At Leicester we’re going places. Ranked in the top 12 universities in Britain our aim is to climb further. A commitment to high quality fused with an inclusive academic culture is our hallmark and led the Times Higher Education to describe us as “elite without being elitist”.

Embrace Arts is the University of Leicester’s arts centre with a growing reputation for its innovative and inclusive programme of courses, events and performances providing access for all.

We are seeking a dynamic individual to join our small team of front of house staff. You will have excellent customer care skills and take pleasure in working in a busy environment that requires you to find practical solutions to a wide range of different operational challenges.

Well organised and with strong time management skills you will support the Operations Manager as the first point of contact with staff, customers, contractors and performers ensuring all activities take place to the highest standards of health and safety. Key tasks will include managing resources and overseeing all of the box office processes.

It is likely that you will be passionate about the arts and be committed to widening access to both performance and participation to people who have been traditionally excluded

We would particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities as befits an inclusive centre.

The University

There’s never been a more exciting time to join us. At the University of Leicester we are enjoying research success on a world stage and gathering the awards and plaudits to match.

A judge in a recent awards ceremony described Leicester as “elite without being elitist”. We are proud to be elite. But we are at least as proud to be an inclusive and progressive university. This commitment to high quality, an inclusive academic culture and belief in the synergy of teaching and research are our hallmarks. We believe that teaching is inspirational when delivered by passionate scholars engaged in world-changing research that is delivered in an academic community that includes postgraduate as well as undergraduate students.

Our approach to research yields great rewards. Our research impact, measured by citations per academic, is the sixth highest in the UK. Our success in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise saw Quality Related research income rise by 18% placing us firmly amongst Britain’s top 20 research universities by this measure. The RAE also revealed that Leicester is home to Britain’s top-rated research department – Museum Studies – which has the highest concentration of world class research of any department of any discipline in the UK.

For a University that believes teaching and research are synergistic, it is pleasing that the National Student Survey reveals the quality of our teaching is amongst the highest in the country. Since the launch of the survey in 2006, Leicester has consistently featured amongst the top-10 universities in England for student satisfaction. The Sunday Times recently described Leicester as "top... amongst mainstream multi-faculty universities for student satisfaction".

Currently a University of 23,000 students, with a turnover of £230m and 3,800 colleagues, our future is bright. Our Strategic Vision describes our plans to invest a billion pounds in our estate as we transform our campus. Already ranked in the top-12 universities in Britain, by 2015 we aim to rise further to become top-10.

Leicester is the most inclusive of Britain’s top-20 universities with the greatest proportions of students from under-represented groups.

As a group of talented individuals we are more diverse than ever and stronger for it. At Leicester we are proud of our distinct approach, our achievements and our ambitious plans. If you share our approach join us.

Institute of Lifelong Learning

Government policies and initiatives continue to highlight the importance of lifelong learning to individuals and to the broader society and economy. The University of Leicester has a long tradition of providing a wide range of adult education courses and this has now been expanded into a broad high-quality programme of lifelong learning.

The Leicester Institute of Lifelong Learning (LILL) was set up on 1 August 2000, and is a department within the University’s College of Social Science. Jackie Dunne is Director of Lifelong Learning. As a leading research university, there are great opportunities for the University of Leicester to develop a comprehensive, dynamic and imaginative portfolio of lifelong learning activities. The Institute seeks to encourage and facilitate departments in developing programmes of lifelong learning, and in delivering their research and expertise to the wider community. It is also developing and expanding its own programme of part-time degrees, diplomas and certificates, short courses, day schools and study visits, and social, cultural and artistic events. Student enrolments to the Institute exceed 4000 per year.

Leicester Institute of Lifelong Learning aims to work closely with partners in the region, including further education colleges, private companies, public-sector organisations and voluntary bodies, to meet their education and training needs and to disseminate research findings. In order to meet increased demands to match expertise and knowledge with the requirements of individuals and employers, the University’s lifelong learning programme needs to be accessible, flexible, versatile and innovative.

