Find More Than 10K+
United Kingdom Jobs

Deadline for applications: 9am, Monday 12th June
Reports to: Creative Director
Location: Sage Gateshead, may include some regional, national, and international travel
Working hours: 36 hours per week. This role may include some evening & weekend work
Salary: SCP 44, £42,935 per annum

About Sage Gateshead
We are an international music centre based on the banks of the River Tyne. We are a unique venue where artists from across the world perform and audiences from a wide range of backgrounds come to hear, make, and enjoy all types of music.

We support local people to be creative, to develop a passion for music and put music at the heart of communities. Our artist development programme provides local artists with the opportunities they need to develop a career in music. We support young people to make music in our building and in the wider community through programmes such as In Harmony Newcastle Gateshead.

We believe our work makes life better for people in the North East. We’re building a creative, diverse, and passionate team and that’s where you come in…

About you

Are you self-motivated, happy working in a team environment and flexible enough to adapt to a changing environment? If this sounds like you, here are some specific types of experience that will help you hit the ground running.

You must have proven experience of:

• At least three years of experience at Senior Management level;
• At least three years of experience managing music education/ community programmes;
• Working with musicians/ artists in educational or arts settings.

Knowledge/ understanding of:

• Excellent planning and management skills, including:
• A strong understanding of financial management;
• Line and task management;
• Ability to develop cohesive music education strategies;
• Programming and/or artistic planning;
• Production of large scale performances and events;
• Timetables and scheduling in a learning context;
• Systems management.
• Excellent knowledge, experience and understanding of:
  • Safeguarding;
  • Health and Safety and risk assessment;
• Excellent skills in partnership management;
• Strong understanding of working with people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances;
• Strong understanding of inclusion and the personal and social outcomes of music learning and participation;
• Strong written and oral communication skills including report, copywriting and presentation;
• Skills and confidence in communicating with people from a diverse range of backgrounds;
• Accomplished in Microsoft tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint;
• The ability to manage workload, working on own initiative and as part of a team;
• Excellent attention to detail.

It also helps if you have:

• Experience of a performing arts organisation or similar.
• Knowledge of and passion for at least one of the following areas of music:
• Choral;
• Classical;
• Folk and traditional;
• Jazz and improvised music;
• Pop;
• Electronic.
• Knowledge of a diverse range of musical styles and the ability to connect the Make Music programme to Sage Gateshead’s RNS and Classical, Contemporary Music and Artist Development programmes;
• The ability to support and work collaboratively with musicians and music tutors;
• Database management, especially Tessitura and Artifax.

If you’re not a perfect match for the job description and criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are more interested in your determination, positivity, and willingness to get stuck in.

About the role of Senior Producer, Make Music at Sage Gateshead

Make Music is the name for all Sage Gateshead’s creative learning classes, groups, ensembles, training programmes and activities for schools and music educators. People of all ages, experience levels and backgrounds are encouraged to make music in an environment, and with the support, that’s right for them.

Make Music: Adults and Families classes, choirs, special masterclasses and workshops develop creativity and passion for music in accessible and welcoming groups. People can access these in our building, join live online, or digitally on demand.

Make Music: Young People is home to activities, which support young people from age 4 – 25 develop as musicians, producers and music leaders. From foundation courses to our Centre for Advanced Training, and work with schools, colleges and music leaders, inspirational teaching and unique performance opportunities develop skills and spark a lifelong love for music.

Through all this we work with visiting artists and in collaboration with Music Hubs and other partners to develop young musicians and support personal and social outcomes for young people in the North East.

Overall purpose of the role

The Senior Producer will work in close collaboration with the Creative Director and Head of Make Music on programming and strategic development to drive forward the Make Music programme at Sage Gateshead.

The Senior Producer will develop and produce for Sage Gateshead a programme of creative learning and a portfolio of performances and events, which could include:

• Music learning programmes and performances for people of all ages;
• Community projects;
• Large-scale commissions and projects;
• Collaborations between Make Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Contemporary Music and Artist Development;
• Cross-organisation festivals;
• Digital content;
• Sage Gateshead’s contribution to national and international projects.

