Arts at The Old Fire Station
JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION
Administrator
Introduction
Arts at the Old Fire Station is a new company with four appointed Trustees. The Company is applying
for charitable status and will work alongside and in partnership with Crisis Skylight Oxford. The Old
Fire Station is currently undergoing a £3.4m refurbishment to create integrated spaces, high quality
arts spaces, including an arts auditorium, gallery and retail unit, creative workspaces and a dance
studio. The new company will be responsible for programming the spaces, and working to one vision
for the building; to support creativity, develop skills and nurture new talent under one roof.
The Role
This key position is offered as a 2-year part time contract (30 hours per week). Reporting to the Arts
Development Director, the Administrator is responsible for undertaking all aspects of administration for
the Arts At The Old Fire Station company.
Salary
£18,750 pro rata
The Post
The new company is now being developed, and the role of Administrator is critical to supporting the
delivery of the arts company and in maintaining its future role in the cultural scene in Oxford.
The Administrator will manage the running of the office and be a central information point, providing
outstanding customer care both internally and externally, and seek to develop, maintain and introduce
systems to improve the running of the organisation.
Working with the Director and Crisis Skylight, the Administrator will work on projects across the
organisation, providing help and support to ensure the arts company is able to run smoothly in a first
class manner.
This post is offered for 30 hours a week; with the core hours of 9.30am to 5pm (although flexible
working will be considered), Monday to Friday. Occasional weekend or evening working will be
required around specific meetings and organisational events.
Organisational Relationship and Accountability
Responsible to :
Responsible for:
Work closely with :
Arts Development Director
volunteers, receptionist, casual staff
Head of Crisis Skylight, Trustees
Budget Responsibility:
Post-holder has some budgetary responsibilty for key administrative
budgets
Main Duties
Customer Care:
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Be responsible for the adminstration office throughout core office hours.
Be a central point for communications with external clients, and ensure all enquires are
followed-up. This includes logging all requests for using the facilities, and devising a system to
ensure these are all documented appropriately.
Manage emails received to the [email protected] address.
Manage the administration answer phone.
Arts at The Old Fire Station
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Be the named organisational contact for general enquiries.
Be a central information point for staff in the building with regard to arts company enquiries.
Managing the Office:
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Manage the stationery budget, choose appropriate suppliers and ensure office supplies are
maintained.
Design and manage organisational filing systems – both paper and electonic, for the new arts
company.
Manage the Outlook address book
Maintain records of staff movement using the new outlook staff diary
Manage the day-to-day organisational IT. Ensure that systems run smoothly and problems are
dealt with as soon as possible, keeping the team up to date on the current situation.
Manage the daily back-ups and ensuring security of tapes.
Provide inhouse training for key reception & marketing staff on key office systems and software
Be responsible for the set-up of the new office in the new Old Fire Station building, seeking
advice for the people who will use the space. This will include consideration for facilities and
systems for items such as refreshments, stationery storage, organisational filing etc.
Manage the franking machine, relevant contracts and postage budget and be responsible for
ensuring the post is taken to the post office on a daily basis.
Be responsible for issuing contracts and invoices. Log invoices on arrival. Devise a new
system for logging financial information.
Hold a petty cash float and reconcile this at least once a month.
Be responsible for holding spare keys for the new building, including a log of current key
holders. Ensure spare keys for critical spaces are always available.
Be fire trained and act as the key fire marshall for the office space. Manage a roster to ensure
a fire marshall is identified at all times during key office hours.
Manage contract information, and develop knowledge of contract negotiation, and share this
knowledge through the organisation.
Manage the bookings for the arts facilities in the new building.
Personnel:
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Support the induction of new employed and voluntary staff by providing a welcome pack
including relevant keys, issue staff handbooks and information on key systems in The Old Fire
Station.
Ensure all employment contracts are signed and filed correctly.
Be aware of all current up-to-date policies, and be able to signpost staff where necessary.
In conjunction with the Arts Development Director, devise a placement scheme/internship/work
experience for young people. Manage the agreed placements.
