What are we looking for?
BRITDOC is looking for a senior education professional to manage our educational project, Doc Academy.
This leadership position is responsible for managing all aspects of operating and scaling up the project. You will be a motivated self starter comfortable with conducting both senior and administrative roles as you are the sole full-time employee of Doc Academy, although you will have access to other support on a project by project basis.
The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of how to develop literacy skills in a classroom setting, through experience of working with secondary schools. Exceptional communication skills (oral and written) are required. You will have the flexibility to adopt a wide range of roles in an entrepreneurial, dynamic not-for- profit environment.
What is Doc Academy?
Doc Academy is an online platform that brings documentary film into the formal learning of core subjects through a carefully curated teacher-led selection of clips from high quality award-winning documentaries with associated lesson plans.
Doc Academy aims to:
- Engage students in lessons
- Spark debate on social issues, increase cultural awareness and challenge stereotypes
- Develop literacy skills
- Increase students’ confidence to participate in class
- Provide new and useful tools for teachers tied to the English National Curriculum
- Increase access to and grow interest in documentary film amongst young people
Who is BRITDOC?
Since 2005, BRITDOC’s mission has been to build a creatively ambitious and diverse future for documentary. We do this by creating brilliant films and engaging new partners to ensure that those films have lasting global impact. For the last two years we have had two of our funded films appear on the Academy Awards shortlist.
But funding isn’t enough and doesn’t guarantee that a film will reach the right audiences. BRITDOC is also committed to building partnerships, connecting great social justice documentary films to organisations who can use them. As part of this activity we run Good Pitch– a global programme which brings together documentary filmmakers with foundations, NGOs, campaigners, philanthropists, policymakers, brands, and media around leading social and environmental issues – to forge coalitions and campaigns that are good for all these partners, good for the films and good for society (www.goodpitch.org).
Doc Academy is a fundamental extension of BRITDOC’s mission to grow new audiences for documentary film and open hearts and minds to stories of social relevance from around the world.
BRITDOC'S Mission
We befriend great filmmakers, support great films, broker new partnerships, build new business models, share new knowledge and develop new audiences globally.
We aim to lead by example – innovate, share and be copied and innovate again.
Our Driving Principle
Great documentaries enrich the lives of individuals. They have a unique ability to engage and connect people, transform communities and improve societies.
Our Values
Independent: we are free to choose who we work with and how we do it. This independence means we always uphold creative, journalistic and personal integrity.
Supportive: We don't interfere with the creative process, we support it. We are the friend of the filmmaker and the film always comes first.
Collaborative: We have seen the greatest impact through collaboration. As such, we share what we learn and create best practice with our partners
Evolving: We are consciously and constantly evolving - because tomorrow needs new ideas. For us, problems are an opportunity for change.
Serious: We take documentaries seriously, but not ourselves.
Fearless: we love what we do and we want to work with people who feel the same way.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. It’s important to us that our team is diverse and representative, and that our opportunities are open to all.
Role of Doc Academy Manager
Management
- Take responsibility for day to day running of Doc Academy, whilst also delivering on long term goals of project
- Develop, implement and manage specific Doc Academy projects and innovations as outlined in our 2 year strategy
- Develop, implement and manage an intensive, annual evaluation programme working in schools with teachers and students
- Communicate regularly and report to BRITDOC Directors about the project
Fundraising & Partnership Development
- Manage pre-existing funder relationships
- Identify new funding opportunities, write grant applications and win new funding
- Develop and implement partnership strategy
Schools outreach
- Maintain Doc Academy’s organic reach of one new school sign up per day
- Build on the pre-existing outreach strategy and build new strategies for engagement with teachers and schools, both at an organizational and one-to-one level.
PR & Comms
- Develop a comms strategy for Doc Academy with accompanying content plan
- Develop an authentic, warm “Doc Academy voice” to be used across Twitter, Facebook and Doc Academy blog
- Post regular thought provoking content online which aligns with Doc Academy’s aims and values
- Work with our social media specialists around key Doc Academy launch dates
Content and site development
- Manage processes around creation of new lesson plan content according to pre-existing templates
- Work with our technical director and designer to implement updates to website, to be developed in line with teacher feedback and project needs
Other
- Prepare and present quarterly updates and strategy papers for the BRITDOC and Charitable Trust Boards
- Cost report against annual budget and ensure activity is delivered on budget
- Represent Doc Academy at national and international events
- Work with Grants Officer to ensure smooth running of contracting process and work within the BRITDOC team as required
- Keep databases and spreadsheets up to date and carry out administrative tasks to ensure smooth running of the project.
Person Specification
Essential
Skills
- Excellent, demonstrable management skills.
- Experience running budgets.
- Experience using social media (Facebook, Twitter etc).
- Experience delivering public presentations.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Familiarity with fundraising.
Background & Knowledge Base
- Experience working in an educational organisation out of school.
- Demonstrable knowledge of UK education environment and global teaching treands.
- Knowledge of UK curriculum and how this is implemented in a school setting.
- Proven interest in the film industry, specifically documentary.
- Demonstrable passion for equality and social justice.
- Knowledge of the work of BRITDOC both in the UK and internationally.
Personal attributes
- Self-confidence and ability to self-organise and largely self-manage.
- Ability to juggle very different tasks, use initiative, think creatively, and address challenges flexibly and purposefully.
- Proven ability to prioritise a wide range of commitments and work to tight deadlines.
- Willingness and ability to undertake all own clerical and administrative work.
- Ability to think creatively and strategically about new ways to support Doc Academy’s long term goals.
Hours of work
Monday – Friday 10:00 – 18:00
Some late night and early morning work will be needed.
Travel around the UK and occasional possible international travel.
Holiday
20 days per year plus bank holidays and discretionary leave at Christmas / New Year
Report to
BRITDOC Directors
Based in
2ndand 3rdfloor BRITDOC offices in Soho, London.
Application process
Please send you CV and a covering letter to jobs@britdoc.org with ‘Doc Academy Manager’ in the subject line.
Deadline for all applications
Friday 6 March 2015, 5pm GMT sharp.
You must be available for interview on w/b 9 March 2015.
Start date: asap, to be negotiated
Should you have not heard from us by16 March 2015you should assume that your application has not been successful. We will be unable to give feedback to applicants not selected for interview.
