Projects Assistant Academic Partnerships

**Salary**: c. £20,500 per annum.
**Location**: Leeds
**Hours**: 35 hours per week
**Contract**: Permanent

The Projects Assistant (Academic Partnerships) primarily supports the Head of Academic Partnerships, working with colleagues across Opera North and our partner Higher Education Institutions (universities) on particular project organisation and delivery.Working flexibly, and prioritising Academic Partnerships workloads, this role also provides support to the wider Projects team.

Opera North is one of the UK’s leading cultural organisations engaged in collaborations with Higher Education (HE), and since 2007 has actively developed partnerships and relationships with universities including the University of Leeds (the DARE collaboration),Leeds Conservatoire, York, Hull and Newcastle and other regional institutions.

**Main Purpose of the Job**

To support the Head of Academic Partnerships to deliver Opera North’s Academic Partnerships Strategy, providing a key organisational and delivery function which ensures commitments are met, existing and new partnerships are grown, profile is raised, andobjectives are achieved. As part of the wider Projects team, the Projects Assistant will also support the wider department’s work on special projects, including the Howard Assembly Room performance programme and our work with community partners.

**Key Responsibilities**

**General**
- As a member of the Opera North Academic Partnerships team, play an active role in monitoring, coordinating, communicating and delivering activity internally and externally
- Participate in organisation-wide activity
- Maintain and share an awareness of relevant developments in the HE and Cultural sectors
- Maintain and share an awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion in relation to Opera North and the wider arts sector

**For Academic partnerships**
- Act as the day-to-day contact for internal and external enquiries about Opera North’s existing and potential collaborations with HE
- Monitor and report on progress on ON Academic Partnerships activity including partnership agreements; collating data to produce and present summary reports; updating the department’s activity log; and maintaining accurate budget and expenditure records
- Support and assist with student engagement, including placements and internships, workshops, masterclasses, and other student-focused activity
- Assist with the delivery of identified initiatives such as the DARE Art Prize and other public-facing university projects
- Organise and participate in internal and external events and meetings
- Undertake Academic Partnerships social media activity and maintain the DARE website
- Keep the Opera North Communications team informed of HE activity to ensure appropriate internal and external communications
- Undertake research and enquiry into the HE and Cultural sectors as required, and prepare summary reports

**For the Projects Team**
- Working flexibly, and prioritising Academic Partnerships workloads, this role also provides support to the wider Projects team under the supervision and delegation of the Projects Producer and in consultation with the Head of Academic Partnerships.
- Support will include some administrative tasks such as making payments, issuing contracts and updating financial records; assisting the Community Partnerships team with special events both at Opera North’s performance venues and in community settings; andproviding assistance to the Projects Producer at some public performance events.
- Identify and support areas for improvement in relation to the wider Projects Team’s systems and processes.

**PERSON SPECIFICATION**
- Educated to degree level
- Some knowledge of the HE (university) environment
- Experience of working (paid or voluntary) in the cultural sector.
- Knowledge of collating data, managing databases and writing reports
- Knowledge and experience of social media
- Experience of maintaining websites
- Clear communication skills
- Excellent organisational and planning skills
- Able to work on own initiative
- All employees are expected to provide proof of their right to work in the UK before or on their first day of employment.

You may have experience of the Following: Partnership Liaison, Partnership Manager, Marketing Assistant, Marketing Manager etc

REF-203 041