Marketing & Communications Manager

This post is responsible for Marketing & Communications for Gilbert White’s House & Gardens. You will plan, create and deliver an annual plan, working closely with departments, management and trustees.

The aim being to promote our visitor experience, events, education and trading activities, alongside a regular spotlight on our strategy, values and impact as a charity.

The focus of this role will be to increase our income generation and expand our voice in support of the natural world. This will be achieved through an increase in visitor numbers, event bookings, educational bookings, memberships, partnerships and increase in our trading income. You will have proven experience, experience of working in a public facing organisation, and an interest in the environment, heritage and museums. When in post you will have the opportunity to be a key part of the implementation of our new strategy launched in this our 70th anniversary year.  This is initially focussed on ensuring that our image, offer and impact is relevant to the 21st century, audience development and raising awareness of  the key theme of our work - the natural world.

Key Responsibilities As a small independent museum this role offers an opportunity to take responsibility across all elements of the marketing and communication portfolio. This means that you will be hands-on in its delivery working closely with other departments to ensure a proactive and timely approach to developing, maintaining and boosting our image. In this stand-alone role you will primarily be responsible for:

• Leading the development of our annual Marketing & Communications strategy and implementation plan across all channels. Ensuring that within your role sustainability is a key theme in selecting materials, use of online resources and more generally in our external image.

• Planning  and supporting with the wider team with the marketing and communications associated with events, fundraising campaigns, membership programmes etc. to meet specific aims such as attendance, supporter growth and membership expansion.                                                                                                                                             

• Support the creation of a ‘voice’ for the charity that reflects our values and creates content in all forms that is accessible and relevant to the public. This will include working with the Collections Manager to support the development of museum displays, signage, literature and other outputs relevant to our strategy.

• Leading our communication channels with content creation, planning and execution of its delivery.  To include our website, social media, LinkedIn, digital advertising, newsletters, local magazines, leaflets, posters, brochures, signage etc  Keeping material and content up to date.

• Managing a small delegated budget in coordination with the General Manager to meet the key aims of the charity and be responsible for reporting on it.  You will liaise and engage with external agencies and suppliers, project managing their work and final output.

• Championing  our charity branding and consistent presentation of printed and online materials produced by or for us. To include supporting the team in the design and copy writing new materials and update existing materials.

• Work with the Funding & Development manager to ensure that our impact as a charity is regularly shared and our voice in the sector is heard to support our development plans.

• Responsibility for an up-to-date image and video library for use by all members of the team.  This includes an ability to take photos and videos for immediate use in our communications e.g. social media.

• Liaising with the press in the form of printed, TV,  radio and podcasts.  To coordinate visits, provision of content and arranging with the wider team what is required to ensure quality input.

• Responsibility for marketing performance analysis and reporting, using analytics to improve performance and reach to inform our wider operations and future marketing and communications strategy.

Other Responsibilities As a member of a small team you will be required to support, as necessary, the wider operations of the charity.  This includes but is not limited to;

• Hands-on working with our marketing and communications tools including, but not limited to, WordPress website, Canva, Capcut, MailChimp, Microsoft Office and knowledge of CRM databases for campaign work.                                                 

 • Monitor and record our presence in the wider media, online, with influencers and on TV and radio etc.  Working with stakeholders to protect our reputation and responding swiftly to issues.

• Manage the GDPR of marketing and communications including opt-ins, image consent, data retention etc.

• Attend as a representative of the charity our own exhibitions and events, in order to understand in depth our work, record, gain feedback and develop relationships with visitors and our supporters. 

 • Network regionally to develop relationships, promote sector collaboration and more to ensure we remain relevant and up to date in our marketing and communications.

• Act as a duty manager on rota to support the daily operations of the museum.

The Candidate This is an excellent opportunity to take the lead for Marketing and Communications in a small independent charity, which whilst based in rural East Hampshire, has a reach well beyond our boundaries due to the fame of Gilbert White.  We welcome visitors and attract attention not only nationally but also internationally. You will have:

• Proven experience of developing, planning and executing marketing and communication strategies,

• Excellent digital skills, including managing social media and website, graphic design and experience of content management systems.  Knowledge of SEO.

