1 Marketing / PR, Brand Management jobs in Edinburgh

Gilchrist Recruitment’s client is an award-winning 3rd sector / membership organisation, which exists to provide diverse services, representation, and welfare support to the community of around 45,000 members and numerous stakeholders. By providing opportunities, helping to create change and offering support, our client exists to help the membership base get the most out of their time during their association. 

There are also five venues around owned by the organisation at various points in Edinburgh which house their offices, cafés, bars, clubs, spaces for members to meet, study and socialise. These spaces transform into some of the most well-loved Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues throughout the month of August each year, which is naturally a big money maker for this charity!

As a registered charity, all of the income they generate from the commercial activity goes back in to supporting the members. Our client is also an organisation with a strategic commitment to support and empower all their staff and have some exciting plans for the future. There's never been a better time to apply and join this organisation!

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and as their recruitment partner, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating discrimination.

The purpose of this organisation is to enhance the experience and life of their members by providing representation, services, activities and support so that their time within membership is well rounded and satisfying. 

Organisational Values 

Our Values make a fundamental difference in delivering our purpose by driving success and achieving the vision as a collective responsibility. They help to motivate, inspire dedication, and elevate a sense of pride in working for the Membership Association. 

These values are at the heart of how they work and determine the behaviours that they demonstrate in daily activities:

• Collaboration & Teamwork

• Support & Inclusion

• Recognition & Respect

• Transparency & Trust

• Growth & Development

Strategic Purpose of the Role

The Director of Marketing and Communications holds strategic oversight of the organisation’s Marketing and Communications, ensuring the effective marketing and promotion of all the Association’s activities, services and events, through a range of media. Also ensuring that positive and effective communications support membership engagement. 

The post holder will oversee all internal and external communication activity to members, staff, stakeholders and also the public. This will include digital activity, design, print, distribution, member/customer relationship management and brand management to achieve agreed objectives. 

The post-holder is responsible for ensuring that the organisation is an insight-driven entity, leading on research, insight and data activity and, where appropriate, contributing to - and collaborating on - product, service and operational developments that may be undertaken as a result. The post also plays an important role in driving a digital-first culture across the Association.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Director will also be responsible for contributing to the overall strategic planning and management of the whole organisation, ensuring that you provide a world leading membership experience with a high level of professionalism and viable approach to service delivery.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy and Development

• As a member of SMT (Senior Management Team), share joint corporate responsibility for developing and delivering organisation-wide strategy and plans, responding to opportunities and risks facing the organisation.

• Lead in the development of strategies around marketing, communication, insight and digital – ensuring clear alignment, resourcing and effective implementation and reporting.

• Strategically lead and drive performance across all areas within the Directorate – including leading the team in developing annual objectives and plans in line with the agreed strategy, and monitoring progress of these throughout the year, ensuring these are met.

• Ensure the ongoing relevance, diversity, and sustainability of the activities within the Directorate in line with their core values and purpose and respond to relevant research and insight.

• Support and encourage an innovative approach to the Directorate’s remit and facilitate the team’s thinking and planning of future developments. Identify potential developments and enhancements, and work to ensure these can be achieved, supporting the team through implementation of new developments and securing additional resource where necessary

• Champion and approach of continuous improvement within the department and across the organisation.

Planning and Delivery

• Ensure effective marketing and communication support for all activities of the organisation, to include Press & PR activity.

• Ensure regular, clear and positive communication and consultation with our members on areas of the members’ lives and the Association’s work

• Oversee the development, delivery and dissemination of organisational research and insight.

• Provide advice and input to other managers, teams and student representatives in matters relating to marketing and communication.

• Manage and undertake strategic project work as directed, to include the organisation’s annual grant application and the Strategic Plan.

• Ensure effective financial management practices across the Directorate including budgeting, monthly management accounts review, reporting and taking corrective action where required.

• Ensure development of regular and effective communication and positive relationships with appropriate press and media personnel and marketing / comms partners and contractors.

Leadership and People Management

• Lead and role-model a high-performance, inclusive culture that is grounded in the organisation’s values.

• Set and maintain high standards for the teams in the Directorate; leading, motivating, developing, supporting, and coaching staff, and ensuring effective performance management / appraisal.

• Role-model and champion a positive approach to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Compliance and Good Governance

• Hold responsibility for the organisation’s GDPR UK compliance, via ICO membership, internal policies, staff training and processes.

• Support the VP Activities & Services to manage the running of the Strategic Development Sub-committee.

