KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL
MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

ROLE TYPE: Full-time
REPORTING TO: Festival Director
LOCATION: 11 Patrick’s Court, Patrick Street, Kilkenny
(Some remote working possible, by agreement)
SALARY: €40,000 P/A

This is an exciting, high-level opportunity to join the small and dedicated team, which delivers one of Ireland’s leading festivals each August.

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter to [email protected] by 5PM, November 21st / Interviews will take place on November 27th.

BACKGROUND

Kilkenny Arts Festival (KAF) has positioned itself as a festival experience of the highest international calibre, combining classical, traditional and contemporary artistic flavours and unmistakably set in the medieval cityscape of Kilkenny.

To strong critical and audience response, the Festival has developed a focus on artistic residencies across artforms; classical music and opera; collaboration between global musical traditions; theatre, music, dance and circus in open-air, site-specific and unusual locations; spoken word including poetry, talks and ideas; and a significant programme of family-oriented events.

In parallel with the above, the marketing and promotion of the Festival has also evolved, as we look to attract increasing numbers of overseas and domestic visitors to the festival as well as regular local attenders.

THE ROLE

The Marketing and Development Manager is the guardian of the Festival’s public-facing presence.

The core function is to grow visitor numbers and maximise visitor engagement to enable the festival to achieve its box office and public engagement aims each year. They are responsible for sponsor and stakeholder communications, and a key player in helping the Festival achieve its annual sponsorship targets. Finally, they are the principal steward of the KAF brand and visual identity.

This is an in-house senior role within a small and dedicated team that delivers the annual Festival event. This post will be offered on a fixed-term basis for one year.
 
RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Marketing and Communications Planning
• Develop, in consultation with the Strategic Marketing Consultant, a marketing and communications plan (including advertising, PR, social media and e-mail marketing) that will stimulate visitor attendance, for agreement with the Director and KAF Board;
• Execute the plan, including the management of key personnel, to deliver visitors to the Festival;
• Develop key brand messaging with the Director/Marketing Consultant to underpin the brand development and identity in 2019;
• Deliver all Festival advertising in line with the agreed plan;
• Ensure the requirements of all funding partners (e.g. Arts Council & Fáilte Ireland) are met in terms of brand exposure, crediting etc.;
• Exploit the marketing and PR budget to best effect to support the brand and sales development of the Festival;
• Track and evaluate all PR and marketing activities and present a year-end report on efficacy of the campaign.

2. Visitor Information Management
• Manage and exploit visitor information (both historic & 2019) using the Box Office system Spektrix to optimise marketing activity;
• Work with the Festival Director, Strategic Marketing Consultant and team to develop marketing strategies that will increase the numbers of events attended and increase the local audience participation;
• Work with the Box Office Manager to maximise data capture;
• Work with the Marketing Consultant to optimise advertising reach;
• Oversee the integration between Spektrix and the kilkennyarts.ie site.

3. Digital Marketing and Social Media
• Manage and deliver all digital promotional activity including, email marketing, social media, online advertising (PPC, banner ads, page takeovers, etc.) and online PR;
• Develop and deliver a social media strategy that deploys a range of tone and content to optimise the use of different social media channels and to reach diverse audiences;
• Deliver a fully functioning Festival website that is integrated with Spektrix.

4. Brand Identity
• Work with the Festival Director, Strategic Marketing Consultant and design agency to develop the 2018 visual identity;
• Execute this at every visitor touch point: programme / website / posters / street signage /venues / t-shirts etc.;
• Identify new opportunities to brand Kilkenny City during the Festival.

5. Programme
• Work with the Director / Strategic Marketing Consultant / Programme Editor/ design agency to design and deliver the printed programme;
• Take responsibility for the printing and delivery of the programme and all other print promotional materials such as signage;
• Identify the most cost-effective method of print distribution.
 
6. Sales
• Focus on the achievement of box office targets, set in conjunction with the Director;
• Ensure all marketing and PR plans are aligned to support ticket sales, including a focus on overseas visitors;
• Work closely with Fáilte Ireland on the overseas sales strategy;
• Develop contacts with and relationships with the travel trade to develop and grow advance group bookings for the Festival;
• Lead the Development team to ensure all sponsor information (particularly package deals) meet the profile obligations as agreed with the sponsor.

7. Documentation
• Deliver a Festival highlights video;
• Supervise documentation of the Festival through videography, photography and cataloguing key selection of photos post-Festival;
• Capture a photographic catalogue of the Festival, its events, performers, branding and audience for use in final reports and 2020 planning.

8. Development
• Maximise business opportunities through sponsorship, fundraising (with existing Development Officer) and PR activities;
• Develop KAF Friends and Membership scheme for corporate and individual giving;
• Liaise with local agencies/businesses in developing marketing partnerships where appropriate;
• Represent KAF and events, conferences and other business development opportunities;
• Oversee marketing and fundraising partnerships with national agencies.

9. Research
• Work with the Strategic Marketing Consultant to devise appropriate audience research activity
• Conduct the annual quantitative and qualitative research survey and analysis

10. Budget
• Responsible for planning, disbursement and reporting of the marketing budget;
• Increase return on investment by using the agreed budget in the most effective way.

11. Reporting
• Monitor & evaluate all marketing activity;
• Research analysis and economic value calculation;
• Deliver post-event report to the Festival Board;
• Deliver post-event report to Fáilte Ireland including required documentation;
• Deliver marketing information as required for key funding applications during the year.

12. Miscellaneous
• Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.
 

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

The ideal person for this role will be:

• A clear communicator and assured writer with excellent attention to detail
• Experienced in developing and delivering marketing/PR campaigns, ideally in a festival environment
• Experienced at brand development and how to drive through PR and marketing campaigns
• Experienced in sponsorship management and relationship building
• Competent in understanding market research and how to effectively gather and use it to drive PR and Marketing campaigns
• Skilled in social media and experienced in developing and delivering social media campaigns, taking advantage of the trends in the area
• Able to manage external contractors effectively, including PR agencies, graphic designers, videographers, photographers etc.
• Able to build and manage relationships with Irish and International media
• Able to self-motivate, work independently and as part of a small team
• Able to multi-task, remain calm under pressure and met tight deadlines
• Willing to work flexibly (particularly around the festival event and build-up)

The ideal person for this role will have:

• A minimum of three years of festival experience, ideally in the marketing/ PR/ sales area
• A demonstrated track record in utilising the PR and marketing function to deliver measureable and successful outcomes for a project or similar event
• Knowledge of appropriate new media developments and digital communications platforms
• A good knowledge of the cultural space within which an arts festival operates
• An interest in cultural practice and the provision of arts and cultural services
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Some sales experience

Ends