APPLICATION PACK FOR THE ROLE OF
DEPUTY BOX OFFICE MANAGER
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:
10am Wednesday 28th May 2014
INTERVIEW DATE (in Bath):
Monday 2nd June 2014
CONTENTS:
1.
LETTER TO APPLICANT
2.
JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION
3.
ABOUT BATH FESTIVALS
BATH FESTIVALS
BATH LITERATURE FESTIVAL
BATH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL
LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAMME
BATH BOX OFFICE
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May 2014
Dear applicant,
Thank you for considering applying for the post of Deputy Box Office Manager for Bath Festivals.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to develop a career in sales and marketing.
You will find attached a job and person specification, some information about the organisation, and
an application form.
First though here is an outline of what the job involves, and what sort of person we’re looking for.
What’s the job?
 To help develop and promote Bath Box Office Ticket Sales Agency
 To provide really effective operational support to the Sales & Administration Manager,
improving efficiency and reaching sales targets
 To create a positive first point of contact for Bath Festivals audience, and deliver excellent
customer care to both our own and our ticket agency clients customers
 To manage Bath Box Office Assistant staff, alongside the Sales & Administration Manager
What we’re looking for
Someone:
 With flair, energy and commitment
 With excellent communication & customer care skills
 With a high level of computer literacy including practical experience of box office systems
 With a creative approach to sales & marketing
 With experience of managing a team
 With an enthusiasm for the arts
I hope that gives you a taste of this exciting and challenging role. If you’d like to discuss the role
further, please don’t hesitate to contact Alison Sully, Sales & Administration Manager on
alison.sully@bathfestivals.org.uk .
With best wishes
Belinda Kidd
Chief Executive
Bath Festivals
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BATH FESTIVALS
JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION
POST TITLE:
Deputy Box Office Manager
RESPONSIBLE TO:
Sales & Administration Manager
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
Box Office Assistants
DATE:
May 2014
Purpose of the Post
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To help develop and promote Bath Box Office Ticket Agency Service
To provide really effective operational support to the Sales & Administration
Manager, improving efficiency and reaching sales targets
To create a positive first point of contact for Bath Festivals audience, and deliver
excellent customer care to both our own and our ticket agency clients customers
To manage Bath Box Office Assistant staff, alongside the Sales & Administration
Manager
Principal Accountabilities
1. To support the Sales & Administration Manager in maintaining and developing all systems
and procedures necessary for the efficient operation of Bath Box Office.
2. To assist the Sales & Administration Manager in the recruitment of Box Office assistant staff
and to lead in identifying and meeting the training needs of assistant staff.
3. To manage Bath Box Office’s team of Box Office Assistants, preparing staff rotas, recording
holidays and sick leave, and staff appraisals.
4. To process ticket and event enquiries received by post, fax, internet, email, telephone and in
person, both at Bath Box Office and at other designated venues as required.
5. To assist and advise customers on event content, seat selection and venue access, displaying
a high level of proactive customer care at all times.
6. To assist with the accumulation and maintenance of an accurate and relevant customer
database and statistical information for Bath Festivals and its clients and contacts, and to
accurately use this data to produce comprehensive sales and marketing reports and to
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process mailshots, with a full understanding of the Data Protection Law requirements on
database management.
7. To be the main point of contact for existing Box Office clients and assist in developing new
clients for the Box Office, advising clients on Box Office charging structures, producing
contracts, liaising with clients on event details to ensure accurate event set-up on our
booking system PatronBase.
8. To assist in the development and implementation of the business plan for Bath Box Office.
9. To assist the Sales & Administration Manager in maintaining accurate sales and banking
records in liaison with the Finance Director.
10. To operate accurate and efficient set-up and operational management of PatronBase
procedures for Bath Festivals events and all Box Office clients.
11. To maintain the appearance of the Box Office area within Bath Visitor Information Centre.
12. To assist in the maintenance and development of the Bath Box Office website, and social
media accounts.
13. To take responsibility as a key-holder for Bath Box Office.
14. To take a reasonable share with other colleagues of various general office administration
duties within the Box Office operation.
15. And other duties commensurate with the post that shall from time to time be determined by
the Sales and Administration manager and/or Chief Executive.
