Director

Main Areas of Responsibility

Strategy 

• Deliver and develop Brighter Sound’s strategy, liaising with the Board of Trustees to set the future direction of the organisation
• Ensure that the organisation’s mission, values and charitable objectives are at the heart of everything we do
• Develop Brighter Sound’s local, national and international profile and connections to inform and contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation
• Hold overall responsibility for the management of staff, resources and stakeholder relationships
• Maintain an excellent understanding of political and social trends on a local, national and international level, which have the potential to influence Brighter Sound’s strategic direction and the work of Manchester Music City

Programming

• Work closely with the Head of Programmes to ensure that Brighter Sound projects and programmes reflect and progress the mission, values and charitable objectives of the organisation, and that the learning from this work is used to inform and shape future work
• Work closely with the Head of Programmes and wider Manchester Music City partnership to deliver Manchester Music City projects and programmes
• Encourage bold, inspiring and innovative work that is relevant to our target audiences, and contributes to achieving the goals of key stakeholders

Advocacy

• Work closely with the Head of Marketing and Communications to ensure that advocacy messages are clearly communicated and consistently delivered by the board, staff and internal stakeholder groups
• Develop relationships with funders, agencies, Government bodies, sponsors, and other stakeholders to increase the local, national and international profile of Brighter Sound with a view to extending its work and impact 

Finance & Fundraising

• Develop and deliver a diverse and resilient income generation strategy, encompassing commercial, philanthropic and other sources of income
• Identify, research and secure funding for the organisation’s development and for the commissioning of projects that fulfil its strategic objectives 
• Work closely with the Finance trustee, Head of Operations and Finance and the Senior Management team to set and monitor all Company budgets
• Ensure the robust financial management of the organisation, including the identification and management of risk, which supports effective business planning and efficient management of resources

Reporting, Monitoring & Evaluation

• Through consultation with the board, design systems that ensure accurate and actionable information is available to staff, board, funders and partners
• Ensure that monitoring is in place to help the organisation evaluate its work and impact

Person Specification

As Director you’ll work with the Senior Management Team made up of:

• Head of Programmes (Deputy Director)
• Head of Operations and Finance
• Head of Marketing and Communications

Together you’ll ensure Brighter Sound’s work remains responsive, relevant and informed by the needs of our target audiences of young people, musicians and music professionals. To deliver this you’ll create an environment where staff and freelancers are listened to, valued and encouraged to thrive.

You should be able to evidence:

• Experience in a senior strategic role operating at both a local and national/international level
• Experience of being responsible for an organisational budget of up to £1.5m

Other key attributes we’re looking for:

• The ability to inspire the public, colleagues, supporters and other stakeholders about the cultural and social value of music on a national and international level
• A track record of successfully leading a music or cultural organisation, or a major project in one of these fields
• A passion for working with young and emerging artists and independents
• An entrepreneurial and innovative approach to income generation, with demonstrable success in identifying and securing opportunities to diversify funding and grow income via individual giving, trusts and foundations and other areas of funding
• The ability to think big, innovate and shape the future of the organisation, while taking care of the details including financial and risk management and an understanding of the role of trustees in the governance of a charity
• A passionate and confident ambassador for Brighter Sound, with the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with local, national and international artists and music professionals, alongside strategic partners, donors and funders
• An understanding of the challenges and issues affecting young people, artists and music professionals, and the broader music sector (including music education and the music industry)
• A personal commitment to, and passion for, activity that promotes diversity and equality of opportunity in music
• A proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a committed team of staff
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to inspire trust and express complex ideas with clarity

Key Terms and Conditions

Salary Approx. £50,000 per annum

Responsible to Brighter Sound’s Board of Trustees (key contacts Chair and Finance Trustee)

Responsible for Head of Programmes (Deputy Director), Head of Operations & Finance, Head of Marketing & Communications

Duration of Contract Permanent

Probationary Period Subject to a three-month probationary period

Hours of Work Full-time (35 hours)

Location Brighter Sound’s office is in central Manchester (Green Fish Resource Centre, M4 1LE). We’re operating a hybrid way of working and support our staff to make use of remote working options when combined with regular on-site contact days with other members of the team. The nature of the role means that national and international travel will also be required.

Flexible Working We recognise that flexible working can have a positive impact, in terms of supporting staff to have a better work-life balance, attracting and retaining staff who may have caring or similar responsibilities, and in reducing the carbon impact of staff travelling to work. We welcome applications from people who require flexibility, although the role will involve regular face-to-face meetings and attendance at events and conferences.

Annual Leave 25 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays. In addition, Brighter Sound is closed between Christmas and New Year, for which you do not need to allocate any of your annual leave entitlement.

Pension Scheme Employer pension contribution of 5% of eligible salary

Other Benefits Employee Assistance Programme

Recruitment Process & Timeline

Deadline for applications Wednesday 25 October, 10am

Shortlisting completed and candidates notified - Tuesday 7 November

Interviews - Tuesday 14 November

Once shortlisting is complete, we’ll let every applicant know whether they have been successful in making it through to the next stage. Interviews will be held in central Manchester. If you’re invited to an interview, we’ll cover the cost of travel expenses.

We’re keen for the successful candidate to start as soon as possible, though we will of course work around any existing notice periods. A handover with the current Director will be part of your induction process.

How to Apply

If this sounds like a good fit, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply please send us:

• A current CV
• A cover letter outlining your suitability for the role and addressing the person specification requirements (you can do this in writing or by sending us a video or audio file)
• A completed Equal Opportunities form

Please email your application to recruitment@brightersound.com by Wednesday 25 October, 10am.

If you’re writing a cover letter, please keep it to no more than two sides of A4. If you’d rather record, please keep it to no longer than five minutes.

If you have any questions or if there are any adjustments that would support you in your application or the interview process, please let us know. For example, if you need this information in a different format.

Equal Opportunities

Brighter Sound is committed to building a diverse workforce and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We encourage you to apply no matter your age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

We are particularly committed to supporting applications from people with backgrounds or social groups that are currently underrepresented in the creative industries including D/deaf, Disabled and/or neurodivergent people, and people from the Global Majority*.

Brighter Sound is a Real Living Wage employer. We are committed to accessibility and compliant with the Equality Act 2010. As a Disability Confident employer we guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that applicants must provide evidence in their application that demonstrates how they meet the requirements set out in the person
specification. To be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, applicants will need to declare that they have a disability.

*Global Majority is a collective term that refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’. Globally, these groups currently represent approximately 80% of the world’s population. (Source: Rosemary Campbell-Stephens MBE, Leeds Beckett University)

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Thank you to our supporters:

Arts Council England, Youth Music, Manchester City Council, GMCA, The Foyle Foundation, PRS Foundation as a Talent Development Partner (supported by PPL).