Embrace Arts

Embrace Arts is the University of Leicester’s arts centre and is housed in the award winning Richard Attenborough Centre on the edge of campus. With a 150 seat hall, studios and exhibition space we are one of the few arts centres that can boast a fully-accessible facility. Welcoming over 25,000 customers a year you will be part of a busy front of house team providing administrative support for a year long programme of courses, performances and exhibitions.

Embrace Arts prides itself on providing support to the developing music networks and music scholarships at the University as well as its recently formed partnership with the internationally renowned Philharmonia Orchestra.

Joining our operations team, you will provide administrative support within a small office team. With a specific focus on front of house, customer service and student administration you will be adept at communicating well at all levels and to a wide range of people and of course have a flexible approach to dealing with changing priorities and changing tasks.

Your Role

Your role will be to assist in the day to day operational management of Embrace Arts, the University of Leicester’s arts centre - liaising with customers, tutors and performers to ensure the highest standards of customer care and health and safety. You will be responsible for the smooth running of the box office system acting as the co-ordinator between front of house staff, programmers, marketing and the service provider.

Principal Accountabilities

Co-ordination of Box Office System

· To take a co-ordinating and liaison role in maintaining the box office system, liaising with relevant staff and the service provider including the uploading of all relevant information onto the system in relation to programming.

· Preparing appropriate analysis and interpretation of box office data as required by the Operations or Marketing manager

Customer Service and Support

· To work within the front of house team to ensure high standards of customer care, including dealing with enquiries by telephone, email and in person when on front of house duty; including being the first point of contact for users of Embrace Arts who may require special assistance.

· To act as the key point of contact with performers and hirers to ensure that we have all relevant technical specifications for set ups in line with our health and safety policy and procedures

· Working with the Operations Manager to plan room set-up for all courses, workshops, public events, performances and venue hire ensuring that all set-ups are safe and comply with relevant legislation.

Liaison

· To deputise for the Operational Manager in communicating and liaising with relevant university service providers such as porters, catering and Estate Management or other designated contractors or suppliers to ensure the smooth operational running of Embrace Arts in terms of security and maintenance using accepted formal systems and procedures.

Finance and Resource Management

· Working with the Operations Manager to monitor equipment provision, updating the asset register and ensuring repairs are made to centre owned equipment on a regular basis, with specific responsibility for the centre’s kiln. Ensuring that all equipment complies to University safety standards and is stored appropriately. Ordering equipment from other University departments as required and ensuring that these meet the centre’s safety standards.

· Termly replenishment of general materials and updating of inventory of materials and equipment to ensure adequate provision for events and courses. Using the centre’s systems to assist the operations manager in the compilation and analysis of data to enable accurate financial planning on stock control

· Processing student and event bookings; receipting and recording payments by cash, cheque and credit card and inputting data to the student database and box office system.

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

· 5 GCSE passes at Grade C or above, or equivalent, to include Maths and English.*

· Good IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.*

· Numeracy.*

· Some prior broadly related work experience.*

· Experience of dealing with customers.*

Desirable

· Experience of working in an arts based venue and/or on arts based projects involving the public.

· Knowledge of technical needs of exhibiting and/or presenting performing arts.

· Knowledge or experience of the needs of disabled people in terms of access and customer care.

· Experience of using Outlook, Box Office systems, databases and using the internet.

Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Essential

· Strong people and customer care skills.*

· Time management skills to meet deadlines and agreed priorities.*

· Organised and methodical approach to managing tasks and projects.*

· Ability to communicate with a wide range of people, including those with special needs.

· A flexible approach to dealing with changing priorities and changing tasks.

· Ability to work as part of a team.

· Ability to apply relevant health and safety and other policies and procedures.

· Willingness to take fair share of evening and weekend duties when required.

· Ability to assess data and information and to identify problems in advance.

· An ability to express enthusiasm and commitment to the arts.

Desirable

· An awareness and appreciation of the issues surrounding disability to recognise and respond appropriately.

(* Criteria to be used in shortlisting candidates for interview)

Informal Enquiries

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Michaela Butter on mgkb1@le.ac.uk or 0116 223 1533

Applications

For further information and to apply on-line, please visit our website: www.le.ac.uk/joinus

The closing date for this post is midnight on Monday 7^th March 2011.

Candidates short-listed for interview will be contacted by the University. If you do not receive a communication from the University within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.