Job description
The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) is a registered educational charity and membership association. Our mission is to educate the public in the art of dancing in all its forms: to promote knowledge of dance; provide up-to-date techniques for members and maintain and improve teaching standards.

With approximately 6,000 members in over 55 countries worldwide, the Society conducts over 90,000 examinations each year. We were recently listed by Ofqual as one of the top 20 largest awarding organisations in England and in the top 5 for delivery of performing arts examinations.

The Society aspires to be a world leader in dance education, setting the benchmark for best practice through our extensive syllabi and teacher training. We are committed to becoming a dynamic, future-focused organisation that promotes the social, cultural, physical and educational benefits of dance for all.

Summary of Role

Reporting to the Director of Membership and Communications, the Head of Marketing and Communications is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies and initiatives supporting our strategic aims to deliver membership growth, commercial sales and engagement across ISTD, ISTD Academy and ISTD Enterprises.

You will need to apply strong, inspirational leadership skills to manage and motivate the team to deliver marketing activities, campaigns, and collaborations, and build customer engagement to increase brand awareness and drive sales.

The role will require working closely with stakeholders across the business to ensure all marketing campaigns are in alignment with our core strategic aims and brand.

Key Responsibilities:

· Leading the development of all marketing plans.

· Ensuring the implementation of effective marketing strategies.

· Focusing on growing audiences and the uptake of products and services to drive engagement and revenue.

· Managing creative agencies and suppliers.

· A key member of the Business Development Committee – collaborating with senior team members (heads of department) across all departments to uncover insights and create innovative marketing and brand strategies.

· Monitoring, reviewing and reporting on all marketing activities, results and ROI

· Conduct strategic and tactical market analysis to help guide and develop marketing strategies and messages.

· Overseeing social media planning and execution.

· Efficiently managing marketing budgets and resources; setting targets, forecasting and reporting on performance.

· Conception, development and implementation of marketing plans and strategies, product concepts and promotional programmes to drive interest and sales.

· Working to continuously ensure the company marketing goals are communicated across the organisation and improving the company’s marketing outreach efforts.

· Ensuring that all current marketing and copyright regulations comply with accepted professional standards, policies, procedures, and legislation.

· Promoting and embedding strong and inspirational leadership to the marketing team by demonstrating the company’s values and championing the leadership behaviour.

· Routinely sharing strategies, progress, results, learnings, and relevant industry trends, with the broader team.

· Manage and coordinate creative teams and marketing staff.

· Press and media monitoring.

· Liaise with, and build good relationships, with other departments, members and affinity partners and ADCs.

· Attend events to represent the organisation to help promote the brand and recruit and retain members.

· To support the team with other tasks as requested.

Person Specification

To take up the role of Head of Marketing and Communications, the individual will need to be engaged and motivated in the work and mission of the Society.

The Head of Marketing and Communications must demonstrate:

· Excellent attention to detail.

· Proactive and able to work on own initiative with eexceptional organisational skills, coupled with the ability to multi-task, prioritise, remain calm under pressure, and see tasks through to completion whilst demonstrating accuracy and strict attention to detail.

· Critical thinking and strong analytical problem-solving skills to support effective decision making.

· Good understanding of marketing operations, strategy, and best practice. Proven knowledge of digital marketing practices and excellent understanding of social media.

· Excellent written communication skills, previous copywriting experience desirable.

· Budget management; strong capability in optimising expenditure and enhancing profitability.

· Confident IT skills desirable: Adobe Creative suite and Microsoft Suite software, Canva, CRM system, CMS systems.

· Monitoring, reviewing, and reporting on all marketing activities, results, and Return on Investment (ROI).

· A commitment to fairness and to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

· A wholehearted commitment to the mission of the Society.

· Excellent team player, working flexibly and with others to meet the needs of Members, external stakeholders and the Society.

· Attitude of personal responsibility and accountability and a flexible, ‘can-do’ attitude towards the workplace.

Advantage

· Extensive experience in a marketing manager role

· Educated to degree level or equivalent.

· Knowledge of / experience in membership organisations an advantage

· Knowledge of and an interest in dance education and training and the wider dance arts environment.

Working Hours

This is a full-time role, working 35 hours a week, from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, with a one-hour lunch break.

Flexibility to cover the emergency phone line outside of normal working hours during the weekend, may be required. This will be occasional and a rota will be in place so that sufficient notice is provided.

Additional Information

· This role is offered on a Hybrid work basis (40% in the office and the remainder of the week working remotely). When working remotely, the employee will be required to work from home in an environment with a high-speed broadband.

· The office remains open from Tuesday to Thursday and is available for those who would prefer to work in the office environment or have difficulties working remotely.

· Hybrid working will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Renumeration

The annual salary for this position will be a Grade F, (which ranges from 45,637 – 53,691 per annum), depending on experience.

Benefits

· Flexibility: this role can be worked on a Hybrid basis, (40% in the office and the remainder of the week working remotely). On days working in the office, employees have the option to adjust their start/finish time to avoid busy commuting times. More information is available in the ISTD Hybrid Work Policy.

· 25 days paid holiday each year (plus the 8 public/bank holidays). In addition, 4 days between Christmas and New Year when our office building is closed; 37 paid days in total.

· Seasonal ticket loan available.

· Employer Pension Contribution matched up to 8%. All employees will be auto enrolled into the pension scheme after 3 months of employment. Employee contribution must be minimum 4% and is matched by ISTD to a maximum of 8% (although employees can contribute more than 8%).

· Employee Assistance Programme, consisting of 24/7 telephone access to a trained counsellor, financial advisor or a nursing and midwifery council registered nurse. Access to the My Healthy Advantage App with live chat facility, wellbeing videos and articles, mini health checks, 4 week plans for lifestyle changes and a mood tracker.

· Virtual GP Service, complimentary 24/7 unlimited access any day of the year. Book appointments, arrange private prescriptions and fit notes anywhere in the world. Second Medical Opinion available – for greater peace of mind. Also covers Dependents.

· Funeral Concierge Service, includes easy-to-use will writing tool. When help is needed, the 24/7 Advisors are one phone call away, ready to personalise the funeral plan and compare and negotiate best prices at any funeral home in the world.

· The ISTD provides employees with Life Insurance benefit provided by MetLife. MetLife provides a death in service benefit, based on a multiple of three times your annual salary, bereavement and probate service to the family. This benefit is available to all employees after they have passed their probation and are below the age of 70 years.

Training

The Head of Marketing and Communications will be supported in their new role with an initial induction, followed by guidance on ISTD policies and processes to ensure they feel confident, fully informed and equipped to carry out their responsibilities.

Equal Opportunities

The Society values diversity of thought and experience. We welcome applications from anyone regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity, heritage, sexuality, gender and socio-economic background. If you have any access needs or there are any barriers to access, please let us know this in your application or if you would like to discuss any of this prior to applying please email: [email protected]

Method of Application

To apply as a Head of Marketing and Communications, please send a letter of application and CV to [email protected] The letter of application should summarise what you are able to bring to the role and how you meet the person specification. The successful candidates will also be required to provide details for two recent references that can evidence skills and suitability to carry out this role, (whether in an employed or voluntary capacity).

The closing date for applications is Monday 28th October 2024 at 9am