CENTRE ASSISTANT
At LUMB BANK – The Ted Hughes’ Arvon Centre, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
Part time (4 days per week)
Salary: £22,703 pro rata (£18,162 for 4 days per week)
Arvon is all about writers.
Our residential writing courses pluck people from their everyday lives and place them gently
in one of our three writers’ houses, insulated from the busy outside world full of email, internet
and mobile phones. Whichever house they choose – in Devon, Shropshire or West Yorkshire
– we give them the freedom of time and space to write, supported by expert practical
tuition and the encouragement of a community of writers. A fourth house, in Inverness-shire
in Scotland, is affiliated to Arvon and also provides Arvon courses.
At Arvon we’re dedicated to getting everyone writing, there are no qualifications needed,
and all people need is the desire to write. Everyone is welcome and wherever they are with
their writing, there is a course to suit them. For more than 40 years we have created an ideal
creative environment, where newcomers can begin writing and existing writers can improve
their craft and find new sustenance and inspiration. Working and living as a writer amongst
other writers has been a huge catalyst and inspiration to thousands of people since Arvon
began in 1968.
We also provide many courses for schools, and run partnership courses for a range of
community groups such as disabled arts companies, and creative organisations working
with under-represented groups, such as BAME communities and recent immigrants.
Our three centres are the heart of Arvon, where our inspirational work with writers happens.
The centres work as a team, with each other and with our National Office in London, but
have a great deal of day-to-day autonomy and administering their own programming,
courses and finances.
The team at each centre has responsibility for the proper management of the centre and
success of courses.
We are now recruiting to appoint a permanent Centre Assistant to focus on the hosting and
delivery of our residential courses, as well as helping to run the whole centre. The main
responsibility of the post is to host the Arvon courses alongside the Assistant Centre Director,
take a lead of menu and food planning for our courses, and provide general support
around the centre to other staff.
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The Centre Assistant will be line managed by Lumb Bank’s Centre Director, and will work
closely with other staff at the Centre and Arvon’s National Office in London.
CENTRE ASSISTANT
Conditions of Service
SALARY
The salary for the post will be £22,703 pro rata per annum, gross of tax and
other statutory deductions. (£18,162 for four days per week)
LOCATION
Due to the nature of the post, the appointed candidates will need to live
within 20 minutes travel of Lumb Bank centre.
HOLIDAYS
Holiday entitlement is 6 weeks per year pro rata (24 days). In addition to the
holiday entitlement, all statutory and public holidays shall be granted,
although while courses are running at the Centre it may be necessary for the
employee to work during a statutory public holiday. In that case, days off in
lieu can be taken.
HOURS
Over four days per week (plus some Saturday mornings), an average working
week will usually involve working an average of 33 hours between Monday
morning and Saturday morning, including a share of evenings. However, the
Centre Assistant will be expected to be flexible to fulfil the needs of the post
and hours may vary. There is no automatic entitlement to Time of in Lieu (TOIL)
and we do not pay overtime.
CONTRACT
This is a permanent position. The post will be subject to a 3 month probationary
period and regular review meetings, and will be line managed by the Centre
Director.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Qualities
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The ability and skill to cater for groups of up to 22 people including developing menus,
sourcing supplies, food preparation and cooking, and the ability to support others to
cook meals.
A full range of practical and domestic skills including basic household maintenance.
A sound understanding of the importance of health and safety issues and an ability to
follow health and safety procedures. Including food hygiene and an awareness of the
potential hazards and issues of working within an historic building.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills: you will need to be sociable, articulate
and good with group dynamics, yet willing to adopt a low profile and remain alert to
the individual needs of students and tutors. You will need to be a good negotiator and
resolve conflicts without disruption to our student groups, and enjoy working with a
diverse range of people of all ages and backgrounds. You will also need to be
understanding and empathetic to the needs of tutors and students, while understanding
the ethos of Arvon.
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An ability and enthusiasm to work collaboratively and cooperatively as part of a
national team of staff, in five locations across the UK, sharing experiences, ideas and
information with colleagues, to achieve national priorities and targets.
Experience of working with people of all ages from a wide variety of educational and
ethnic backgrounds.
A sympathetic understanding of the needs of developing writers.
Computer literate and confident users of Microsoft Office applications, email and the
internet.
Knowledge of (or willingness to undergo training in) - first aid, food hygiene and health
and safety regulations.
A commitment to working flexibly, including evenings and limited weekend work, as
necessary to fulfil the needs of the centre.
A commitment to equal opportunities and ensuring access for all to Arvon’s courses.
Applicants must hold a full UK driving licence.
Desirable Qualities
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Experience of working in the hospitality industry or a commercial catering environment.
An interest in and knowledge of a broad range of writing genres and contemporary
writers.
Experience of the education sector or the arts.
