DANCE RESOURCE BASE DIRECTOR – JOB PACK

Dance Resource Base (DRB) is a small but vital arts charity that exists to support the dance community in Northern Ireland and is the only such organisation working across all styles and types of dance. DRB provides facilities, resources and services for people involved in dance, as well as playing an advocacy role in raising the profile of the art form.

The successful candidate will lead a small team, reporting directly to a Board. S/he will develop and deliver on our mission and be responsible for strategic and organisational management, advocacy, finance and fundraising, facilities management and the operational delivery of projects.

This is a unique opportunity for a successful candidate to bring strategic leadership and management skills to a vital support organisation for the development of dance and dance professionals in Northern Ireland. DRB has an ambitious vision for its future development and the Director will have a significant role in developing and delivering on that vision.

Location: Dance Studio and Company Offices, 35 Donegall Street Belfast with off-site activity for meetings and delivery of activity. Please note that our offices and studio are on the 1st floor and the building has no lift access.

Working Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Company Office Hours take into account studio hire needs but generally between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. There may be occasional evenings and weekends. TOIL provisions apply.

Contract:This is a permanent, full-time position. All posts are subject to funding being approved. A probationary period will apply. Standard leave provisions apply.

Salary:£25,000 - £27,000 per annum (based on experience). Reasonable and documented expenses reimbursed.

Dance Resource Base operates a range of policies that promote equal opportunities, safeguarding, health and safety and dignity at work. All candidates for this post must be committed to upholding these policies and additional checks may be required for the successful applicant.

ABOUT DANCE RESOURCE BASE

Following a process of consultation with the dance sector, Dance Resource Base was incorporated and registered as a company limited by guarantee in December 2006. Since then we have gradually strengthened our organisational capacity. We now employ a full-time Director, part-time Administration Assistant, engage a Financial Consultant and have our office, resource facilities and dance studio in Belfast city centre.

Dance Resource Base is a membership organisation with a comprehensive database of dance practitioners in Northern Ireland, including professional dance artists, choreographers, dance teachers, health professionals, arts organisations, and educational institutions, as well as members of the public interested in dance. We currently provide services to up to 100 members – individuals, venues, festivals, dance companies and students.

Initial project funding came from the National Lottery, and Dance Resource Base is now in receipt of core funding under the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Funding Programme. This allows us to cover key operating costs and employ staff to coordinate activities and manage services and facilities.

Dance Resource Base shares its home in a ‘Dance Hub’ with two other dance organisations – Maiden Voyage Dance and DU Dance Northern Ireland – and this clustering of functions helps to bring about a coherency of purpose and a welcome solidarity to the dance sector in Belfast.

Our vision is:

Every Body Dancing!

Through our activities and members, Dance Resource Base advocates for excellence, diversity and accessibility in dance provision throughout Northern Ireland.

Our mission is:

As a creative and beautiful art form and a healthy, social and fun activity, all who engage with dance reap invaluable benefits.To ensure that everybody in Northern Ireland can access these benefits, Dance Resource Base will:

  1. Build physical and virtual spaces for dance that are inclusive, welcoming and stimulate creativity;
  1. Offer programmes of activity that:
  • Foster excellence from professional dance practitioners;
  • Champion diverse means of engagement for all with dance of all types and styles whether as creators, participants or audience members; and
  • Advocate for the personal transformative possibilities of dance and its capacity to improve social cohesion;
  1. Nurture and lead strong partnerships within the dance sector, with other national and international dance development agencies and across different agencies of all levels of government to further develop the dance offering throughout Northern Ireland.

In the pursuit of the above, Dance Resource Base will commit to:

  1. Leading the sector by working collectively and collaboratively for mutual gain;
  2. Nurturing, encouraging, supporting and inspiring those within the sector and ourselves to strive for excellence;
  3. Being entrepreneurial and creative, and encouraging this within the sector;
  4. Practically demonstrating the central role that inclusivity, diversity and equality play in all our approaches and activities; and
  5. Good governance by being transparent, open, accountable and fair.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsible to: Dance Resource Base Board of Directors

Responsible for:Key staff (permanent and freelance) and volunteers

1. Strategy and Advocacy

  • Develop and deliver company strategies, business plans, fundraising and a variety of other plans and strategies as necessary;
  • Advocate for dance at local, regional and national level:
  • Pursue and develop strategic partnerships; and
  • Maintain and develop relationships with members and the dance sector;