Person Specification
Specific skills/abilities essential to the post
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A practical working knowledge of computerized box office systems and operation
A high level of computer literacy including, databases, spreadsheets, web CMS
Experience in managing a small team
Skills in and understanding of customer care
General skills/abilities essential to the post
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Enthusiasm for the arts
Excellent administrative and organisational skills
Flexibility and willingness to switch between tasks frequently
The ability to work in a team, and to contribute energy, creativity and enthusiasm
Self starter - willingness to take the initiative
A high standard of literacy and numeracy
Good communication and presentation skills
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Ability to manage time and priorities and work under pressure, at sometimes unsocial hours
during festivals and other events
Desire to be part of an ambitious team and to share responsibility for sustainable growth
Skills/qualities desirable for the post
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An understanding of the arts
Demonstrable and relevant experience working in a similar role
Experience in marketing and sales promotion.
Summary of Terms and Conditions
This is a permanent post, working in the Box Office Team of Bath Festivals.
Salary:
£20,000 per annum
Other benefits:
6% pension contribution from employer
Annual leave:
20 days per annum plus bank holidays, rising 1 day per annum up
to maximum 25 days per annum
Hours per week
37.5 hours
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Bath Festivals welcomes applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital
status, religion or disability. Unfortunately however the offices of Bath Festivals are not currently
wheelchair accessible.
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ABOUT BATH FESTIVALS
Bath Festivals brings leading international performers, writers and thinkers to Bath every
year to inspire, entertain and challenge audiences of all ages and artistic tastes. Energy,
passion, integrity and innovation are the hallmarks of our Festivals, programmed by the
highest calibre Artistic Directors.
Our Festivals champion diversity and collaboration, celebrate the fusion of the traditional
and the contemporary; open people’s minds, and showcase the work of both established
and up-and-coming performers – all in the unique setting that is Bath, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and home to some of the finest historical and architectural sights in Europe.
We provide year-round learning and participation opportunities for children, young people
and adults through creative workshops, gigs, master classes and competitions. We act as a
central hub for the arts in Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES), serving 120 festivals, events
and local arts organisations through the Bath Box Office.
Bath Festivals has five main areas of activity: the Bath International Music Festival, the
Independent Bath Literature Festival; the Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival; an
associated year-round learning and participation programme in the B&NES area; and the
year-round Bath Box Office.
The company is a long-established, charitably registered independent arts organisation,
receiving support from Bath & North East Somerset Council and Arts Council England. Other
key sources of income are ticket and other sales, contributions from trust funds, private
donors and a range of commercial sponsors.
Over the next three or four years the company is seeking to increase significantly its earned
income and fundraising to balance reductions in public funding. We are also committed to
expanding our work in the smaller towns and villages of North East Somerset.
Bath Festivals has a committed and skilled permanent staff, and a team of highly talented
Artistic Directors. The Chief Executive, Belinda Kidd, joined the organization in November
2010, bringing substantial experience from a long career in the arts. Owen McNeir,
Development and Marketing Director, joined in September 2011, and has made a very
positive impact on our fundraising performance and led the rebranding and new website
design for Bath Festivals.
The Board is strong, energetic and committed. The current Chair, Jane Drabble OBE, has had
a distinguished career in broadcasting, the arts and public policy.
The Independent Bath Literature Festival
The Independent Bath Literature Festival is at the centre of local, national and international
debate, featuring some of the most intelligent, creative, and cutting edge thinkers alive
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today. Audiences are stimulated and challenged, and can experience a vast and diverse
range of work from around the world and the UK.
The new Artistic Director from 2014 is Viv Groskop, a prolific journalist, broadcaster and
comedian. The Independent newspaper has been our title sponsor since 2012 and
contributes strongly to its ethos and content, as well as providing a high national profile for
the Festival.
In its seventeen year history the Literature Festival has hosted Nobel and Booker Prize
winners such as Doris Lessing, Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, Hilary Mantel and Howard
Jacobson; leading political thinkers from Tony Benn and Tariq Ali to Anna Politkovskaya and
Eric Hobsbawm, poets ranging from poets laureate Andrew Motion and Carol Ann Duffy to
Wendy Cope and Simon Armitage, and humourists from Garrison Keillor and Terry Pratchett
to Steve Bell.
The Festival is strongly connected to its city and its people. With events taking place in
historic buildings throughout the town, we have a special opportunity to match architecture
and theme.
The Festival takes place over 10 days in early March each year. In 2013 there were 186
events in total, attracting an audience of 18,600. Most events take place in Bath’s historic
Guildhall, which has two event spaces with capacities of 350 and 75, and which hosts the
main festival bookstall and a pop up café. We also use the Masonic Hall, the Holburne
Museum, the Mineral Hospital and the historic Georgian streets of the city. The types of
event range from best-selling authors in a large-scale venue such as the Forum – a 1930s
former cinema with capacity of 1500 – to education workshops in the Holburne Museum for
about 20 participants.
The Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival
The Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival was established in 2007 by Bath-based
children’s publishing professionals Gill and John McLay. In 2010 ownership of the Festival
transferred to Bath Festivals. The McLays delivered their final festival as Artistic Directors in
2012. David Almond, the well-known children’s author was appointed as the Guest Artistic
Director for 2013 and will be continuing with the Festival for 2014.
Staged in association with headline media partner, the Daily Telegraph, and retail partner
Waterstones Booksellers, the largest dedicated Children’s Books Festival in the UK stages
over 100 public, ticketed events and a healthy roster of events in schools throughout the
South West. Like the Bath Literature Festival, several historic and modern city centre venues
in Bath are used including the Guildhall, the Mission Theatre, Bath Central Library and the
Forum.
The Festival regularly attracts some of the biggest children’s authors and illustrators from
the UK and internationally. Past contributors have included: Jacqueline Wilson, Michael
Morpurgo, Anthony Horowitz, Lauren Child, Shirley Hughes, Julia Donaldson, Michael Rosen,
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Terry Deary, Cornelia Funke, Eoin Colfer, Darren Shan, Neil Gaiman, Anthony Browne,
Francesca Simon and Malorie Blackman.
We strive to create a friendly, family atmosphere in which young book fans can come along
to Festival events and meet their favourite authors and book characters. Events regularly
feature much humour and interactivity, with book readings as well as craft activities, quizzes
and games. Our learning and participation work is closely integrated with the Festival, so
that we can reach a wider audience of children and young people who might not otherwise
benefit from our programme.
Bath International Music Festival
The Bath International Music Festival has an illustrious artistic history and has long been an
event of national significance and international reputation, presenting a dynamic mix of
world-class performers. The Festival takes place annually over 12 days in late May/early
June, and showcases a rich range of high quality events featuring orchestral and classical
virtuosos, jazz giants, folk, roots and world musicians, innovative collaborations and unique
commissions. Almost 2000 local performers take part in the Party in the City on the opening
Friday evening. The whole city hosts events and many thousands attend.
Bath International Music Festival was established in 1948, and at different times has been
led by Yehudi Menuhin, Michael Tippett, William Glock and Joanna MacGregor. This
tradition of leadership by a practising artist has continued with the appointment of Alasdair
Nicolson, an acclaimed composer and versatile musician, as our new Artistic Director from
2013. Alasdair is also Artistic Director of the St Magnus Festival in Orkney.
The Bath International Music Festival stands out for the diversity of its programming and the
thoughtfulness with which collaborations are created.
Audiences are stretched and stimulated, given the opportunity to make new discoveries, and
to learn. Artists extend their creative practice by working in new ways, collaborating with
musicians from other genres and other parts of the world, and playing in unusual and
historic settings.
The musicians featured range from well-established international musicians to emerging
younger talent, to students from a wide range of conservatoires, universities and colleges, to
local musicians, both professional and amateur.
Learning and Participation Programme
Learning and participation are at the core of Bath Festivals programme, in the belief that
participation in the creative arts makes a unique and vital contribution to personal growth,
and the wellbeing of individuals and whole communities. Bath Festivals therefore has a
significant programme of learning and participation activity, not only delivered through the
three festivals, but also through major year round projects.
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Through our learning and participation programme we aim to:
 Help children, young people and adults to develop their creativity, and their
enjoyment and knowledge of the arts
 Support children and young people who are not achieving their full potential to
improve their communication and literacy skills
 Increase local people’s pride in their area, and help build stronger community
relationships
The current year round projects include Building Bridges, which delivers creative music
making workshops in areas of low provision in the Bath and South Gloucestershire, working
in partnership with WOMAD. Over three years between 2008 and 2011 we developed The
Write Team, a major programme of creative writing in schools, and we now continue the
work on a project basis and through training teachers in our approach.
Bath Box Office
www.bathboxoffice.org.uk
Bath Box Office began as an operation to sell tickets for the company’s own festivals but has
developed into the Bath area’s focus for live event ticket sales. It now serves more than 120
client organisations (including Reading Festival, Bath Mozartfest, the Rondo Theatre and
most of the area’s other festivals and promoters) and has an annual turnover on behalf of all
its clients of almost £1m.
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