Job: Communications assistant (full-time, 35 hours/week)

Our growing charity is looking for a talented and enthusiastic communications assistant to take an active role in raising the profile of Creative Carbon Scotland, promoting our activities, and helping us achieve our mission.

The communications assistant is a new post created to help us increase the impact of our work. The successful applicant will have responsibilities across our social media channels, newsletter, website and events.

We need an adept and organised individual who is committed to supporting the transition to a sustainable, climate-ready Scotland.

Closing date for applications: 23:59, Sunday 7 May

Apply now

Introduction

Creative Carbon Scotland (CCS) believes in the power of the arts and culture to help achieve sustainability in Scotland and the world. The arts inspire, illuminate, communicate, educate, entertain and encourage new ways of thinking and shared experience – all attributes needed to tackle climate change. That’s why we support individuals and organisations in the arts and culture sector to be sustainable themselves and to lead and influence climate action through their creative work, including by collaborating with environmental experts and organisations working directly on climate change.

We are a nimble, positive, influential and growing charity in a dynamic field. We are experiencing great demand and enthusiasm for our work in carbon emissions reduction and climate change adaptation from both the cultural and the climate change sectors.

Our founding partners are the Edinburgh Festivals, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and the Scottish Contemporary Art Network. We receive significant long-term funding from Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland.

In 2021, we worked with Creative Scotland to help write its bold and ambitious Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan, which places the creative and cultural sectors as key agents of change in Scotland’s transformation as it plans for a sustainable future. It will shape Creative Scotland’s funding, policy and work until 2045, and ours as well.

Communications assistant role

The communications assistant role is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to develop their career in a dynamic and growing organisation. The successful applicant will help us raise Creative Carbon Scotland’s profile by building capacity, taking a lead on social media, and providing much-needed support to our communications manager.

You will be working with all members of the wider CCS team to promote our Green Arts, culture/SHIFT and strategic work both online and offline. Working to promote the impact of culture and creativity in addressing the climate emergency, you will have a talent for writing, a good eye for design and be competent across a range of digital tools. You should also be able to prioritise multiple requests and deadlines.

During 2023/24, CCS will be undertaking a website redevelopment to ensure that our carbon footprint is sustainable; there will be opportunities for the communications assistant to contribute to this project.

Creative Carbon Scotland employment approach

CCS aims to be a friendly, collaborative employer where the team knows they are supported, valued and respected. We offer flexible working arrangements to balance employees’ personal circumstances with the needs of the organisation and we facilitate training and development opportunities identified with each individual. As a result, we have a great team of knowledgeable, friendly and committed people producing work of a very high standard. CCS has grown in the last few years, as our work is valued by both the cultural and climate change sectors amid the widespread demand for innovative ways to become sustainable.

NB: Due to Creative Carbon Scotland’s size and circumstances, this opportunity is only open to those who already have the right to work in the UK.

Employment details

Job title: Communications assistant

Salary: £23,793 + 3% of salary in pension contributions

Reports to: Communications manager

Responsible for: N/A

Hours: Full time. This means a 35-hour week with a degree of flexibility on both sides, as some evening and weekend work may be required and busy periods may call for extra hours, with time taken off in lieu during quieter periods.

Flexible working and job sharing: Creative Carbon Scotland welcomes proposals for flexible working or job share, subject to the needs of the role being satisfactorily fulfilled.

Holidays: 20 days plus 10 public holidays to be taken at times agreed with the line manager.

Place of work: CCS is based at Thorn House, 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh, but hybrid working is the norm at present. All staff aim to work in the office at least one day each week. Travel throughout Scotland may be required as is relevant to Creative Carbon Scotland activity.

Contract and notice period: This is a permanent contract dependent on continued funding. A probationary period of three months will apply following successful completion of which the full contract will be confirmed. The notice period is two months for both employer and employee.

Equipment: A laptop will be provided and, if required, a mobile phone. Additional equipment will be provided in line with CCS policies if needed to support a healthy workstation.

Staff benefits: Creative Carbon Scotland offers annual salary increments, a salary sacrifice scheme for bicycles, confidential access to mental health counselling and a WFH heating & lighting allowance.