Old Fire Station Events and Activities:
• Be present (as rostered) at events to represent the Old Fire Station.
• Lead on managing certain visits and events..
• Be able to use the new booking system, including understanding ticket sales and room
bookings.
• Organise room, invitations and refreshments for Trustee meetings and other board sub-groups
as required.
Arts at The Old Fire Station
General:
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This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not wholly
comprehensive or restrictive. This job description will be reviewed with the post holder annually
or at significant points for the organisation.
The post-holder will be expected to carry out the duties of this post in accordance with the Old
Fire Station’s Equal Opportunities, Access, Employment, Health and Safety and Inclusion
Policies.
The postholder will have input into policy matters, strategies and business and artistic
planning, as part of the partnership with Crisis Skylight and in line with the overall policy on
inclusive and consultative practice.
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
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A 30 hour week is worked, to an agreed working pattern with occasional evening and weekend
working.
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The post is subject to a six month probationary period.
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There is an annual leave entitlement of 25 days (pro rata, plus bank holidays)
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The appointment is subject to satisfactory Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure check.
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A No Smoking policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted in the workplace.
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Work-related travelling expenses will be payable in line with the relevant conditions and rates
agreed.
HOW TO APPLY
Although Arts at the Old Fire Station will be a separate charitable entity we are committed to work in partnership
with a new Crisis Skylight Centre for homeless and vulnerably housed people, based in the same building
Application is by CV and letter. In the latter please state how you would link your previous experience against
those skills and aptitudes expressed in the enclosed job description and person specification. Please forward
applications to [email protected] or send to People & Equalities, Oxford City Council, 3rd Floor, Town
Hall, St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1BX.
Person Specification
Essential
Knowledge
Office management
Experience
Managing and negotiating
contracts with external suppliers
and clients
Skills
Managing budgets
Designing and improving
organisational systems
Working in a customer care
environment
Excellent communication skills
(verbal and written) which help
ensure everybody is working
together and has the information
they require
Desirable
Experience of working in small
team
Taking Minutes
Managing a box office system
Interest in the arts
Arts at The Old Fire Station
Excellent IT skills, including
knowledge of Outlook, Excel
Powerpoint and ability to coach
others in use of software.
Excellent organisational skills
Be able to:
• Set clear plans agreed by all
interested parties
• Work as part of a small team
Personal
qualities
The ability to work under
pressure, multi-task, use initiative
and to work to strict deadlines
Ability to help others to keep to
agreed deadlines
Understanding of and
commitment to customer care
A desire to provide the best level
of service to everybody
A desire to help others to reach
shared goals
A willingness to undertake
appropriate training
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 4.30pm 1st November
INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD: w/c 15th November
A place of
change
August 2010
The Old Fire Station redevelopment
Oxford City Council and Crisis, the
national charity for single homeless
people, have been working together
for some time now to plan the
redevelopment and refurbishment of
the Old Fire Station building in central
Oxford. By next summer 2011, a
redeveloped Old Fire Station will be
home to a new Crisis Skylight centre
(an education, training and employment
centre for homeless and vulnerably
housed people) and a social enterprise,
the Crisis Skylight café, which will be
open to the public.
It will also accommodate an
independent arts company, offering
flexible and inspirational spaces for
artistic professional development and
training, and for community groups to
use to offer performance and visual arts
events, regular classes and courses for
the public. These spaces will include a
flexible auditorium, a dance studio, a
dedicated creative workspace, a gallery
and retail space for emerging artists
and makers. Finally the building will
also offer some office space for a
like-minded organisation.
The overall vision for the Old Fire
Station is to create a unique, dynamic
and inspirational centre for creativity,
skills development and enterprise in
Oxford. This is integral to the building’s
ability to retain its active role in the
arts and cultural sector in Oxford
whilst, at the same time, helping to end
homelessness in the city – making it
a true place of change for the whole
community.
