APPOINTMENT OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR JULY 1 2018
AN INTRODUCTION The Auckland Project is a young organisation with an ambitious vision: to put local people at the centre of stimulating the revitalisation and regeneration of Bishop Auckland and the surrounding areas by transforming Auckland Castle, home to the Prince Bishop s of Durham for over 900 years, from an unknown private dwelling into a vibrant national and international visitor destination focussed on arts and heritage. The project is now six years old, employs more than 120 people including more than 20 apprentices, and to date more than 130m has been invested. It comprises a series of related developments both in and around Auckland Castle itself and in the nearby Market Place. The next three years will see the launch of the visitor destination with the sequenced opening of Mining Art Gallery, Auckland Tower (a new welcome building), Auckland Castle, Spanish Gallery, Walled Garden and Faith Museum, as well as a number of restaurants. This follows the launch of Mining Art Gallery in October 2017. Beyond 2020, The Auckland Project hopes to create a boutique hotel in Bishop Auckland and will also be exploring the potential of the Roman town of Binchester, just a mile from Auckland Castle. In parallel with the visitor attraction, a wide ranging engagement programme is already underway to help revive the community of Bishop Auckland and to enable local people to access the opportunities being created. 2 saxbam.com
ABOUT THE AUCKLAND PROJECT The Project began as Auckland Castle Trust in 2012 when UK-based financier, Jonathan Ruffer, purchased a series of paintings by Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbarán, Jacob and His Twelve Sons, and their historical home of more than 250 years, Auckland Castle. As well as ensuring both the paintings and Castle could be kept in trust for the people of the North East, Jonathan saw in their acquisition a way to help reinvigorate the region and bring about real change. His ambition was to transform Auckland Castle, once a private palace for England s only Prince Bishops, into an internationally significant destination, which will draw visitors from across the UK and abroad. In doing so, The Auckland Project will oxygenate the surrounding region and bring with it the means to invigorate Bishop Auckland, increasing opportunities and aspirations for both local people and businesses alike. This vision is now coming to fruition. Auckland Castle is currently undergoing a multi-million pound conservation programme and will form the centerpiece of a world-class visitor destination being created in and around its ground. The Auckland Project visitor destination will be a vehicle for positive change, offering direct employment, training and engagement opportunities, as well as supporting an environment in which other businesses can take root and thrive. THE VISITOR DESTINATION With Auckland Castle as its centrepiece, The Auckland Project is now building a visitor destination centred on art, faith and heritage. Located in and around the Castle, its gardens and the historic Market Place beyond, it will comprise several related elements opening in stages over the next two years. The first of these new attractions, Mining Art Gallery, launched in October 2017. Auckland Tower This new building will be the first port of call for all visitors, where they will receive a warm welcome and collect their tickets and information. Designed by award-winning architect, Niall McLaughlin, it has a 29-metre high tower with a 15-metre high platform offering views across the Castle and park. The outside of the building will be adorned with decorative shutters and texts depicting scenes from the Castle s history. Auckland Castle Major conservation work is now under way to return the Castle to its Georgian Gothic 3 saxbam.com
splendour, as designed by James Wyatt (1746-1813). The State Rooms and Bishop s private apartments will be returned to their original appearance following research on the colour of the walls, what furniture and textiles filled the rooms and how each space would have previously been used. Within the historic interiors, new interpretation will tell the story of the Prince Bishops of Durham and their life at Auckland Castle over the centuries. Deer Park Covering more than 200 acres of parkland, the Deer Park was originally created as a private hunting ground for the Prince Bishops. It contains medieval fish ponds and woodland paths, as well as a Georgian Gothic deer house. The original designs of the Deer Park will be recreated following the reopening of Auckland Castle. Walled Garden and Walled Garden Restaurant The original garden was created in the 17th century by Bishop Cosin and was one of the first of its kind in North East England. By the 18th century, pioneering techniques with heated walls and innovative glass hothouses were used to grow vegetables, flowers and fruit including pineapples - a rarity of the day. Following this tradition, produce grown in the redeveloped garden will be used within the Castle and The Auckland Project s restaurants. The garden itself will also be open to the public, for the first time. Faith Museum This will be the first museum in England to explore how faith and belief have influenced and shaped Britain and Ireland from prehistory to the modern day. The museum will be housed in a purpose-built extension to Auckland Castle s Scotland Wing. Visitors will be immersed in real and personal histories of faith with presentations of rare and compelling objects from the Castle s collection and those on loan from major public and private collections. 4 saxbam.com
Spanish Gallery Inspired by Zurbarán s cycle of paintings that hang in Auckland Castle, the Spanish Gallery will be the first museum in the UK dedicated to exploring the arts and culture of Spain. It will have works from the Castle s collection and loans from institutes and galleries from around the world including the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid, and the Meadows Museum, SMU, Dallas. It will also link to the nearby Zurbarán Centre for Spanish and Latin American Art and Culture run in partnership with Durham University. Mining Art Gallery This new gallery provides a permanent home for more than 400 works from prominent local artists connected with the region s mining communities, including Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. Located in the heart of Bishop Auckland s historic Market Place, the gallery also includes a programme of educational activities and community events to encourage people to engage with the North East s industrial heritage. Beyond 2020 With construction well underway on the venues outlined above, The Auckland Project is