Purpose: To manage the build of The Commons, a community co-designed space within the Community Garden at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital
Terms: Freelance contract, immediate start – October 2024
Fee: £5,000 inclusive of travel, expenses and VAT
Location: Hybrid – Smethwick, West Midlands, and working remotely
DEADLINE: 9am on Tuesday 16 July 2024
Spectra
Spectra is a neurodiverse creative collective rooted in radical inclusion, people and place. We aim to lift everyone’s capacity to influence change in their lives, their environment and their community. Using a wide range of art forms, we co-create interactive experiences with local communities through performance, installation and workshops.
Founded in 2013, we have performed to over 10,000 people; hosted 5,000 people in our gardens; and run 500+ co-creation sessions and workshops. We’ve produced 12 performances, from large scale events at MAC and Herbert Art Gallery, to street festivals, to a touring show, to hybrid online events; 1 sector-wide symposium; 1 report on ‘Improving Critical Engagement’; and built 2 co-designed gardens on hospital sites. All activities are co-produced and therefore each project is unique. In 2023, we joined Arts Council England’s National Portfolio.
Header photo credit: Kyle Simms
Project Context
In Summer 2022, Spectra produced Abundance, a community co-designed garden playspace outside Birmingham Treatment Centre that delighted, provided respite for, and engaged thousands of staff and community members of all ages and backgrounds.
Building on the impact, learning and consultation carried out through that work, in the Summer of 2023, Spectra built Buzz Stop, a creative garden framing the front entrance of Sandwell General Hospital that enriched the biodiversity of the green-deprived site; connected people to nature, encouraging them to play their part in sustaining our natural world; and offered meaningful respite and access to green space for staff, patients, carers, visitors and the local community.
Following a wonderful period of co-design workshops, we are about to embark on building The Commons at the brand new Community Garden site at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
The Brief
Work as the Build Manager will focus on leading on the realisation of the designer and horticulturalist’s plans. This role will include the following:
- hands on building including making paths through made up ground; installing stumps, stepping stones, water features and poles; platforms; signage; planters; benches
- procuring and arranging delivery for materials for building (largely reclaimed), substrates, and planting
- leading on risk assessments
- managing the budget for the build including regular updates to the Creative Director
- supporting the Structural Lead on the construction of a roundhouse
- supporting the Horticulturalists to plant the space
- managing the build site and build team logistics (designer, horticulturalist, structural lead, 2 Spectra staff members, and 1-2 builders)
- liaising with the site’s Estate team
- ensuring both safe working practices and strong environmental stewardship.
Timetable (NB these dates have changed since the original posting)
- Closing date for applications – 9am on Tuesday 16 July 2024
- Interview – Thursday 18 and Friday 19 July 2024
- Induction and site visit – ideally 26 July 2024
- Material gathering and build planning throughout August 2024
- Initial RAMS submission – by 4 September 2024
- Build – 23 Sep – 18 Oct 2024 (15 days within this period)
Support ahead of applying
If you think this job looks great but you’re a bit cautious about putting yourself forward, please get in touch for an informal chat. We’re very happy to talk through the role, to find different ways of communicating this job description, and to explore how different kinds of experience could contribute to fulfilling this role well.
Equitable opportunities
Given our work’s active celebration of diversity and exploration of intersectionality, we want our team to reflect these values. We eagerly encourage applications from people who are from marginalised or minoritised backgrounds. Our welcome extends beyond the recruitment process; we are committed to creating a working space that is safe and caring for all.
If you need or would prefer this job description or the application form below in another format, please don’t hesitate to contact kate@wearespectra.co.uk to chat through how we can best open this opportunity to you.
Application process
An application form is available here https://forms.gle/WgKgoupz3oijW45Z9. This form asks for your contact details and answers to the questions below. If creating an audio file is more accessible for you, please answer all the questions on the form in no more than 5 minutes and send to the email above. Please do not send video, only audio. We also ask that you fill out an equal opportunities form here: https://forms.gle/GR2qquMg6deha3Pz5.
In order to minimise unconscious bias, we would usually anonymise all applications while shortlisting. Given the specific nature of this role, we will not be following this procedure and are open to pre-application conversations during which we can share further details of our design and budget. We will still aim to shortlist anyone who has met our minimum score and identifies as being from a minoritised or marginalised background. This is sometimes affected by capacity: we can shortlist no more than five applicants.
Application questions (no more than 250 words each):
- The hands-on building on this project will include, amongst other things, creating pathways across bark chipped / top soiled ground using compressed gravel or similar; installing stumps, stepping stones and platforms securely and without the use of cement; and building roundwood benches. Please tell us about your experience of similar building projects.
- Our focus on reclaimed materials means research into possible materials and their sources requires deeper attention than when building with all new materials. Please tell us about your experience in this area.
- Please tell us about your experience managing budgets.
- Please tell us about any Health and Safety qualifications you may have and your experience in writing risk assessments. As well as the elements mentioned above, our risk assessment will need to cover the roundwood roundhouse we will be building (this build will be led by our Structural Lead).
- This role requires you to build relationships with people in a wide variety of roles: the team of freelancers who will support the build; suppliers; the hospital site’s Estate Team; and hospital’s management team. Please tell us about your communication style and how you work to develop strong working relationships across the board.
DEADLINE: 9am on Tuesday 16 July 2024
SHORTLISTING DECISION: no later than 6pm on Tues 16 July 2024
INTERVIEWS: in person in Smethwick or via Zoom on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 July 2024. If you are shortlisted, we will send you the interview questions and information about the panel in advance. We will also ask if any adjustments are needed to make the interview accessible for you.
Please contact kate@wearespectra.co.uk with any questions or if we can help make this opportunity more accessible to you.
Our website provides a good sense of our work: www.wearespectra.co.uk. Follow us @SpectraArtsCompany on socials too.