Above: architect’s sketch of proposed
redevelopment of the Old Fire Station
Project progress to date
Aims of the OFS
The range of spaces within the OFS will run alongside each
other, encouraging cross over and collaboration. These spaces
will include:
• An accredited education, training and employment centre
for homeless and vulnerably housed people;
• A social enterprise café providing on the job and accredited
training and experience;
• A flexible arts auditorium for continuing professional
development across art forms, and for rehearsal, training
and performance use;
• A specialist dance studio for rehearsal and training
• A flexible professional gallery to showcase new work;
• A small commercial retail space for artists and makers to
exhibit and sell work;
• An affordable creative workspace for emerging professional
artists, including those involved in digital technologies
Together these spaces will offer a range of supportive activities
alongside professional development, creative learning and
showcasing opportunities. They will be accessible to all to
rediscover their potential and develop new skills. They will
promote new talent and encourage a vibrant cutting edge
culture of creative learning and the development of new work
within a professional environment, focusing particularly on the
visual arts, digital technology, dance and music.
The Arts Company: business model approved
In our April newsletter, we referred to the work undertaken
by an arts development consultant to help establish the
recommended operational approach for the arts within the
newly developed Old Fire Station, to run alongside the Crisis
Skylight Centre and Cafe. His recommendation was to set
up an independent arts company with charitable status to
drive forward and develop the artistic programme in the Old
Fire Station. This recommendation was presented to Council
and approved.
The new arts company will work directly with Crisis. Both
Oxford City Council and Crisis are working together to establish
the company and the project team has been busy recruiting
a Chair and board members to head it up. The Board will be
instrumental in recruiting staff and be responsible for realising
the vision for this unique partnership arts project.
Handover of the building
On 1 June 2010, the Ambassador
Theatre Group vacated the Old
Fire Station, removed all necessary
equipment and handed the keys back to
Oxford City Council. The keys will in turn
be handed over to Crisis by May 2011
when they become the new leaseholder.
Crisis and Oxford City Council are
currently working closely to establish
the lease conditions and appropriate
management agreement.
Contractor appointment
The Old Fire Station design team is now
at RIBA Stage J of the project which
involves arranging the site hand over
to the contractor. ROK has issued a
contract price for the works and this has
now been approved by the Project Board
confirming that they are the preferred
contractor for the build. Following the
surrender of the lease by Ambassador
Theatre Group, the site office has been
set up in what was previously the OVADA
Gallery.
Contractor contact details
ROK Contracts Manager:
Adrian Cook
[email protected]
tel: 01189 323300; mob: 07809 452699
Right: A drama class at Crisis
Skylight London; a guitar lesson
at Crisis Skylight Newcastle;
a painting class at Crisis
Skylight London
ROK Project Manager:
Dean Paxton
[email protected]
tel 01189 323300; mob 07809 451339
Adrian or Dean are happy to be
contacted about any queries relating to
the works programme. The ROK office
will be located in the existing OVADA
offices on the first floor, accessed from
Gloucester Green Coach Station.
Business planning and recruitment
Business planning for the new arts
company and for the Crisis Skylight
Centre and café is well underway.
Crisis plans to recruit its Head of Skylight
by Autumn 2011 and the arts company
plans to recruit its Arts Development
Manager around the same time.
The rest of the staff teams for both
operations will be recruited in the first
half of 2011.
Call for artist
With the construction works due to
commence towards the start of August,
hoardings will appear on site very soon.
The project team has commissioned
an artist to work with small groups
of local homeless people to create a
vibrant, professional hoarding that clearly
communicates the new vision for the
new Old Fire Station. This work has
involved a number of workshop
sessions with homeless people to
develop concepts and designs that
offer the public and stakeholders a
glimpse of what will be the new Old
Fire Station in 2011.
are very
“ We
privileged to be
associated with
and to be working
alongside both Crisis
and Oxford City
Council on what will
be a very exciting
and challenging
project.
