Summary

The Communities & Engagement Producer plays a vital role in delivering NN Contemporary Art’s mission: to bring contemporary art and ideas to local, national, and international audiences. Working in partnership with a wide range of communities, this role supports the development of artistic and creative practices through inclusive and expansive networks strengthening and broadening cultural activity locally.

The primary focus is to collaborate with artists and creative practitioners to develop networks and programmes with local communities, families, schools, and youth groups, activating public-facing initiatives in our new home at 24 Guildhall Road, set to open in 2025.

This role is central to our generative community programmes policy. As an artist-led institution, we invite the public to use our facilities to develop and sustain artistic practices that engage with both our programme and the communities we serve.

The Communities & Engagement Producer will work closely with the Artistic Director to develop, pilot, and deliver innovative engagement projects that grow our offer and reach new and under-represented audiences. They will coordinate, administrate, and deliver the public programme, leading key initiatives including the Guild programme, NN Nights, and Artist Development and CPD programmes. They will commission, monitor, and supervise programme staff, freelancers, and volunteers to ensure activities are consistently high quality, inclusive, and continually improving contributing to audience growth and engagement. We are seeking candidates who can identify and deliver programmes aligned with Arts Council England’s Investment Principles, embedding diversity and sustainability throughout their work.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Programme Delivery

• Lead on the development and delivery of the Guild programme, mentoring local artists and communities to co-create collaborative activities within the Northampton Rooms.
• Lead on the delivery of professional development initiatives, including Project Space curation, UoN residencies, and the studio artist programme.
• Support The Artistic Director to deliver launch activities in the new Northampton Rooms such as supper clubs and artist-in-residence workshops.
• Support the delivery of a broad artistic programme that nurtures artists, increases public engagement, and contributes to NNCA’s targets for visitors, income, and diversity.
• Recruit and support volunteers to assist with programme activities, providing CPD opportunities where possible.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community groups, artists, and partner organisations.
• Promote and publicise programmes to reach and engage target audiences, ensuring participation opportunities are maximised.
• Devise programme proposals biannually and work with the fundraising team to secure resources for delivery.

Administration and Operations

• Manage administration for the public programme, maintaining accurate records and ensuring effective project documentation.
• Liaise with artists, contributors, partners, and internal colleagues to plan and deliver events, including preparing risk assessments and securing necessary permissions.
• Coordinate with the wider NN team on technical production requirements for events.
• Be the main point of contact for commissioned artists, freelancers, and practitioners throughout the contracting, delivery, and evaluation stages.
• Ensure all activities are compliant with NNCA policies, including health & safety, safeguarding, and equality and diversity.
• Represent NNCA at community events, meetings, and stakeholder engagements.

Finance

• Devise, manage, and report on programme budgets.
• Work with the Finance & Facilities Manager to issue contracts and procure goods and services in line with financial procedures.

Data and Evaluation

• Implement and deliver evaluation frameworks to ensure programming meets NNCA targets and funder requirements, reviewing periodically for improvements.
• Collect and input accurate participation data.
• Prepare reports and documentation for funders, stakeholders, and internal review.

Strategic Development and Income Generation

• Identify opportunities to represent NNCA across cultural networks, building relationships with funders and policymakers.
• Develop partnerships that extend NNCA’s public engagement work to diverse audiences.
• Work with the Communications team to shape and deliver marketing strategies targeting formal and informal learning audiences.

General Responsibilities

• Be an active member of the team, contributing to the delivery of operational plans and the effective use of resources.
• Undertake any reasonable tasks required by the Artistic Director.
• Support colleagues across NNCA where needed; as a small team, flexibility and collaboration are essential.
• Carry out all duties with respect to NNCA policies, particularly in health & safety, safeguarding, and equality and diversity.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in a relevant subject (e.g. arts, education, community development) or equivalent professional experience.

Experience

• Proven experience developing and delivering community engagement or learning programmes in the arts or cultural sector.
• Experience working with diverse community groups, including children, young people, families, and underrepresented communities.
• Experience producing or commissioning work with artists and creative practitioners.
• Experience coordinating volunteers, freelancers, or junior staff.
• Budget management and funder reporting.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and data collection/reporting.
• Experience delivering CPD or artist development programmes.
• A track record of successful funding applications or partnership development.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong project management: able to plan, deliver, and evaluate multiple projects.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with a wide range of people.
• Highly organised with strong administrative and time management skills.
• Creative, strategic thinker with a collaborative mindset.
• Confident in leading and motivating teams, including staff and volunteers.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and digital collaboration tools.
• Skilled in writing reports, contracts, risk assessments, and funding bids.
• Understanding of marketing strategies for community and learning audiences.

Knowledge and Understanding

• Up-to-date knowledge of participatory arts and community engagement best practices.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Understanding of Northamptonshire’s local cultural ecosystem.
• Awareness of relevant legislation, including child protection and safeguarding.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about the role of contemporary art in community building and social change.
• Self-motivated, flexible, and proactive.
• A collaborative team player committed to collective goals.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends when needed.
• Appointment subject to a successful DBS check and other pre-employment screening.

VIEW FULL JOB APPLICATION PACK HERE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gzlAgjj94jBtRDd054st_b-HC_prcHBf/view?usp=drive_link