The role

Main purpose of job:

To help raise CCS’s profile and expand our influencing power through a range of communications and marketing activities delivered in line with our brand guidelines and organisation-wide objectives.
To create content that promotes CCS and our work.
To help plan and deliver our communications and public relations strategy and contribute to monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness.

Responsibilities:

Create and publish content, including writing engaging copy and designing accompanying graphics, for our social media channels.
Monitor social media effectiveness and prepare analytics reports.
Support the maintenance and improvement (including redevelopment) of the CCS website.
Contribute to and update the communications handbook.
Update relevant contact databases in line with GDPR requirements.
Liaise with colleagues in the Green Arts, culture/SHIFT and strategy teams to stay up to date with work plans across all projects/initiatives.
Identify opportunities to raise awareness of our work through social media.
Contribute to internal reports on communications and PR activity.
Attend and contribute to CCS team meetings and undertake any administrative tasks as necessary.
Any other duties relevant to the role.

Person specification

Essential

Excellent written and oral communications skills.
Strong proofreading, administrative and organisational skills, with excellent attention to detail.
Proficient in Microsoft Office software.
Adept at using social media and scheduling platforms from a business perspective, eg Twitter, LinkedIn, Hootsuite etc.
Experience in/familiarity with digital communications and marketing tools, eg WordPress, Mailchimp, Canva, Eventbrite, and Google Analytics.
Experience of database/contact list/CRM management.
Effective time management and ability to work both collaboratively and independently, using one’s own initiative.
Flair and imagination.

Desirable

Interest and experience in photography/video and associated editing software.
Interest in/understanding of digital accessibility and carbon footprints.
An awareness of and a commitment to the role of arts and culture in addressing climate change.
Knowledge of the cultural sector and/or climate change, particularly in relation to Scotland.

Application process

Applications must be made using the application form unless you have difficulty accessing or using the website (see Accessibility below).
Please study the job description and person specification closely and ensure that you demonstrate clearly in the application form how your skills and experience meet them.
Complete the online application form and the separate anonymous online Equality Monitoring Survey by 23:59 (BST) on Sunday 7 May 2023.
Confirm on the application form that you have completed the Equality Monitoring Survey. The survey is anonymous and the information provided will not affect your application in any way.

Once you submit your application through the online form you will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt (please contact us if you don’t get this). By Friday 12 Mayshortlisted candidates will be invited by email to interview. Interviews will be held in person in Edinburgh or on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 16 May. We expect to make an offer by Friday 19 May and for the selected candidate to begin work by Monday 3 July.

Once the appointment has been made, we will offer feedback to all applicants by email, starting around Monday 29 May.

In summary, the anticipated schedule is:

Application deadline: 23:59 (BST), Sunday 7 May 2023
Invitation to interview: Issued via email to those on the shortlist by Friday 12 May 2023
Interviews: In person or virtually via MS Teams on Tuesday 16 May 2023
Feedback: Offered to all applicants via email from around 29 May 2023
Successful candidate commences: By 3 July 2023

Accessibility, equalities & data protection

CCS wants to increase team diversity so that people with a range of views and experiences contribute to our thinking. Before we pass your application to our recruitment panel we will remove your personal data to help them avoid conscious or unconscious bias during the shortlisting process.

Accessibility

Applications will only be accepted via the application form, but we are happy to make alternative arrangements if you have any problems in using the site (for example, if you are experiencing digital exclusion or have specific accessibility requirements). If we can help you with this, please write to jackie.purves@creativecarbonscotland.com or phone 0131 243 2760 to seek assistance in good time before the closing date of 7 May. Please note that Jackie works Monday to Thursday mornings and may not reply on other days.Your interactions with us on accessibility will remain confidential and will not be shared with the recruitment panel.

Equalities

Creative Carbon Scotland promotes a diverse and inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from everyone with suitable skills and experience and we will make reasonable adjustments where necessary to enable people with particular needs or requirements to work with us. Please read our Equalities Policy and Safe Working Statement, and remember to complete our Equality Monitoring Survey.

Data protection

We will only use the personal data you provide in your application for the purpose of completing this recruitment process. All records created during the course of this process will be permanently deleted once the appointee is under contract. For more information on how we handle your data, take a look at our Data Protection and Information Security policy.

If you would like a PDF or Word copy of all the information above sent to your inbox, please email jackie.purves@creativecarbonscotland.com.

Apply now

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