Experience of facilitating a workshop environment and the ability to provide discreet
advice to the tutors as and when required.
Experience of working with people with a range of individual needs, including people
with disabilities.
Experience of working in a residential centre.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Centre Assistant will lead the planning and preparation of catering at the centre,
undertake the duties of hosting courses and providing support in other aspects of running
the centre. The duties below are typical of the level of duties which the post holder will be
expected to perform. They are not necessarily exhaustive and a wide range of other duties
of a similar type and level will be required.
Duties will include:
Course hosting
 Working alongside the team at the centre, to act as host to the tutors, visiting readers,
and course members, and looking after their general well being, and being involved
in domestic duties where necessary to ensure high standards of accommodation.
 Introducing the tutors in evening events and chairing discussions and other talks.
 Ensuring the security, safety and comfort of all course students, tutors, visitors and staff,
hosting of courses to a high level of customer service. Providing for the needs of
students as far as possible.
 Providing support to the visiting writer-tutors (who are themselves responsible for the
course structure within existing Arvon guidelines) and guiding them where necessary.
 Assisting with the evaluation of all courses, tutors and participants in line with Arvon
policies.
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 Being aware of the maintenance and safety needs of all parts of the centre’s
buildings, and ensuring notifying the Centre Directors of any issues that arise.
Undertaking basic maintenance tasks as necessary.
Catering
 To devise and plan the menus for all meals at the centre, changing them seasonally.
 To manage the food budget, sourcing and purchasing provisions from local suppliers,
constantly reviewing this to ensure food is high quality, local and seasonal where
possible and best value for money.
 To cook a meal for the group each Monday evening and lunches throughout the
week.
 To support the writers staying at the centre to cook evening meals, supporting and
guiding where necessary.
 To manage the kitchen space, ensuring food hygiene regulations are adhered to at
all times.
 To support in the development and running of the kitchen garden, and use the
produce in meal at the centre where possible.
General
 Assisting with other domestic, administrative and other duties as necessary to
contribute to the general smooth running of the centre as necessary.
 Taking shared responsibility for Health and Safety, security, Fire Safety, Food Hygiene,
and First Aid at the centre, in compliance with all legal requirements and best
practice. Undertaking any necessary training to ensure the highest standards are
maintained in all these areas.
 Regular communication with all centre and national staff as appropriate.
 Attending occasional Arvon full-staff meetings and other meetings in London and at
other centres.
 Adhering to Arvon’s procedures and national policies.
 Promoting and implementing Arvon’s equal opportunities policy amongst staff and
course participants.
 Any other task that may reasonably be required by the Arvon Foundation in order to
meet the specific needs of the organisation.
ARVON’S COURSE HOSTING ETHOS
The Assistant Centre Director and Centre Assistant’s weeks include responsibility for hosting
courses and this involves some specific obligations. The Centre Assistant’s focus is on
hosting the courses, and it is vital that they maintain substantial and regular contact with
tutors and participants throughout each course week. Specific duties are:
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That tutors, students and visitors are made to feel welcome and comfortable and
that all their reasonable accommodation and food needs are met.
To give a welcome talk to the tutors and participants on the Monday night of each
course, giving all the necessary information.
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To ensure there is a presence during Tuesday’s breakfast to identify and solve any
problems, difficulties or discontent in the group after their first night.
That tutors and students are aware of how courses and the centre are run and
supported throughout their course.
A high standard of customer care as the centre’s “hosts” ensuring the health and
safety of all participants and tutors, and assisting with all reasonable requests.
That there is a regular and consistent presence throughout the week to deal with
any potential problems and to ensure that the course runs smoothly
To welcome students and tutors on Monday afternoon and provide an evening
meal for them that night
To facilitate positive initial contact and introductions between tutors and students.
To be present, formally introduce, compere where necessary, and participate in
the Tuesdayand Wednesday evening readings.
To see off the students and tutors on Saturday morning, assisting with travel
arrangements if necessary, and ensuring that the centre is left secure and in a safe
and good condition while unattended.
HOW TO APPLY
To help you in preparing your application please visit the Arvon website for further
information about Arvon’s work. www.arvon.org
To apply, please follow the steps set out in the accompanying application pack.
Your application must arrive with us by 5pm on Monday 13th July. Please post it to us,
addressed as follows:
Recruitment (LBCA)
The Arvon Foundation
Free Word Centre
60 Farringdon Road
London EC1R 3GA
Or send by email to arvonjobs@arvon.org, including your CV and completed application
pack only, in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Please ensure that the job title is
included in the subject line of any email. No other formats or documents will be
considered.
Interviews will be held at Lumb Bank on 21st July.
Please note that if you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, you
should assume that your application has been unsuccessful – we regret we are unable to
directly notify applicants who are not shortlisted.
Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you require notification that your
application has been received.
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