Programme Manager

We are delighted to be able to offer an exciting and rare opportunity for a Programme Manager to lead the Cultural Development and Delivery team in Solihull. The post will be responsible for developing and shaping new and challenging opportunities for artists and audiences to come together in an exciting creative programme at The Core and across the Borough.

The venue

The Core is a thriving multi-purpose venue and flagship community building in Solihull's town centre. The Core Theatre is at the heart of the venue comprising a 336-seat raked theatre with a smaller multi-use Studio and a gallery. With over 67,000 tickets sold for over 250 performances each year, a busy programme of weekly classes, activities and exhibitions, plus its own highly regarded Encore Café Bar, the venue is key to the cultural landscape of Solihull and the wider area.

Introduced in 2023 the new Core Creatives also provides space for professional artists to develop their work and practice supporting Solihull's cultural community at this vibrant venue.

The role

The Programme Manager - Culture will play a pivotal role in driving cultural initiatives that enhance the offer at our venue and promote the cultural diversity of the borough.

This role involves overseeing the development of innovative and diverse programming, managing financial and operational aspects, and enhancing the venue's reputation and profitability. You will also oversee the food and beverage services and the hiring and utilisation of community rooms.,

• leading the management of The Core to provide a sustainable arts venue, where people can be entertained, educated, challenged and informed, and where they can perform, exhibit, meet and participate.


• Supporting the Strategic Lead for Culture in the development of an innovative, inclusive Solihull-wide arts and culture strategy that facilitates opportunity for the full breadth of artistic activity, ranging from amateur to professional.


• Developing and managing a programme of artistic and cultural events in Solihull, working in partnership with internal and external partners, including venues, community groups and artists.


• Driving the financial strategy of the venue to increase revenue through ticket sales, partnerships, sponsorships, and fundraising activities., In return, we offer the opportunity to develop your marketing experience and expertise, ideas and skills within a friendly, welcoming and dynamic environment and alongside a team of passionate, experienced and skilled professionals. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to positive and high-profile events and initiatives, key to supporting Solihull's cultural development.
  
  To succeed you will be an enthusiastic and highly motivated individual who has developed their programming expertise and knowledge in a professional theatre, events, or similar environment. You will have experience of developing a strategic or long-term programme of cultural activity and negotiating agreements with artists, promoters and agents including ongoing contractual management. You will have experience of staff management with the ability to lead, motivate and develop team members across a range of specialisms.


Communication and inter-personal skills will also be one of your key strengths, able to identify, engage and work effectively and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, across multiple services and platforms.

You will be a Confident in the use of IT, with knowledge of Box Office/ticketing systems and event booking software., The Fluency Duty is outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. The Fluency Duty for this role is required.

We've implemented a new system from Monday 4th March which will improve your candidate experience! To access your candidate portal for our new system, head to https://solihull.wm-jobs.co.uk/members/

About Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Solihull is regarded as a popular and vibrant place to live in the UK. As one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands, almost two thirds of our borough is designated as green belt. We have over 1,500 acres of parks across the borough, with 16 Green Flag Awards. Solihull is very well connected, with great transport links such as the M40, M42 and M6 all close by, and an excellent rail network, plus, of course, an international airport. We are home to the award-winning Touchwood Shopping Centre, National Exhibition Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, and the Resorts World Arena.

It is an exciting time for Solihull, although we are a relatively small local authority (c. 6000 employees), we still have ambitious plans including the development of UK Central and HS2.

Here at Solihull Council, we want to ensure that all our citizens have an equal chance to share in Solihull's success. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We recognise that our employees are the key factor in achieving our vision and as such, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, who want to make a real positive difference to people's lives and can help us to continue building on our success.

Both Smarter Ways of Working and Employee Wellbeing are key Council Priorities.

The transition to Smarter Ways of Working has presented us with the opportunity to re-think how and where we work. With the option to access portable technology, dependent upon the requirements of the role, a lot of our people are not bound to a single workplace or traditional ways of working, with many choosing to spend a good proportion of their week working from home.

Our people told us that they value flexibility, and that choice enables them to have a better work-life balance, manage family responsibilities, enhance their personal wellbeing, and continue to deliver excellent outcomes for the residents of Solihull.

Our people are our number one asset, and our aim is to have a healthy, happy engaged and thriving workforce.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer and we are a bronze accredited West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work employer. This recognises our commitment and action in support of employee wellbeing; we are currently working towards silver accreditation.

Unpaid carers carry out a key role within our community and know that this can be challenging when combined with employment. Our Carer's Policy and the ongoing support we give to our employees has resulted in us winning Employer of the Year 2022 at the Carer Friendly Awards.

As an employee of Solihull Council, you will benefit from a competitive salary, a range of flexible working options, an extensive wellbeing offer, as well as attractive staff benefits including generous leave entitlement, staff discounts and access to the Local Government pension scheme.,
• Competitive salaries including, for those at the top of their scale, the opportunity to receive a non-consolidated lump sum;


• A range of flexible working options;


• Annual leave starting at 25 days and rising to 30 days after 5 years' service in addition to public holidays with an opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional days' holiday per year;


• A generous flexitime scheme (available for most roles);


• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme;


• A wide range of learning and development opportunities;


• A range of family friendly policies;


• Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and staff discounts.


Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who demonstrate they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For roles eligible for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check this will be indicated in the advert and supporting recruitment documents. Where the post involves working with children, other vulnerable groups or in a position of trust it is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Further guidance is available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945449/rehabilitation-of-offenders-guidance.pdf

Please note, where sufficient numbers of applications are received, we reserve the right to close a vacancy before the advertised closing date. We therefore advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.