Opportunities

Job Vacancy at Dream Catcher Literary Journal

Job Description from Dream Catcher
Job Title: Business Manager

Background
Dream Catcher literary journal, small press and literature organisation.
Over eleven years since its origins as a college magazine in York, Dream Catcher has grown into a literary journal with a national reputation and an international range of contributors. The journal is noted for its excellent and diverse writing. Dream Catcher has developed into a literary organisation that hosts and promotes live literature events on a regional and national scale as well as sustaining a monthly creative writing workshop in York. Dream Catcher, since establishing a new home in Lincolnshire, has become a small press under the imprint of Dream Catcher Books.  Recently, after extensive consultation and bid to the Arts Council of England, Dream Catcher was awarded a large grant to help develop the journal, organisation and small press over the next three years. Part of this development plan is the hiring of a Business Manager.

The Employer
Dream Catcher is a membership based, non–profit distributing, unincorporated association.

The Employer’s (Dream Catcher’s ) Objectives are:
a) to encourage and support new works of art, especially literary arts, promoting the pursuit of excellence.
b) to seek to maximise accessibility of the arts and to overcome exclusion.
c) to develop the therapeutic power of engagement in and enjoyment of the arts.
d) specifically to publish and distribute to an audience new works of literature, to promote and facilitate live literature events and to conduct therapeutic literature activities.
e) to promote art for the benefit of the public and to advance education in the arts.
f) to co-operate with and support organisations and individuals with similar aims and objectives.

The Project:
Dream Catcher Development over the next three years

Job Purpose
To take a pro-active role, working with the Artist Director and Chair of Dream Catcher, to expand and improve the publisher/organisation. The Business Manager is to deliver the main recommendations of the Business Plan based on the work of a professional consultant in 2006. Primarily the Business Manager needs to focus on three points of growth:

a) raising Dream Catcher’s profile
b) increasing subscriptions
c) developing events

Responsible to:
The Business Manger is responsible to the Executive Committee made up of the Chair and Artistic Director and the Business Manager. The executive team will take operational control of Dream Catcher, steered by the Committee and responsible to them on behalf of the membership. The executive committee is expected to be in close communication.
(Copies of the Constitution and Business Plan as email attachments are available on request.)

Responsible for:
The Business Manager is fundamentally responsible for the delivery of the Business Plan over the next three years.

Main Areas of Work
Formulated by the consultant’s report the Dream Catcher business plan clearly outlines a range of detailed actions to raise its profile, increase subscriptions and develop a Dream Catcher programme of events. The Business Manager will need to be able to follow the business plan’s proposals as well as bring their own contacts, ideas, insights and information to the post.

Location
It’s anticipated that the Business Manager will work from home or their own office.

Key Skills
Dream Catcher is looking for a marketing person with leanings towards or interest and contacts in the literary arts.

The Business Manager needs to possess:
a) keen marketing, managerial, organisational and promotional skills
b) a knowledgeable and sensitive understanding of contemporary literary issues and needs
c) self-motivation and be able to work without supervision
d) good communication skills
e) the ability to work within tight budgetary constraints
f) commitment to the project
g) imaginative approach to problem-solving

Desirable Skills
In addition it would be preferred if the business manager had:
a) knowledge of Dream Catcher
b) experience in publishing
c) interest in live literature events
d) contact with writers
e) private transport
f) work flexibility
g) experience in working the public arts domain

Terms and Conditions
a) Initially the Business Manager will be hired for 18 months, after which time his/hers work will be reviewed to decide whether to extend their contract for another 18 months, the life time of the project. This arrangement is necessary as the Arts Council will release more funds after receiving a mid-term report based how well the recommendations of the business plan have been carried out.
b) A range of contractual agreements are possible. The Business Manager could be contracted on a freelance basis, on secondment from another company or be employed by Lincolnshire CDA on behalf of Dream Catcher. This can be discussed in more detail with prospective candidates.
c) The hours of paid work can not include holidays or time off sick. There is no expectation of paying bonuses.
d) a Monthly pay period is expected but this is open to discussion with candidates.

Hours of Work
The Business Manager is contracted to work a six hour day, one day a week; but the Business Manager would need to be flexible about whether the hours are best employed as one day  a week or better having clusters of days for certain activities.

Salary
The Business Manager will be paid £150 per six hour day, £7,000.00 per annum and £10, 500.00 for the first  eighteen months and £21,000.00 for the full three years if their contract is extended. All expenses must be included in the salary as outlined above: individual expenses can not be charged to Dream Catcher.


How to Apply
Email Paul Sutherland (paulsuther@hotmail.com) your CV with a brief outline of why you would like to take on the post. For more details contact:

Paul Sutherland
Editor, Artistic Director
Dream Catcher
Jasmine Cottage
4 Church St
Market Rassen
Lincolnshire
LN8 3ET

01673 844325
07799897994

More information about Dream Catcher can be found at www.poetrymagazines.org and Dream Catcher can be purchased at www.inpressbooks.co.uk. Paul will send a complimentary copy to anyone who might be interested in applying for Business Manager and wants to see the publication.