ROLE PROFILE
Job Title
Responsible to
Responsible for
Contract Terms
Role
Digital Content Editor
Director of Communications
Digital Content Assistant
Full time
Grade
6/SO1
As Digital Content Editor, you will strategically plan and manage all content on our website and our social
media profiles – effectively communicating with a range of audiences through various mediums, working
closely with key stakeholders to ensure quality and accuracy, and telling compelling stories about Plymouth
College of Art.
Your role will involve acting as a ‘brand storyteller’ – seeking out, writing, and uploading stories about our
students, alumni, staff, exhibitions, events and more. You will upload and manage content on the college
website through our content management system (currently ExpressionEngine), as well as maintain and
update other areas of the website, such as course pages. Working with our Digital Content and Projects Officer
and the wider team you’ll distribute these stories efficiently and effectively across our social media channels.
You’ll work with our external web developer to implement changes to web design, build new pages and
structures, and improve UX. You will work closely with key stakeholders such as Programme Leaders,
Admissions and other academic staff to ensure course pages are up-to-date with relevant content and will use
your knowledge and eye for web design to ensure this is communicated in an effective manner. Occasionally
you will also introduce and train other college staff in the use of the content management system (CMS), as
well as tone of voice, style, social media best practice etc.
In terms of Higher and Further art education we have been referred to as a ‘best kept secret’. Working with
our Press Officer and a Digital Content and Projects Officer, your role therefore will be key in helping the
college, our students and our alumni reach a variety of audiences and, in doing so, you’ll help to raise our own
national brand profile. You will communicate our values accurately and confidently and expose the wealth of
exceptional creativity here. It won’t be hard to find things to promote but you will need to be comfortable
managing several projects at once, able to spot opportunities for improvement, tenacious enough to chase
busy creative people, able to think laterally to find new communication channels and contacts, and creative to
tell stories through text, photograph, video and more.
We don’t expect you to be an expert in brand and marketing communications but a love of language, the
ability to write quickly and precisely, as well as an interest in contemporary arts and culture are essential.
Dealing positively, articulately and persuasively with people at many levels will be important skills when
seeking out interesting stories. Your great attention to detail and understanding of our values will enable you
to asses whether our marketing materials are tonally on-brand and reflect the unique creative and
contemporary environment at the college.
To bring your content to life, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a supported way with our specialist
agencies and creative students and graduates – planning, devising and creating effective marketing materials
and campaigns. For example you may also project manage printed or digital adverts, short films, or brochures
from drafting copy and sourcing student quotes through to helping to brief and commission graphic designers
and photographers. As we are a results driven team you’ll be encouraged to monitor the impact of your
communications and adjust them quickly in response to quantitative market intelligence and qualitative
feedback.
As part of managing our social media, you will strategically plan and schedule a range of content, place
adverts, and work with the Market Intelligence Manager to analyse the effectiveness of our campaigns and
our communications.
As well as researching and creating content, you will additionally commission and direct the creation of
content. From written blogs to photography, video content and designed graphic images for use on web and
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social, you will direct other members of the team as well as engage students to write reviews, take photos,
and more. You may also assist creative, film-makers, and designers with the creation of content, and may be
at times required to use software such as Photoshop, Adobe Premiere etc.
You will have experience managing your own workload and be comfortable prioritising your time to respond to
the organisation’s changing needs and goals and the academic calendar.
This is a role for someone with a passion for all things digital. You will be a keen story-teller, will work well
under pressure, and will effectively prioritise, manage a variety of competing deadlines and manage upwards
to get results.
Remit
1. To be the primary contact for our college website responsible for the writing and uploading of compelling
content, working with staff to ensure that all publically facing content is accurate, on brand and channel
appropriate.
2. Actively engage with academic and business support staff, our students and our alumni and friends of the
college to plan and commission make innovative and profile-raising content.
3. Work closely with external partners in web, social media design etc. to commission or develop our social
and web platforms and ensure integrated and high impact communications across a variety of channels.
4. Work collaboratively with the wider team to plan and deliver key brand campaigns, press and marketing
materials. Typically these could include our annual student recruitment campaign, Graduation, our
Summer Show and events in our public gallery and our Open Days.
5. Carry out interviews and desk research and work closely with the Press & Communications Officer to
prioritise press and project work effectively. Work independently and with the team to track and analyse
the impact of your work to continually improve what we do.