”
Adrian and Dean,
on behalf of ROK
Get in touch
Feel free to get involved or feed back any comments by contacting:
Ciara Devlin at Crisis on 0207 426 3851 / [email protected]
Nerys Parry at Oxford City Council on 01865 252825 / [email protected]
For questions or comments regarding the new arts company please contact:
Laura Worsfold at Oxford City Council on 01865 252829 / [email protected]
Key dates
Keeping you
informed
Drop-in information
sessions
Thursday 5 August, 10.30 am to 3 pm
During the drop-in sessions part of
the Old Fire Station will be open to the
public giving you the opportunity to
find out more about the final plans for
redevelopment and the schedule of
works.
The final design plans will be exhibited
in the site office (previously OVADA
Gallery) and the public will also be
able to enter the building from the
George St. entrance and view the
existing auditorium and nightclub
within the appropriate barriers.
ROK will be there to outline the
programme and answer any
questions, along with some
members of the design team.
Press briefing and
photo call
Friday 23 July, 3.15 pm
Leslie Morphy, Crisis Chief Executive,
and Councillor Bob Price, Leader
of Oxford City Council, will be
interviewed by the press and will take
part in a photo call along with other
members of the Council, potential
future users of the Crisis Skylight
Centre, and other key stakeholders.
Stakeholder consultation
Consultation with key stakeholders
from the homelessness sector, the
arts and across the city will continue
throughout the build to ensure
everyone is kept fully informed of the
project’s progress. Briefings to local
Councillors and community leaders
will continue and to key contacts
within the learning sector, the local
community and local businesses.
Crisis and Oxford
City Council websites
Updated design plans are available
on both the Crisis and Oxford City
Council websites:
5 July 2010
Enabling works on
building started
Summer 2010
Construction
work starts
www.crisis.org.uk/oxford
www.oxford.gov.uk/oldfirestation
37 weeks
Construction
period
Spring 2011
Completion of main
construction work
4 weeks
Fit out
Summer 2011
Redeveloped Old
Fire Station opens
What is Crisis Skylight?
Homelessness deskills and isolates. Equipped with new skills
people can regain control of their lives and break the cycle
of homelessness. Crisis Skylight, our award winning and
accredited education, training and employment centres, offer
practical and creative workshops in a supportive and inspiring
environment together with formal learning opportunities that
lead to qualifications and finding work.
The wide range of courses, including art, music and drama,
bike maintenance and carpentry, literacy, numeracy, IT
and ESOL, help people to restore their well-being, regain
confidence, build their basic skills and raise their aspirations.
The centres also provide a critical link with the wider
community, both through our volunteer tutors, and the links we
foster with a range of arts and education organisations.
Client case study: Iain
I’ve lived in Newcastle all my life. In 1967 I had a car accident
and was admitted to a Child Psychiatry Unit in a hospital, after
being released from there I went to a special school. I was
badly abused by the staff. My mother took me away from that
school and I enrolled at a boarding school. I was bullied but I
got over it and the work was good.
I left school at 17 and went on the dole for a while, I also had
a variety of jobs: kitchen porter, glass collector. Eventually
I became a full-time carer for my mother and cared for her
until she died. It was very traumatic seeing her go through
that. I was concerned about myself - thinking what’s going to
happen to me? I got a job as a kitchen porter again and my
health suffered. I went on sick leave and on income-based job
seeker’s allowance.
I came in to contact with Crisis a couple of years ago; it was
the finest organisation I’ve ever been to. I’m now doing my
ECDL at Crisis. I’ve also done food hygiene, art and design and
a gardening course led by the Royal Horticultural Society. I’ve
enjoyed every glorious minute.
Photography is my passion. Everywhere I go the camera
is beside me. With support from Crisis I’m now studying at
Newcastle College; Level 2 in Art and Design Photography.
Photography is in my blood. I feel relaxed and calm about
the future. Before I was tetchy and unsure of myself, but now
I’ve been coached onto a new path. It’s stable and I quite
enjoy it - thanks to Crisis. I think it should change its name to
‘resurrection’. We take you and we give you new life!
Above: Iain proudly shows off his new student
pass for Newcastle College
Crisis, 66 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LT
www.crisis.org.uk 0844 251 0111
Crisis UK (trading as Crisis). Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094.