for the future based on the key strengths of Hexham. These identified the following:
● Heritage and sense of place
● Independent retailers
● Cultural offer
● Catchment (“a great day out on the train”)
● Happy Hexham.
Some of these are already covered by existing activities, others need a strategy to identify and strengthen the elements that will help HCP to better deliver against its stated goals.
Purpose of the post
The Manager’s role is to work with the Board, staff and partners to manage the planning, design and implementation of projects & events that improve our community. They will also oversee the daily operations of the partnership including managing staff, developing new initiatives, and ensuring that all projects & events are completed on time and within budget.
The successful candidate will be expected to:
● Deliver key town events (weekends/evenings) with several thousand attendees
● Manage and lead a small team including recruitment, training, motivation, support and development of employees to ensure the highest levels of individual and team performance
● Know the necessary legal and regulatory responsibilities to manage a development trust e.g. Data Protection, Health and Safety, Companies Act 2006
● Manage general finance and budgeting, including profit and loss, balance sheet and cashflow
● Fundraise
● Write bids
Skills required:
● Events production – planning/development; health and safety; risk assessments; liaison with stakeholders; ability to lead events and be hands on from start to finish ● Good communication and interpersonal and presentation skills
● IT literate, with knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Docs
● Excellent organisational and co-ordination skills
● An ability to work flexibly and to tight timescales
Qualifications required:
· A degree, relevant professional qualification or significant relevant work experience in a similar role
Also desirable is knowledge of:
● Marketing and communications
● Local, regional and government systems and policies in relation to community involvement
● QuickBooks accounting software and experience of:
● Working in the community and or voluntary sector
● Managing joint and partnership working arrangements
● Working under pressure
How to apply for the role
Please email admin@hexhamcommunity.net to request a Job Application Pack and return it before noon on Wednesday, 27th March.
Packs will be sent out w/c 11th March.
