Administration & Finance Officer: Job Description & Application Form

IMPROBABLE

Lead by Artistic Directors Phelim McDermott and Lee Simpson, Improbable is a theatre company that defies categorisation: it presents shows on every scale from sumptuous productions in the great opera houses to tiny improvisation gigs in the tiniest venues; it is at the forefront of arts activism through Open Space and creates groundbreaking participation work.

At the heart of all this work is the practice and philosophy of improvisation. Although some of our work is improvised live on stage our understanding of this creative approach is much wider. It is about recognising that art is for everyone and that doesn’t just mean they get to be part of an audience. Society needs a cultural shift that puts creativity at the heart of everyday life. In the world we envisage, the arts are not confined to the spiritual or emotional, they are central to development and decision making in social, organisational, legislative, economic and political spheres. In this future world, an international crisis would mean a government doesn’t send in the army, it sends in an orchestra.

Improbable was founded in 1996 and became a charity in 2014. The company is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. In the next few years we will continue to make diverse and remarkable work on all scales, from our forthcoming productions of Lost Without Words at the National Theatre and Aida with English National Opera to Impro for Elders at the Cockpit Theatre and a project with young people at the Unicorn Theatre. We will also continue to host our Open Space forums under the banner of Devoted & Disgruntled, and develop our long-term legacy project the International Institute of Improvisation, bringing together improvisational practice from across the world and across disciplines.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Administration & Finance Officer will support the Co-Chief Executives Phelim McDermott and Lee Simpson and the Executive Director Ben Monks in the day-to-day running of the organisation, with a particular emphasis on general office administration, company and individual scheduling, project management assistance, and financial administration.

Reports to: Executive DirectorLine manages: None at present; however there is the opportunity for the Administration & Finance Officer to line-manager interns and student placements

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Salary: This role is offered on an employed basis with a salary of £20,000 - £22,000 per annum. There is the opportunity for training and other CPD initiatives.

Hours: This is a full time post, 40 hours per week. Normal office hours are 10am to 6pm with one hour for lunch. There may be a requirement to work evenings and weekends. Improbable operates a Time Off in Lieu system for work outside typical working hours.

Holiday: 25 days per year, plus statutory bank holidays.

Place of work: The Administration & Finance Officer will be based at Improbable’s office in the West Wing, Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA, and will require travelling and staying away from London as necessary.

Probationary Period: Three months.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should complete the Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form at the end of this document. Completed applications and equal oppportunities forms should be sent by email to office@improbable.co.uk or by post to Improbable, West Wing, Somerset House, The Strand, WC2R 1LA marked “ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE OFFICER APPLICATION.” The deadline for applications is Friday 11th November at 5pm sharp. Please note that applications can only be made using the application form – we cannot accept CVs.

First-round interviews will be held on 15th / 16th November in London. If required, we will hold second-round interviews on 18th November, also in London. We are ideally looking for the successful candidate to begin in the w/c 12th December 2016.

You can learn more about us at www.improbable.co.uk If you have any questions, please contact our Executive Director Ben Monks on ben@improbable.co.uk or 020 7240 4556

DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

General AdministrationTo assist the Co-Chief Executives and Executive Director in ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of Improbable including:

Communication management including updating company and individual calendars and diary management, with particular support for the CEOs and Executive Director as required

Providing first point of contact for people contacting the Improbable office Filing and the maintenance of ongoing administrative and archiving

systems Ordering stationery, office supplies and equipment Information management, e.g. minute-taking and information

dissemination, including the administration of all Company and Board meetings, and updating iCal and other internal communication systems

Computer development and maintenance

Scheduling Board meetings Maintenance and development of databases, mailing lists etc Being responsible for the daily operation of the computer network and

phone systems including regular back ups and updates Being responsible for compliance with data protection legislation

FinanceUnder the guidance of the Executive Director, to implement the day-to-day financial administration of Improbable including:

Day to day bookkeeping and bank / credit card reconciliation using accounts package AccountEdge

Maintaining systems for petty cash and expenses management Invoicing and Credit control Payment of invoices Preparing reports for the Executive Director and assisting in the

preparation of quarterly management accounts and end of year finance Liaising with the Open Space Producer to update the running budget for all

Open Space events

In addition, there is the possibility for the Administration & Finance Officer to be trained on running Payroll and / or preparing quarterly VAT returns.