The Senior Producer, Make Music will:

• Provide clear artistic leadership for Make Music aligned with the organisations artistic programme;
• Determine the design and content of Make Music programmes, working closely with the Head of Make Music, Programme Leaders and Music Directors;
• Make sure the programme and teams adhere to the operating model, as determined by the Head of Make Music;
• Lead, support and motivate a team of Programme Leaders and Music Directors to produce high quality, inclusive programmes with partner organisations;
• Oversee and support the development of excellent, inclusive, safe and healthy music practices;
• Develop and maintain positive, respectful working relationships between teams, young people, music leaders, parents, carers, and partner organisations to support wellbeing and creativity;
• Be part of Sage Gateshead’s Senior Management Team and Programme Development group and contribute to integrated artistic programming.
• Articulate the standards and values expected in Make Music and Sage Gateshead to Programme Leaders, Music Directors, Musicians and Tutors and external partners;
• Drive development, change and improvements to the Make Music programme, making sure it is aligned with the National Plan for Music Education and music industry infrastructure in the North East and nationally;
• Communicate strategic direction, practices, pedagogies and the organisational tone of voice, to Musicians and Tutors to make sure the experience of Make Music is consistent for audiences and partners.

Your responsibilities:

Strategy and plans

• Keep up to date with Sage Gateshead strategy, policies and plans, alongside relevant regional, national policy, strategy and trends;
• Identify and attend regional and national networks (e.g., Music Mark events; Association of British Orchestras Education; CAT network; European Concert Halls Organisation learning and participation meetings; Music Education Council events; conferences);
• Research and maintain detailed understanding of the needs of young people and adults in the North East alongside the barriers to engagement they might experience;
• Work with the Head of Make Music to define and communicate Make Music annual strategies and plans;
• Define and communicate detailed artistic plans of Make Music programmes, including activities, repertoire, performances, events and artist collaborations;
• Communicate the annual management and planning cycle of programmes, including budgets and programming.

Programme

• Design and produce the Make Music programme and content to achieve strategic objectives;
• Oversee curricula design, programme timetables, curriculum documents and learning resources;
• Oversee and support the development and maintenance of excellent and inclusive music practice, social and musical pedagogies within Make Music including design and production of training and resources;
• Work with colleagues to remove barriers to engagement and make sure programmes are relevant to diverse audiences, meeting a range of different needs, interests and contexts;
• Work with Creative Director and liaise with People and Finance teams on progress tasks to develop the programme;
• Plan and oversee changes to the programme where required, including defining tasks and timelines;
• Plan and supervise the set-up and implementation of large scale projects and events where required;
• Attend residential courses, performances, events and programme activities as required.

Marketing and Comms

• Work with Head of Marketing to analyse and maintain an overview of audience behaviour and needs to inform programming and targeted marketing;
• Work with Head of Marketing and comms teams to plan and support effective marketing and communications so that recruitment and sales targets are met.

Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strategic and artistic partnerships to achieve strategic objectives and support the programme;
• Work closely with the Head of Make Music to create and oversee external partnership agreements and contracts, where the Senior Producer is accountable for programme content;
• Plan, convene, facilitate and chair networks and advisory group meetings where required;
• Support the design of consultations with young people, adults and/or partners to involve them in programme design and planning.

Finance

• Work with the Fundraising team to make sure company fundraising targets are met;
• Work with the Head of Make Music to contribute to funding applications, making sure programme plans, and budgets align, and funding requirements are met;
• Work Head of Make Music to support negotiations with external organisations and agree SLAs and contracts;
• Make sure all programming is informed by the relevant budget requirements at the outset;
• Oversee the allocation of bursaries, supporting the design of pricing and charging and business models so that financial targets are met and barriers to engagement are removed;
• Maintain good knowledge of the Finance Coding document and follow the current finance procedures including:
• Purchase Orders
• Credit Card Spend
• Expenses
• Sales Invoicing
• Petty Cash requests
• Instruct Programme Leaders and Music Directors to programme content and course correct where needed to meet financial targets;
• Contribute to the creation and monitoring of annual budgets and maintain good knowledge of budget targets and performance against budget targets.

