CEO

Submitted by ArtsatOFS on April 22, 2023 - 11:08
Salary / Fee: 
£45,000-£55,000
Closing Date: 
Monday, 19 June, 2023

About the CEO role

Interested in helping to shape a dynamic organisation with strong values, a strong team, great partnerships and huge ambition?
Committed to reducing inequalities in Oxford, promoting creativity and bringing joy through art and culture?

This role is suitable for a senior manager with little or no CEO experience looking for new challenges and career development, or for someone with significant previous CEO experience. With our founding Director moving to an Associate Director position, he offers support if needed.

If successful, you will work with our experienced and supportive Board, Senior Management Team and wider team to build on 11 years of success.

Salary: £45,000-£55,000 (remuneration will be negotiated based on the level of experience, and therefore support required for the post holder to be effective, and will be reviewed as appropriate).

Benefits: Annual leave entitlement of 25 days (pro rata) plus bank holidays. Some days need to be taken at specified times during the year. Additional annual leave awarded for long service. Additional work-related travel expenses (not including travel to and from the office) will be payable in line with the relevant conditions and rates agreed.
Pension is offered to all employees.

Contract: Full time, but as part of our commitment to inclusion, we are open to flexible working and will accept job share applications.
Permanent role, subject to 6-month probationary period.

Line managed by: Chair of Trustees

Line manages: Deputy CEO, Associate Director, Head of Creativity and Comms, Head of Inclusion and Learning, Head of Development and Fundraising

About you
These are qualities we are looking for in our next CEO, but we are open to other experience and skills:

• Can lead a team
• Can support others to be leaders
• Can embrace risk whilst mitigating appropriately
• Can read and interpret management accounts
• Can weigh cost vs benefit
• Has proven experience of successful fundraising
• Can support colleagues to be effective in their roles
• Committed to leading a relationship-based organisation
• Can facilitate consent-based decision-making and, when necessary, take responsibility for a difficult decision
• Is committed to unlearning discrimination and facing the climate emergency
• Can see the connection between different areas of activity from creating art to social change to income generation and build momentum and enthusiasm
• Shares our values and loves art, culture and creativity Is passionate about social inclusion
• Has excellent communication skills in writing and in person
• Relishes working in partnership
• Committed to building more human-friendly systems across Oxford and beyond

Please tell us about your values, qualities and experience in your application.

This could be the role for you if you have previous CEO experience. Equally it is an opportunity for someone progressing in their career from a senior management role into a CEO position. Our current founding Director will be moving to an Associate Director position during the transition. He is available to support the successful candidate if needed.

Key responsibilities of the CEO

Key purpose
• Provide leadership
• Extend and champion the vision
• Deliver a sustainable business/charity and meet financial targets
• Raise funds
• Develop and maintain external relationships and partnerships
• Support learning across the organisation
• Positively promote the organisation and its activities as widely as possible
• Promote positive change to make Oxford a better place

Most areas of work described below are led by existing members of the team. The CEO’s role is to support, add capacity and connect with other areas of activity. The CEO must work with senior management and the wider team to deliver the following:

Mission
Set the vision and mission for the organisation and support all elements that deliver the 5 core areas of activity.
Specifically:
• Extend the artistic offer
• Deepen support for artists
• Find innovative ways to help people be creative
• Deepen inclusion of people facing tough times through our Hidden Spire work
• Engage and collaborate with communities
• Commit to wider systemic change through our Marmalade partnership

Champion the 5 things we consider in all we do:
• Face the climate emergency
• Unlearn discrimination
• Be human friendly
• Experiment and listen
• Build financial resilience
Help the organisation learn from its activity and from others and oversee efforts to influence the practice of others in line with the mission

Fundraising
• Oversee the creation and implementation of a fundraising strategy
• Help to secure core and project funding to support the charitable aims of the company, with a focus on Trusts and major donors at a 5- and 6-figure level

External Relations
• Nurture deep collaboration with our closest operational partners (Crisis, Damascus Rose Kitchen, Oxford Hub, Oxford City Council)
• Build and manage effective relationships, partnerships and collaborations with local, regional and national organisations and agencies that will further the aims and vision of the Old Fire Station and raise its profile
• Represent the organisation and speak/write confidently about what we do and how we do it
• Oversee the management and development of external relations with funders, stakeholders, donors, community and commercial partners
• Oversee all external communications and partnerships
• Establish and extend an organisational brand which expresses creativity, inclusion, openness and friendliness – be prepared to take risks and be enthusiastic about learning

Finance
• Secure the financial well-being of the charity by running an efficient and profitable social business
• Secure adequate reserves
• Oversee overall budget for the charity and report regularly to the Board and to funders as required

People
• Build a stable, cohesive and effective team, creating an environment where staff, partners, volunteers and artists are stimulated, enabled to work safely, to their full potential and with a sense of shared purpose
• Help to create an inclusive culture that welcomes people from diverse backgrounds and promotes creativity, learning and enjoyment
• Alongside the Deputy CEO and Senior Management Team, take responsibility for the management of the organisation as a whole
• Foster good-quality decision-making based on collaboration and consent
• Provide mentoring and support to colleagues

Governance
• Ensure Trustees have good-quality and timely information enabling them to make the necessary strategic decisions
• Ensure that all charitable activities are legally compliant and meet regulatory requirements, and are in line with the values of the organisation

Working at the Old Fire Station
• We anticipate the successful candidate will be in the office at least 3 days a week, and where possible, support flexible working and home working around this
• Occasional evening and weekend work is required
• The post is subject to a six-month probationary period
• As an equal opportunity employer, we recognise the diversity shortcomings of our industry and are committed to driving change and supporting employees to provide an inclusive workplace
• We expect staff to have a commitment to unlearning discrimination in order to become a more inclusive organisation
• We recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world. We work as an organisation and with partners in the city towards a low-carbon sustainable Oxford. All staff are expected to share this responsibility and support this work
• All staff are expected to be able to support and supervise volunteers and trainees on placements, including Crisis members as part of our Training Scheme
• The Old Fire Station requires an open, creative and flexible approach to the work. This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not fully comprehensive or restrictive. This job description will be reviewed with the post-holder annually
• The post-holder will be expected to carry out the duties of this post in line with the Old Fire Station’s policies and procedures and in line with all relevant insurance, legal, health and safety obligations

How to apply and what to include
To apply, send us your CV and complete the application form, which you can download from our website. We also accept audio or video applications. If you require a printed copy of the application form, please email recruitment@oldfirestation.org.uk or ask at reception.

We recommend the software Speechify for reading aloud the job description and application form.

Please email your application to recruitment@oldfirestation.org.uk by Monday 19th June 2023, 10am
First interview on Thursday 29th or Friday 30th June
Second interview on Monday 10th July

For more information about the Old Fire Station and how to apply please read the full job description, available on our website: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/about/vaca...

Multi Artform
Music
Theatre
Community Arts
Exhibitions
Inclusion
Professional development
Venue
Adults