Production AdministrationTo assist the Co-Chief Executives, Executive Director and Producer in the project management of Improbable events, productions and tours including:

Preparing project, touring and event information / itineraries for all of the company

Producing the yearly Winter Mentoring Fete event Finding and booking rehearsal rooms, travel, and accommodation Organising practical arrangements for rehearsals Collecting statistical information on projects / events in line with the Arts

Council’s Annual Submission requirements Co-ordinating complimentary tickets in liaison with venues and partners Compiling and distributing publicity materials Managing and co-ordinating requests for workshops Drafting contracts and letters of agreement Communicating with performers and artistic collaborators as needed

Marketing and CommunicationsTo assist the Executive Director and Producer in the marketing of Improbable and Company events, productions and tours including:

Co-ordination of print, marketing packs and images Drafting and sending a monthly Newsletter Liaison with venues as required Co-ordination of Social media profile (Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo and

Tumblr) Co-ordination of website design and maintenance, including uploading

copy and images and keeping the website up to date

FundraisingTo assist the Executive Director in the implementation of the Company’s fundraising strategy, including and not limited to:

Updating the Supporters’ spreadsheet Shooting, editing, and sending the monthly Supporters’ Video using iMovie Ensuring that Supporters receive the benefits of their donation level Promoting the Supporters’ Scheme on Social Media and at Improbable events

General To be an ambassador for the Company and act on Improbable’s values and principles

PERSON SPECIFICATION

We are looking for a dynamic individual who is passionate about the arts and dedicated to helping run Improbable in an engaged and open manner.

Essential:

A delight in scheduling and timetabling Ability to prioritise flexibly and manage time efficiently Ability to remain calm under pressure and problem-solve promptly Confidence in using computers and social media as tools for conversation,

marketing and communication Confidence and ability with numbers, and the will to learn about Finance

and Accounting Thoroughness and attention to detail An appetite for filing, keeping things neat and the office organised Excellent oral and written communication skills, with an impulse to

communicate and keep everyone connected Energy, commitment and enthusiasm An ability to work on one’s own initiative and to work independently Empathy with Improbable’s vision

Desirable Interests and Experience:

Experience of basic computer accountancy and book-keeping, especially AccountEdge

Enthusiastic Apple user with a technical head An interest and willingness to participate in innovative styles of

organisational meetings and processes, e.g, Open Space Experience in using iMovie or a similar video-editing tool

JOB APPLICATION FORM

Post applied for: ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE OFFICERClosing date for applications: Friday 11 November 2016 at 5pm

REF NO: ____________________(for office use)

Personal Details

Surname Other names

Address

Home telephone number Mobile telephone number

Email address ______________________________________

Gender _____________________________________________

Date of Birth ________________________________________

Do you have any needs that you would like Improbable to be aware of to enable you to take part in an interview?

Employment History (Paid or Unpaid)

Name of organisation Job title

Date of appointment Current or final salary/wage (if any)

Period of notice required

Give a brief outline of your responsibilities:

Reason for leaving or for seeking other employment:

Name and addressof previous employers

Job title/descriptionof duties

Date of Employmentfrom - to

Education Details

School, university, etc Qualifications obtained Date obtained

Skills, interests and Experience

Using the job description and person specification as a guide please outline how your skills, interests and experience meet the criteria for this post and what draws you to this position. (Maximum 2 sides A4):

Referees

Please give the name and address of two referees. One referee should be your present or most recent employer (if applicable)

Name Name

Address Address

Telephone number Telephone number

Occupation Occupation

We would ideally like to request references BEFORE the interview date. Please let us know if this is acceptable:

May we request reference May we request a reference

Immediately Immediately

Only after offer of employment only after offer of employment

Declaration

To the best of my knowledge the information on the application form and equal opportunities monitoring form is correct. (If sending by email, please just type name and date.)

Signature Date

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Information included on this form is used for Equal Opportunities monitoring purposes only.

Post applied for: ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE OFFICER

1. How would you describe your ethnic origin?These codes have been devised by the Government’s Census of Population and are recommended by the Home Office and the Commission for Racial Equality. The data will be used for statistics only. Chose ONE section from A to F, then tick the appropriate box to indicate your cultural background:

SECTION A: WHITE( ) British( ) Irish( ) Any other white background, please write in…………………………..

SECTION B: MIXED( ) White and Black Caribbean( ) White and Black African( ) White and Asian( ) Any other Mixed background, please write in…………………………

SECTION C: ASIAN OR ASIAN BRITISH( ) Indian( ) Pakistani( ) Bangladeshi( ) Any other Asian background please write in…………………………….

SECTION D: BLACK OR BLACK BRITISH( ) Caribbean( ) African( ) Any other Black background, please write in………………….

SECTION E: CHINESE OR OTHER ETHNIC GROUP( ) Chinese( ) Any other Ethnic group, please write in………………….

2. Are you? Female Male

3. Do you consider yourself disabled? Yes No

4. Are you registered disabled? Yes No

5. What is your date of birth? ………………………………………………

6. Do you identify as...?

( ) Bisexual( ) Gay man( ) Gay woman/lesbian( ) Heterosexual/straight( ) Not known/prefer not to say