Evaluation and reporting

• Determine methods and processes to evaluate and monitor programme performance. Provide information for monitoring and evaluation, instruct staff to adjust the programme to meet KPIs where required;
• Contribute to internal and external reports, including copywriting;
• Evaluate performance of SLAs, contracts and grant agreements and course correct where needed.

People

• Lead, motivate, develop and support a team of Programme Leaders and Music Directors to produce high quality, inclusive music learning programmes;
• Provide clear, structured line and task management for Programme Leaders and Music Directors by setting objectives, clarifying expectations, monitoring and managing performance, providing support and giving feedback. Lead regular one to one meetings and review meetings;
• Set and review performance standards and control workflow and pace of work;
• Liaise with the People team to plan and activate recruitment and onboarding of new staff;
• Make sure pastoral staff are appropriately briefed;
• Liaise with the People team and Training Producer to plan and design training for Musicians and Tutors and manage training costs;
• Define, lead and communicate excellent and inclusive music practice, social and musical pedagogies and programme models.

Operations

• Work with the Head of Make Music to define the operating model for Make Music, including budgets, objectives, activity plans, use of spaces, timelines and deadlines and key performance indicators;
• Make sure Programme Leaders, Music Directors, Musicians and Tutors adhere to the operating model;
• Liaise with Tech, Artifax, Box Office, Building Services, F&B, Facilities and Front of House Teams in operational matters where required;
• Work with Head of Make Music to allocate the use of spaces in our Make Music Centre and Hall usage for Make Music;
• Direct the effective use of programme resources (e.g., teaching resources, session plans, instruments and equipment);
• Lead, attend and manage a schedule of artistic planning meetings, making sure the meetings are effectively chaired, noted and information is shared.

Health and Safety

• Oversee creation and implementation of risk assessments, following the agreed process;
• Work with Designated Safeguarding Officers and Director of Safeguarding to implement safeguarding policies and procedures throughout the programme to maintain high standards of safeguarding and pastoral care of children and adults at risk.

Our commitment to your development

At Sage Gateshead, we’re always learning. Through training and support, we’ll help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in your role. This may be through gaining a qualification, on-the-job training or learning within your team.

We provide you with training in areas such as health and safety and safeguarding when you start work, and you’ll receive annual refreshers.

Every staff member is on their own training and development journey. You’ll work closely with your manager to identify what your journey will look like at Sage Gateshead. If you have a specific interest or you would like to develop your skills in a certain area, we want to hear about it.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

At Sage Gateshead, we encourage a working environment that’s welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. Different backgrounds, views and experiences are valued so everyone can be themselves.

Our venue and programmes are for everyone, so we want to make sure this opportunity is available to everyone, no matter your background or the challenges you’ve faced.

For example, we would love to hear from you if you:

• Are D/deaf. Have a disability, learning difficulty or significant long -term health condition which affects your daily life
• Describe yourself as neurodiverse (this might include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autistic spectrum, and others)
• Grew up in a family receiving Universal Credit or state benefits
• Have ever lived in council or social housing or been on the housing register
• Have ever lived in sheltered accommodation or experienced homelessness
• Experienced being in care at any point in your life
• Have been a refugee or asylum seeker
• Are from the African, South, East and South–East Asian, Middle East, Latinx or North African diaspora, or have experienced racism
• These are some common examples of challenging circumstances but there may be others. Everyone is welcome to apply.
• We do not discriminate because of race, colour, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or expression, age, disability or any other protected characteristic as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.

Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expect all of those that work with us to share this commitment. We operate a robust safeguarding framework and continuous assessment and development to support safer working practice across out workforce. Our roles are subject to a safer recruitment process which includes relevant background checks and the disclosure of criminal records, sanctions, and investigations where appropriate. This position is eligible for an Enhanced DBS with a check of the Children’s and Adult’s Barred List.

Our application process

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 12th June

Interview date: 20th & 22nd June for first interviews, 26th June for second interviews

We understand that interviews can be a nerve-racking experience. We want you to feel comfortable so you can be yourself and shine!

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please contact Lois, People Coordinator at [email protected]