2. Organisational Management

  • Various Board Duties including reporting and minute-taking;
  • Staff and volunteer management;
  • Developing and overseeing adherence to all policies and procedures; and
  • Managing all contract and legal issues for organisation not requiring expert advice;

3. Finance and Administration

  • Develop and manage all organisation and project budgets, payroll and pension duties, tender and quotation processes and financial reporting obligations; and
  • Undertaking Company Secretarial tasks including reporting to relevant statutory agencies;

4. Fundraising

  • Delivering on income generation targets across a range of income sources – grants, service provision and membership;
  • Drafting and submitting all grant applications, monitoring all activity and reporting to funders on activity; and
  • Developing and undertaking joint projects to leverage money into DRB and the dance sector in Northern Ireland;

5. Communications

  • Manage and deliver organisational and project PR, marketing and communications alongside freelance consultants and administrator;

6. Facilities Management

  • Manage and oversee all issues relating to offices, dance studio, hire equipment, meeting rooms and storage;

7. Programme Delivery

  • Manage delivery of ongoing support services for our members and the dance community in Northern Ireland;
  • Develop and deliver special dance sectoral development projects.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential / Desirable
1. Strategic, Advocacy and Communications /
  • Demonstrable ability to successfully lead an organisation representing and promoting its interests
  • Demonstrable ability to successfully develop and deliver business plans
/
  • A practical understanding of the issues and challenges affecting arts organisations in Northern Ireland
  • Experience of developing and implementing effective communication and marketing strategies
  • Experience of internal and/orexternal stakeholder engagement

2. Organisation and Facilities Management /
  • Experience of managing staff, volunteers and contractors and working in partnership with other organisations
  • A minimum of one year’s experience as policy officer in relevant areas e.g. Health & Safety, Safeguarding, Equality, Data Protection
/
  • Experience of working with and reporting to a Board of Trustees
  • Experience of managing premises andthe ability to undertake all associated responsibilities

3. Fundraising and Finance /
  • Experience of growing and maintaining an organisation’s income through a variety of sources
  • Experience of budget planning and management
/
  • Experience or knowledge of company compliance requirements eg. reporting to Funders, Trusts & Foundations, HMRC, Companies House, Charities Commission, etc
  • A working knowledge of SAGE and/or other accounting / payroll software packages

4. Programme Delivery /
  • Evidence of ability to project manage, co-ordinating a breadth of activity and competing responsibilities while working to deadlines
  • Ability to design programmes of activity that respond to the needs of a client group
/
  • Evidence of supporting the needs of a varied and diverse membership

5. General /
  • Third level degree, diploma or equivalent
  • A genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the arts
  • Proven ability to work independently, to lead and work within a team
  • High degree of verbal, written, IT and communication skills
  • Understanding of, and commitment to, equal opportunities
/
  • Knowledge of the diversity of dance in Northern Ireland

Dance Resource Base seeks the optimum candidate who can best meet all Essential skills and most closely demonstrate the Desirable skills. Applications who DO NOT MEET ALL Essential skills will not be considered. Dance Resource Base reserves the right to weight key skills within the selection process.

CONFIDENTIAL APPLICATION FORM FOR DIRECTOR

Closing Date for receipt of completed applications (both hard copy and electronic submissions):

10AMON MONDAY 12 MARCH 2018

Shortlisted candidates will be notified as soon as possible after the deadline. Interviews will be held in Belfast in person on Friday 16 March 2018.

It is important for us as employers to know as much as possible about you, the applicant. Please complete this form accurately and in full as the decision to shortlist you will be based solely on the information you provide. Please do not include any attachments. Please read the guidance notes on the page overleaf carefully before completing the application form.

A completed hard copy Application Form should be returned in an envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL and must be addressed to:

Board of Directors

Dance Resource Base

1st Floor

35 Donegall Street

BELFAST, BT1 2FG

Please note that the Monitoring Form must be returned in a separate envelope to the Application Form and marked CONFIDENTIAL MONITORING.

An electronically completed Application Formshould be emailed to . In the Subject line, please include the following “Board of Directors, Dance Resource Base – DI/Feb18”. The electronically completed Monitoring Form must be returned as a separate attachment to the Application Form.

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

It is Dance Resource Base’s intention to ensure equal opportunity for all job applicants and to eradicate direct or indirect discrimination so that no person shall receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of: sex; marital status; religious belief; political opinion; disability; ethnic origins; sexual orientation; age or Trade Union membership. No person shall be disadvantaged by any conditions or requirements that are neither justified nor required for the job. All recruitment, promotion and training opportunities will be based on merit as measured by qualifications, experience, ability, personal attributes and job performance.

