Marketing and Communications Manager - Maternity Cover

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, is one of the finest collections of temperate trees in the world. Its 600 acres is recognised as a Grade 1 landscape of national importance and includes ancient woodland and semi-natural grassland. Since 1956 it has been managed by the Forestry Commission (operating as Forestry England) to meet our mission 'to connect people with trees to improve the quality of life'. Our future vision is to be ‘a world leader in trees, inspiring people through education conservation, education and participation’. We will achieve this by building on our existing objectives that cover science, learning, wellbeing, volunteering and recreation.
The arboretum is a significant regional visitor attraction with over 550,000 visits annually, onsite businesses generate a turnover in excess of £6m and the arboretum makes an estimated contribution to the local economy of over £23 million. The tree collection itself is complemented and supported by high-quality visitor facilities, catering, retail and a range of events; particularly a 4 night concert series as part of Forest Live, a 12 night Christmas lights event and sporting activities. In the past decade a £7m redevelopment project has transformed the visitor experience with a new Welcome Building and car parking in 2014 and the addition in 2016 of the award winning STIHL Treetop Walkway and Wolfson Tree Management Centre. The arboretum has been accredited with a Visit England Gold Award three years running.

What will the successful candidate be doing?

This role will lead Marketing and Communications activity across a diverse range of channels and audiences driving new and repeat visits to the arboretum and our events through creative campaigns. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to deliver the commercial aspects of the role while also inspiring people through the promotion of our good causes of conservation, education and participation.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at a national heritage leisure attraction leading Marketing and Communications activity across a diverse range of channels and audiences driving new and repeat visits to the arboretum and our events through creative campaigns. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to deliver the commercial aspects of the role while also inspiring people through the promotion of our good causes of conservation, education and participation. This ranges from the overseas collection of seed from tree species threatened with extinction in the wild through to wellbeing activity hosted within the arboretum.

Key Work Areas

• A full oversight of marketing, public relations and social media. Supporting the team to seek to develop on existing platforms and set achievable targets.
• Support the team to be the media contact for Westonbirt and handle national and regional media enquiries.
• Manage the production of creative marketing campaigns for events, seasons and our good causes. Collaborate with other teams to identify key messages and themes for campaigns.
• Work with the national team to market Forest Live concerts and our new Christmas at Westonbirt event. Lead on the production of marketing materials and local partnerships with retail and tourism outlets.
• Work closely with our Friends Charity to align messages across our channels including on the editorial board of the Westonbirt Magazine to include relevant content, ensure messages are clear and the content is on brand. Proofread as required.
• Manage the Forestry England brand; making sure teams are aware how to use the Forestry England logo and Westonbirt name.
• Support the team in filming and photography requests and planning content creation for our campaigns.
• Oversee the arboretum’s internal communications processes ensuring that communication plans address the needs of staff, business partners and contractors.
• Plan and monitor the communication and marketing budget, providing reports when required.

Essential

• A track record of managing or supervising communications and marketing in a busy commercial or cause led environment.
• Experience in the management or supervision of staff and/or volunteers, budgets, contracts, contractors and partnership businesses.
• Competent user of PC and Microsoft Office 365 including Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Experience of the use of social media as a tool for communicating and marketing.

Desirable

• Experience in a busy visitor attraction and in large outdoor events in the heritage and/or environment sector.
• Working knowledge of using email marketing software.
• Working knowledge of using online platforms to create surveys.
• Up-to-date knowledge of using a website content management system.
• Full driving license

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays; This will be complemented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the King’s Birthday.
• A generous contributory pension scheme that you may enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
• The role is available full time but we can discuss other options.
• The role will be based at Westonbirt with flexibility for some optional blended working (see details below). Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.
• Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum.
• 3 days paid volunteering can be organised to take with team members or externally.
• The government Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open an online childcare account and for every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for registered childcare.
• Reduction on Forest Live Music Event tickets and other staff discounts.
• Occupational sick pay.
• Support with professional fees and training relevant to continuing professional development.
• Networking opportunities.
• Thorough wellbeing offer including an Employee assistance programme and free access to the Headspace app.
• All Forestry Commission staff are entitled to free parking at Forestry England visitor centres when displaying a current staff parking sticker in their vehicle.
• 10% discount at Forest Holidays
• 15% discount at Go Ape
• Retail discounts, like 10% off Enterprise car hire and 20% off Snow + Rock
• Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forestry Commission workplaces, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager. Further information will be available for candidates invited to interview.

Job contact :

Name :
Ben Oliver
Email :
ben.oliver@forestryengland.uk

Recruitment team

Email :
fcerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk