APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE
INFORMATION PACK
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in the role of Chief Executive.
Please find attached the following information about the post:
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Background information
Job Description
Person Specification
Terms and Conditions
Application form
Equal opportunities monitoring form
Further information will be available to candidates invited to interview.
If you wish to have an informal discussion in confidence before applying, please
contact Hopeton Walker, Chair of the Board, via hopeton@carnivalarts.org.uk.
If you would like to apply for this role please complete the Application form and return
it to:
Hopeton Walker
Chair of the Board
UK Centre for Carnival Arts
3 St Mary's Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JA
Or email to: hopeton@carnivalarts.org.uk
No later than 5pm on Friday 3 MAY 2013.
We regret that we will only be able to contact candidates who are called for interview.
First Interviews will be held during w/c 13 May in Luton.
Second Interviews (if required) will be held during w/c 20 May in Luton.
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Background information
UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA) was born out of the Luton Carnival Arts
Development Trust (LCADT) established in 1998 to add value and extend the
activities of the Luton International Carnival. The vision to support and grow the
undervalued Carnival Arts and Carnival Artists movement in the UK has been much
enhanced and extended with the launch of the UKCCA.
The Building
The UK Centre for Carnival Arts is the UK’s first centre purpose-built for the Carnival
Arts. The state-of-the-art centre houses a multi-functional space (Mas Camp) with a
capacity of 400, a flexible café bar space, a rehearsal studio, a welding and casting
facility, teaching classrooms, shower rooms, a costume-making workshop, childcare
provision as well as offices and open space.
The building opened in 2009. It was designed by Ash Sakula Architects and
received a total of £7.4million capital funding from the National Lottery through Arts
Council for England, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), ERDF
European funding, the Single Regeneration Budget Programme 6, the Wren
Foundation and Luton Borough Council.
Vision and Mission
UKCCA’s overall vision is to place Carnival at the centre of UK cultural life, and
to ensure that UK Carnival is acknowledged as the international leader in the
development of the artform.
To achieve this, UKCCA’s mission is To be internationally and nationally
recognised as the premier organisation for promoting and developing world
class carnival arts in the UK. To achieve this through advocacy and the
development of networks and through improving skills and developing
knowledge, both nationally and in the communities we serve in Luton and the
surrounding region.
To achieve this mission, UKCCA works at both a local and national level.
At a local level: it aims to build a confident local cultural identity through the
promotion of carnival, and through this improve educational attainment and tackle
social inclusion. In recent months we have started to deliver on this vision through
embedding the UKCCA more thoroughly in the infrastructure of Luton. In particular,
we will be producing the Luton Carnival in 2013 and taking over the overall
management of the event in 2014.
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At national and international level: it aims to advocate for Carnival as an artform and
provide leadership for the sector through development of best practice and provision
of networking opportunities.
Achievements
Major projects in recent years include:
Carnival Crossroads East Bound
Led by UKCCA's Creative Director, Pax Nindi and working with local partners across
5 towns (Southend, Norwich, Luton, Ipswich and Cambridge), Carnival Crossroads
East Bound project, part of the Cultural Olympiad brought together local carnival
artists, community groups and schools with a team of national lead carnival
designers to create a carnival showcase of our history and celebrating local pride for
London 2012 Festival. The project culminated in an extravaganza parade, bringing
together all 500 people from across the East of England to perform in Luton’s
Carnival as part of the Love Luton 2012 Festival on Sunday 8th July 2012.
The Carnival Archive Project
This major project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund aimed to collect and preserve
the heritage of carnival and street celebrations in the Eastern region and to collect
local carnival archives and to catalogue, preserve, digitise and interpret them for new
audiences.
The project was coordinated by a central team based at the UKCCA and by Carnival
Archive Coordinators, Community and Outreach Officers and volunteers based in
local towns. It involved working with local partner organisations including Norwich
and Norfolk Community Arts, Southend Carnival Association, Northamptonshire
Black History Association and Northampton Carnival Arts Consortium and national
partners the V&A and Black Cultural Archives.
The project has now finished and the UKCCA are preparing a major bid to HLF for a
national project which would result in a national archive for Carnival.
Structure
The UKCCA is both a limited company and a registered charity. It is funded by Arts
Council England as a National Portfolio organisation which means that revenue
funding is in place until 2014/15. The UKCCA also receives some funding from
Luton Borough Council and has received project funding from sources such as
Heritage Lottery Fund. The UKCCA generates its own income mainly through the
hire of its building – an income stream which it aims to develop more fully.
UKCCA has a fully committed board of directors with wide range of skills and
expertise – details of whom can be found on the UKCCA website. As well as board
meetings there are two sub-committees which enable trustees to offer additional
support and input.
Further details about UKCCA can be found on its website www.carnivalarts.org.uk
and more detailed information will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
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Chief Executive
Job Description
Job context and purpose:
The UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA) is the lead organisation for Carnival in the
UK. Based in its purpose built centre in Luton the UKCCA was built to take a leading
role in networking and advocacy for Carnival whilst also developing a strong
community base within the town and wider region. It is in receipt of Arts Council
National Portfolio funding until 2015.