Dance Resource Base is an Equal Opportunities Employer

GUIDANCE NOTES – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

1.You must complete all sections of the Application Form.

2.The hard copy Monitoring Form should be completed and returned in a separate envelope marked CONFIDENTIAL MONITORING. The electronically completed Monitoring Form must be returned as a separate attachment.

3.Please complete the form clearly and legibly, preferably in CAPITAL LETTERS if hand-written or typescript (minimum size 10pt). If we cannot read the form, we may be unable to determine whether or not you meet the requirements for the post.

4.The personnel specifications for this post are set out in this form and job description. You must address all the specifications listed and demonstrate clearly how you meet each one by providing personal and specific examples. Unless you do this, we will be unable to proceed with your application.

5.We cannot consider any attachments, CVs or other supplementary material.

6.The Application Form must be signed and dated at the bottom of page 9. If you submit your Application Form electronically, you will be asked to sign your completed form at interview.

7.The Application Form mustbe returned addressed to ‘Board of Directors’.

8.The hard copy Monitoring Form must be returned in a separate envelope and marked ‘Confidential Monitoring’. The electronically completed Monitoring Form must be returned as a separate attachment.

9.Your completed Application Form mustarrive by the stated closing date and time. Late applications will not be accepted.

10.It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that sufficient postage has been paid to return the form. We will not accept any application where we are asked to pay any shortfall in postage.

11.Canvassing will disqualify.

12.A candidate found to have given false information or wilfully to have suppressed any material fact will be liable to either disqualification or, if appointed, dismissal.

If the Application Form is not completed and returned in accordance

with these Guidance Notes, it will unfortunately be disqualified.

Good Luck!

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Surname

/

Forename(s) (Please underline name by which you are known)

Address & Postcode

/

E-Mail Address

Day Time Contact Number

/

Mobile Number

Length of Notice required for current employer:

Interview Arrangements (Please note interviews will be held in Belfast in person on Friday 16 March 2018)

Please give details of any special arrangements required at interview

Declaration

I hereby certify that all the information given by me in connection with this application is correct to the best of my knowledge, that all the questions relating to me have been accurately and fully answered and that I possess all the qualifications that I claim to hold.

Signed ______Date ______

REFERENCES

Please give the names and addresses of two people who are able to provide references relating to your work experience and suitability for this post. One referee should be a previous employer and if possible, your present or most recent employer.

It is policy to take up references prior to appointment.

Reference 1

Name ______

Address ______

______Post Code ______

Tel. No. ______

Email address (if known) ______

Position ______

Reference 2

Name ______

Address ______

______Post Code ______

Tel. No. ______

Email address (if known) ______

Position ______

EDUCATIONAL RECORD

School or
Institution / Course and
Main Subjects / Year Completed/
Length of Course / Results

Other Education or Training

Training / Institution / Dates Completed / Results

Professional Qualifications or Membership

Name of Professional or Technical Association / Date / Status

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Detail all your employment/self-employment (and periods of unemployment) starting with the most recent. If you cannot give actual dates, please indicate relevant month. If necessary, continue on a separate page.

Dates
(Month / Year)

From – To

/ Employer’s Name
And Address / Job Title and Main Duties / Reasons for Leaving

ADDRESSING SELECTION CRITERIA

The full personnel specifications for the post are listed on pages 5 and 6 of this application pack. You should demonstrate clearly how and to what extent you meet eachone by providing personal and specific examples. Please contain your responses to the selection criteria to the word limit set for each criteria. Please do not include any supplementary material. Do not exceed the word limit set as additional words or any supplementary material will not be copied to and considered by the selection panel.

1. STRATEGIC, ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS
(in no more than 500 words, please respond to the essential and desirable criteria)
2. ORGANISATION AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
(in no more than 500 words, please respond to the essential and desirable criteria)
3. FUNDRAISING AND FINANCE
(in no more than 500 words, please respond to the essential and desirable criteria)
4. PROGRAMME DELIVERY
(in no more than 500 words, please respond to the essential and desirable criteria)
5. GENERAL
(in no more than 500 words, please respond to the essential and desirable criteria)
6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(in no more than 500 words, please supply any further information that you feel would be valuable or relevant in considering this application given the key responsibilities of this position and the person specification)

1

Director Ref DI/Feb18/