• Ensure all marketing and communications operations are compliant with national and local legal requirements including health & safety, data protection, and our internal procedures.

• Have overall responsibility for all health and safety matters within the Directorate, ensuring that the Health and Safety Policy and appropriate legislation is adhered to, ensuring the health and safety of customers, suppliers, and visitors to premises.

Other

• Be a proactive, engaged and organised member of the organisation’s senior leadership, contributing to wider discussions and development work as required.

• Contribute to SMT, and stakeholder / SMT strategy / development days – coordinating content where agreed.

• Maintain and consistently develop knowledge and insight relating to the sector, and issues current to, or arising within the remit.

• Any other appropriate duties as reasonably required by the CEO in delivering strategic purpose and priorities.

Key Relationships

• Representative Stakeholders 

• Chief Executive

• Senior Management Team

• Heads of Departments

• Marketing & Communications team 

• Partner organisational Marketing and Communications staff

• External Suppliers and appropriate authorities

• External Stakeholders, including Festival Partners, administrative and support staff

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Job title:

Director of Marketing & Communications

Person Summary

A proven leader, with an excellent track record and proven success within an internal customer and end-consumer focused role. Used to delivering multiple projects within a complex marketing and communications environment. An excellent communicator who is energetic, determined, robust and sufficiently resilient to cope with the demands of the role.

Knowledge & Skills (What they know and what they can do)

Essential:

A strong understanding of membership and commercial or events marketing alongside marketing for behavioural change.

A strong understanding of integrated marketing work, particularly digital communications, and strong awareness of emerging trends.

A strong understanding of design principles and practice; and the ability to commission and manage design projects.

Ability to identify innovative opportunities, build consensus and manage change within a multi-discipline environment.

Ability to think strategically and corporately, with strong horizon planning skills and a broad perspective whilst creating effective and targeted outcomes.

A confident and effective communicator with both written and oral skills, who can deliver complex messages to a variety of audiences.

Sound judgement and able to handle competing priorities and manage risk.

The ability to implement and complete projects generated by others to a brief. 

A comprehensive knowledge of best practice in financial management.

A high level of Idigital and IT skills, showing commitment to improving efficiencies and improved service using technology.

Qualifications: Essential

A degree in Marketing, business studies or similar relevant discipline and/ or CIM Level 6 Diploma (or equivalent industry-based experience).

Desirable

Relevant post graduate level qualification such as CIM level 7 PG Diploma, MBA.

Experience (What you have done)

Essential

Strategic marketing / comms leadership ideally in a membership led or voluntary sector context.

Significant experience in managing PR activity.

Research and insight methods; both gaining and interpreting data to support evidence-based decision making throughout a complex organisation.

Developing and implementing innovative strategic plans and business plans; and of managing performance against agreed objectives.

Experience of financial management, including responsibility for complex budgets and achieving challenging financial targets.

Demonstrable experience of leading, motivating, and managing diverse teams to achieve strong results in a customer and/or membership -focused environment.

Attitude (Way of thinking and acting)

Essential

A self-aware, positive and approachable leader.

A strategic thinker who is able to align strategic goals to workplans – ensuring impact in their work.

Demonstrable commitment to The Association’s vision and values.

A Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Flexible and comfortable in a dynamic environment where we need to adapt to constant change.

Comfortable working in a democratic, member-led environment.

Essentially, we are looking for a senior all rounder who has experience of managing tight budgets and ideally has 3rd sector, events, membership led industry experience.

You will have strong leadership experience and have the ability to communicate with stakeholders on all levels - there is quite a lot of taking stakeholders through “the journey” of marketing. 

Salary to £65,000 + exceptional benefits and opportunities for further training and qualifications. 

FURTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Gilchrist Recruitment Partnership are a specialist recruitment agency and recruiting partner within the Marketing, Digital communications/PR, Creative & Design and Advertising industry for Scotland, both agency and client side. We are the recruitment partner for this major organisation and will be vetting all applications.

When submitting your application, please outline your current salary, salary expectations and notice period. It is also essential that you are already legally permitted to work in the UK with the associated paperwork if you are not a UK citizen.

If you are not currently living in Scotland, please explain/outline your plans and timelines for relocation to Scotland. We are a Scottish based recruiter who generally do not represent “remote” opportunities - thus you will be either living in Scotland or have solid plans to relocate.

We cannot guarantee a response to each individual application, made necessary by the level of response we receive. We will contact only those candidates we wish to shortlist. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that no applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status or race.

Unless clearly stated otherwise, the advertised position is a permanent contract.