UKCCA is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Chief Executive with a
passion for Carnival to lead the organisation through the next stage of its
development.
The successful candidate will have experience in strategic planning, be capable of
innovative thinking and will demonstrate the ability to develop additional income
streams within a cultural organisation.
The role of Chief Executive is the lead executive position within UKCCA. It provides
vision and leadership for the organisation as a whole and in particular is responsible
for developing UKCCA as a nationally known organisation representing Carnival both
externally and within the Carnival sector.
The Chief Executive is responsible for the strategic direction of UKCCA and
manages other key personnel within the organisation. He/she is responsible to the
Board of Trustees for effective and appropriate management of the overall
organisation and has ultimate responsibility for all aspects of the work including
artistic, financial, operational, commercial and fundraising activities.
Responsible to:
Chairman and Board of Trustees
Line management responsibility for: All senior managers
Main accountabilities:
Leadership and strategy
Developing and delivering the strategic plan for the organisation within the overall
vision and strategic objectives and make sure this is understood and subscribed to
by Trustees, staff and stakeholders alike
In association with the Creative Director, developing an exciting and innovative
artistic programme for UKCCA that balances artistic vision and quality with sound
financial management and actively seeks to broaden audiences
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Ensuring that participation, education and outreach remain central to the work of the
organisation
Taking overall responsibility for the overall presentation of the organisation including
marketing, PR and branding strategies
Advocacy and strategic relationships
Ensuring that UKCCA continues to develop a national and international presence as
a strategic force in the development of Carnival
Advocating for the Carnival industry at the highest possible level
Leading on the development of partnerships with key stakeholders, most notably Arts
Council England and Luton Borough Council
Developing relationships with other potential stakeholders and partners
Developing networks for collaboration, advocacy and the sharing of best practice
within the carnival sector
Developing relationships and partnerships throughout the wider arts sector
Fundraising/income generation
Leading on the development and implementation of a fundraising strategy to include
income from sources such as trusts, the corporate and public sectors and individual
donors
Taking a lead role in developing and maintaining relationships with funders and
potential funders
Initiating and developing additional income streams for the organisation
Management
Leading and inspiring a strong diverse staff team, creating a working environment
where employees can flourish and develop
Being responsible for line management and professional development of senior
management team members
Establishing a company-wide culture of accessibility, collaboration and creativity with
partners, artists, young people and communities
Governance
Working closely with the Board of Directors and having ultimate responsibility for
ensuring that they are provided with all relevant data and information so that they can
fulfil their statutory duties
As executive officer of the company ensure that all statutory and other requirements
of the company are fulfilled
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Skills, knowledge and experience
Skills
Excellent people management and motivational skills
Strong advocacy skills
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
The ability to engage with people from a variety of backgrounds
Proven negotiation skills
Excellent networking skills
Strong entrepreneurial skills
Knowledge
Demonstrable knowledge of Carnival
Understanding of and demonstrable commitment to diversity
Understanding of the context within which cultural organisations operate – at local,
regional, national and international levels
Knowledge of funding systems and structures
Understanding of budgeting and financial management
Understanding of marketing, PR and audience development within the cultural sector
Experience
Experience of leading a professional organisation within the cultural sector
Experience of managing and leading staff teams especially through periods of
change
Experience of working within Carnival or a demonstrable interest in Carnival
Experience of developing fundraising strategies and achieving fundraising targets
Excellent connections with national and international networks
Track record of building partnerships both within and outwith the cultural sector, and
demonstrable connections with national and international networks
Experience of working effectively with a Board of Directors, understanding of best
practice in governance and organisational development
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Personal attributes, behaviours and attitudes:
Through vision and values is an inspiring, motivational and empathetic leader
Embraces the challenge of managing multiple priorities, expectations and realities
Is able to act upon critical issues and identify key milestones in developing and
implementing strategies
Is a confident and persuasive communicator, able to articulate position, beliefs and
rationale in an inclusive way
Fosters an open and trusting working culture, leading this through her/his own
actions and behaviours and encouraging others to work positively and collaboratively
Is a creative problem-solver, comfortable in addressing difficult issues and able to
take responsibility for actions
Approaches planning in a clear but flexible way and able to review and refine plans in
response to internal and external factors
Takes a clear role in setting the bar for quality and standards in delivery and
execution of work and in building relationships
Terms and Conditions
Salary:
c: £50,000 pa in the first instance.
The company is also proposing a performance-related element
to the salary package, to be agreed upon appointment and set
and reviewed annually
Contract:
A full-time, permanent contact, based on a 37.5 week
Because of the nature of the post, evening and weekend work
is required and additional hours expected. The company
operates a time off in lieu system
Probationary and
Notice period:
A six month probationary period during which there is 1 week
notice period.
Holiday entitlement:
25 days per annum, not including statutory days
Place of work:
The postholder will be based at the UKCCA’s headquarters in
Luton, and will be expected to be available for evening
and weekend work in or around this base. There will also be a
requirement to travel nationally
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