6. Create and repurposed content for use across a number of regional and national media channels and
touch points ranging from our own website and social media accounts through to local radio national
newspapers and outdoor media.
7. Contribute to and author web and social media content (written, photographic or filmed) using our web
content management system or social media channels.
8. You’ll be part of a small, friendly Brand and Communications team that consists of PR & Marketing, Market
Intelligence and Events and you’ll report to the Associate Director of Brand.
The Brand and Communications Team is primarily responsible for managing and promoting the Plymouth
College of Art brand however we also work consultatively with our School of Creative Arts (a 4-16 free school
opened in September 2013), the Making Futures conference and journal and a variety of local and national
art, design and media initiatives. As a result, our work is varied, fast paced and challenging and sometimes
requires travel or flexible working* over evenings and weekends.
*We offer ‘Time Off In Lieu’ and a pooled college car to support staff that work additional hours or travel
frequently.
The College reserves the right to vary any contract of employment. This is a description of the role as it is
presently constituted. It is our practice to review all roles and responsibilities regularly and update them where
necessary to ensure that they are a true reflection of the role which is being done, or to incorporate changes
where they are found to be inaccurate.
This procedure is conducted jointly by the manager and the post-holder. You will therefore be expected to
participate fully in such discussions with a view to reaching agreement on any changes felt to be necessary. If
agreement is not possible, management reserves the right to insist on changes to your roles and responsibilities
C:\Users\staff\Documents\Russell Court - Natalie\Digital Content Editor Role Profile Nov 2015.docx
in line with your grade/level in the organisation, after consultation with you.
Within the limitations set out in your contract, working hours are flexible and can be subject to variation
depending on business need. They may, for example, include weekends and evenings.
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Person Specification
Essential
Education/Qualifications and Experience
First or 2:1 degree in Arts or Humanities incl. English,
Arts, Journalism, Advertising, Media etc. or equivalent
level 6 qualification.
Experience of juggling priorities, brainstorming ideas
and working flexibly as part of a busy team
Previous experience within a communications, arts,
marketing or in a busy creative project management or
production role.
Demonstrable experience of using Content
Management Systems to format, tag and upload
content.
Skills and Knowledge
Ability to write compelling high impact copy and tailor
messaging for a variety of audience groups and media
appropriately
Excellent grasp of grammar and great attention to
detail. Fluent communicator – written and spoken.
Developing content plans and working to multiple
deadlines without supervision
Able to work independently and as part of a team to
deliver campaigns and projects.
Experience of writing and disseminating digital and
printed marketing materials and press releases.
Good level of written and spoken English
Personal Qualities
Appreciation of contemporary design, photography,
performance arts, illustration or film that supports
aesthetic judgement.
Articulate, persuasive and diplomatic. Able to give
difficult feedback appropriately to senior contacts when
acting in the capacity of a tone of voice and brand
guardian for the college.
Enjoys working collaboratively and able to receive and
respond to feedback.
College Commitments
Some evening or weekend working to attend and report
on events or work as part of a team to meet project
deadlines.
A commitment to Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding
and Health and Safety
Desirable
Postgraduate or professional qualification in
Marketing Communications, Journalism English
Literature or a relevant arts or humanities subject
(such as CIM, NCTJ, Diploma in Digital Marketing
etc.)
Experience of using visual editing packages such as
Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
Appreciation of the difference between an art
college and a traditional university environment (or
experience as a student at an independent arts
institution).
Experience and contacts within online or traditional
press; local or national arts or otherwise.
Experience in making or overseeing visual content
for web or social channels such as short films,
photography, audio content, motion graphics, vine
clips etc.
Journalistic skills to researching and write case
studies, carry out interviews and turn a number of
written sources into succinct copy
Experience of creating and monitoring email
campaigns, search marketing, Google analytics and
willingness to use CRM platforms and applications
incl. Mailchimp. Eventbrite, Shopify, Hootsuite etc.
Ability to analyse and respond to findings and
market intelligence.
Flexible and adaptable to changing tasks, priorities
and opportunities.
Results driven with an interest in learning about end
to end marketing methods, audience segmentation
and development.
Experience of sharing digital skills with others in a
supportive way.
This role profile is current at the date shown below. In consultation with you, it is liable to variation to reflect or
anticipate changes in, or to, the College environment.
Signed (Employee):………………………………………………………………………Date:……………………………
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