CLOSING DATE: March 8, 2013
MEDIA OFFICER (TEMP)
Closing date: 12:00 Friday 08 March 2013
Interview Dates: w/c 18 March 2013
Start Date: 16 April 2013
End Date: 30 August 2013
Background
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an open-access festival and is the largest arts festival in the world. In 2012, over 22,000 participants staged over 42,000 performances of more than 2,600 shows to an estimated audience of 1.8 million. Almost one million people are in attendance during the three-week festival which brings an estimated £142 million into Edinburgh’s economy.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is the company that organises the structure that underpins the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Society exists to advise, support and encourage all participants at the Festival Fringe, to provide comprehensive information services, including ticketing, to its participants and the public, and to promote the entire Fringe as a festival in the context of Edinburgh and its other festivals. The aim for the Fringe Society is to assist audiences, performers and venues navigate the challenges of their involvement and maximise the benefits of their visit to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Our aim is to be a flexible, focused and creative organisation, and to that end we are seeking to appoint an experienced individual to the position of media manager (reporting to the head of external affairs). Leading up to and during the Fringe, the Festival Fringe Society provides a media centre for journalists and performers. The media manager is responsible for the day to day running of the Fringe Society Media Office (participant support and media services including ticket issuing) as well as supporting the head of external affairs with any Fringe Society-related PR. This is a temporary role for approximately six months.
The Media Office consists of the head of external affairs, the media manager, the media officer, the media accreditation officer and five media assistants. The media manager, with the support of the head of External affairs, will line manage all of these roles.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is committed to reducing its environmental impacts in its everyday operations. We expect employees to support this commitment and to assist in its realisation. We are also firmly committed to maintaining the open-access policy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We strive to be an equal-opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We also participate in the Double Tick – Positive about Disabled People scheme.
Roles and responsibilities
The successful candidate will perform a wide range of duties, including but not limited to:
* Providing one-to-one advice to artists and companies on their PR and marketing aampaign including:
- Support and advice on setting up photo opportunities and PR events
- Writing and using a media release
- How to contact the media.
* Drafting speeches, news releases and other copy as directed.
* Liaising with the media.
* Working closely alongside the media manager to help maximise PR opportunities for performers.
* Assisting the media manager with the assigning of tasks to the team of media assistants.
Personal specification
Essential
Firsthand experience of selling performing arts – experience of working with the media and PR agencies.
Professional work experience in as an arts or entertainment context.
Experience of copywriting either in a media or publications role.
Excellent communication and organisational skills.
Experience of working in an extremely busy, fast paced office.
Desirable
Media training or relevant qualifications.
A background and appreciation of theatre, comedy, music or other forms of art or entertainment. Specialised knowledge in any of the above will aid a successful applicant.
Experience of working at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or an international arts festival.
Knowledge of Scottish and British national media organisations.
Salary and hours of work
Wage: £342 per week.
Normal hours of work are eight hour shifts from 10:00 to 18:00 worked over five days between Monday and Friday.
In the run up and during the festival you will be required to work additional days and hours. From the beginning of the festival normal shifts of work are from 10:00 to 20:00 worked over six days between Monday and Sunday. Your working hours will be organised according to a rota system which the Society will notify you of in advance of the Fringe. During this period, your rate of pay will increase to £410.40 per week to reflect the extra hours worked.
Application
Please apply via the Edinburgh Festival Fringe website. If you have any further questions, please email recruitment@edfringe.com.
Email: recruitment@edfringe.com