already looking ahead to the next phase of activity in 2020 and beyond. The Roman town of Binchester, just a mile from Auckland Castle, is of particular focus, as well as a site of international significance. The Auckland Project is working with Durham University and other key partners on the site s archaeological development and ways in which the true potential of Binchester may be realised in the future. Plans are also being developed to create a boutique hotel in Bishop Auckland Market Place, which will sit alongside new and existing restaurants, hotels and shops in the town and help encourage visitors to extend their stay. THE MISSION At the heart of The Auckland Project is a mission to revitalise Bishop Auckland and the surrounding region. The charity s dedicated Engagement Team is developing and delivering a broad range of life changing programmes for all ages designed to increase educational attainment, enhance employability and boost community spirit. Over the past three years they have engaged with more than 6,000 students from 45 different schools and continue to offer a range of sessions for families, schools and local community groups, with a particular focus on outreach. Directly, The Auckland Project now employs more than 120 people, including 26 apprentices working in a diverse range of areas from finance and marketing to horticulture and catering. In the next three years, more than 8,000 opportunities for training and skills development will be created, along with 60 apprenticeships, including 34 funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Auckland Project is working closely with the local community and a wide range of partners to act as a catalyst for positive change and build a prosperous future for Bishop Auckland and the surrounding region beyond. 5 saxbam.com
THE ROLE The Marketing and Communications Director has responsibility for developing and delivering a cost effective marketing plan to launch and establish The Auckland Project as a successful and sustainable new visitor destination, both individual elements of the offer and, crucially, The Auckland Project as a destination overall. The target is for 300,000 visitors by 2023. Building equity in The Auckland Project brand with key target audiences is central to the role which covers all aspects of the marketing mix including public relations and the communications aspects of placing The Auckland Project in an advantageous position with its external audiences and stakeholders. Central pillars such as brand positioning and identity are in place with other work streams to prepare for launching the visitor destination underway, including media and communications strategy, website and wayfinding. Now the challenge is to launch the destination successfully, building audiences for the long term. This position reports to the CEO and is a member of the Leadership Team, contributing to strategic management of the organisation. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Work with other departments to create a successful launch programme based on a clear understanding of the varied The Auckland Project offer and how it evolves over time. 6 saxbam.com
Develop and execute an integrated marketing and communications plan to bring in the target numbers and types of visitors envisaged in the Business Plan, based on a clear understanding and articulation of the markets that The Auckland Project is serving and the segments within these markets that should be targeted. Oversee the development of a robust digital marketing and social media plan as a central element within the overall strategy. Through a deep understanding of The Auckland Project, its origins, ethos and purpose, constructing a PR campaign to maintain and build The Auckland Project s relationship with external audiences and stakeholders Lead on visitor and audience insight and research. Oversee the development and delivery of The Auckland Project s pricing strategy. Lead the management of the brand, both for organisation overall and visitor destination. Work closely and collaboratively with other departments in particular Commercial, Curatorial, Engagement, External Affairs, as well as the CEO s office. Provide a marketing and communications service to other departments. Leadership and management of the Marketing and Communications Department, developing it over time to meet the changing requirement. Management of the Marketing and Communications budget to achieve the maximum functional output from the department. 7 saxbam.com
PERSON SPECIFICATION It is anticipated that the successful candidate will bring the following: Deep empathy with The Auckland Project, its history and potential. Destination marketing background with a successful track record of at least three years of marketing a visitor attraction or equivalent. Cultural, heritage sector experience highly desirable. Director level experience of marketing and PR. Recent relevant experience of digital marketing. Understanding how to optimise the utility of a CRM system. Recent experience of the travel trade and group aspects of visitor marketing. Ability to represent The Auckland Project convincingly on the public stage, with stakeholders and all external audiences. Strong instinct for, and demonstrable success of, collegiate working at director level. Ability to inspire, motivate and develop a team. Experience at development and management of budgets. PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES Real empathy with the vision and objectives of The Auckland Project. Strong commerciality. Strong on process and deadline-orientated. A team builder and team worker. High emotional intelligence. Low ego but robust. Flexible working style; not fixated on hierarchy. An affinity for the heritage, arts and cultural sector. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT A competitive salary will be negotiated with the successful candidate. It is essential that the successful candidate lives within a short commute of Bishop Auckland. Assistance with relocation may be provided. 8 saxbam.com
HOW TO APPLY Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Auckland Castle Trust on this appointment. Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference FAVHC. Click on the apply button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter. The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 3th September 2018. Initial interviews with Saxton Bampfylde will take place during the weeks of 17 th and 24 th September. A further two rounds of interviews will be held at The Auckland Project on 2 nd October and 9 th October 2018. LONDON 9 Savoy Street London WC2E 7EG EDINBURGH 46 Melville Street Edinburgh EH3 7HF saxbam.com 9 saxbam.com Partners in Panorama - Search around the world panoramasearch.com