• Strong copywriting and storytelling skills able to plan, write and edit copy for diverse audiences.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to network with everyone from the public to key stakeholders and representatives of sector bodies associated with our work.

• Experience working with external suppliers such as designers, film makers and web developers.

• Experience of handling media enquiries and generating press coverage.

• Able to work independently yet collaboratively across all departments with demonstrable experience of managing a diverse workload; being able to prioritise tasks and work under pressure.

• Strong organisational and administrative skills including excellent attention to detail and effective time management.

• Experience working in the not-for-profit and/or environment/conservation/heritage sectors.

• Knowledge of data protection best practice.

Whilst a full driving licence is not essential public transport to our location is very limited and given the nature of the role to liaise with partners and represent the charity an ability to undertake travel across the area to for meetings will be an advantage.

Working Hours and Salary

This role can be adapted to suite those looking for a career development opportunity, those seeking a more flexible approach to working life as a parent/carer, or those seeking to step back from a full-time career for whatever reason. What we ask for in return is a passion and dedication to ensure that we are recognised and our voice is heard thereby attracting visitors, supporters, partners and funders who share our values.  £28-32,000 (pro-rata) per year based on experience, with the flexibility to offer a full-time  or part-time role again dependent on experience. Some home working can be considered. Occasional evening and weekend work required.

You will work within the values which lead our practice:

• Being inclusive and welcoming to all,

• Connecting with those that journey in the natural world,

• Educational in what we share with others,

• Seeking a sustainable way of doing our work.

The position is permanent and will be based in Selborne, East Hampshire.   

About Us Gilbert Whites House & Gardens offers a window into the origins of the science that underpins the study of natural history through the lives of three explorers whose curiosity led to a deeper understanding of the world we live in. 

• Our vision is to: To inspire journeys of discovery in the natural world to make better lives for people and the planet.   

• Our mission to create a place where everyone can connect with nature and learn from explorers of the natural world, showing the way to a sustainable future, collaborating widely and, following in the footsteps of Gilbert White, sharing our passion to observe and record nature.

The ‘Natural History of Selborne’ has been continuously in print since its first publication in 1789 and is reputedly the fourth most published work in the English language.  Written by Gilbert White it has contributed to the fields of ecology (the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment) and phenology (the timing of biological events in relation to climate) ever since. He undertook his scientific observations in the small rural village of Selborne and this work has since inspired others to observe, enquire and record nature to understand the relationships that exist within our environment.  Charles Darwin wrote that he  ‘stood on the shoulders’ of White when he came on ‘a pilgrimage to Selborne’ as a young man in June 1857 David Attenborough wrote that Gilbert White was ‘A man in total harmony with his world.’ Introduction to Selborne, 1977 This unique historical manuscript is today housed in the home where Gilbert was born in 1720 and later lived for 66 years. The curation of this heritage home and its grounds was made possible by a generous donation from the Oates family, supporting a trust which purchased the property to establish a library and museum dedicated to natural history that opened in 1955.

The museum is now in its 70th year celebrating the lives of all three explorers of the natural world: Gilbert’s studies in Selborne in the 1700’s, Frank’s work in Africa and Central America in the mid-1800s and Lawrence’s famed contribution to the Scott expedition to the South Pole in 1912. Together they are celebrated through their original drawings, writings, specimens and artefacts housed in our galleries.  They provide an insight over three centuries to the curiosity that contributed to our understanding of nature, our environment and the climate change we are currently witnessing. Today the UK is recognised as one of the least nature connected and most nature depleted countries in the world.  Our renewed strategy is to ensure that the legacy that we curate is accessible, relevant, educational and inspirational for future generations. Our aim over the coming five years is to update the interpretation of our collections and heritage assets, expanding the ‘story’ of our explorers to the 21st century, showing the importance of all of our relationships to the natural world in order to inspire thought and change.  The goal being to create a new narrative as a Museum of Natural World at the home of Gilbert White & The Oates Collections.