Spectra’s Vision: Lifting the capacity of learning disabled people to influence change
Role’s Purpose: To ensure Spectra fulfils its aims through collaborative, strategic leadership. To develop and oversee Spectra’s operations through the responsive, care-led, inclusive structuring and delivery of internal systems with particular focus on communications, HR and finances.
Terms: start date as soon as possible. Fixed term contract until 4 April 2028 with optimistic intention to extend. Settling in period of 3 months.
Salary: £33,827 per year pro rata x .8 role (4 days per week). This works out as £27,061.60 gross (before tax, NI and pension contributions). There is an annual salary increase every April of 3%.
Benefits: at Spectra you will be part of a team dedicated to creating positive change while working hard and laughing a lot. We offer mental health days, unlimited annual leave, 4% employer pension contribution, a wellbeing fund, disability access support, an environmental justice focussed book group, development and training, flexible working (family/carer friendly), and a supportive Board.
Location: currently, Tuesdays at Spectra’s office at 28A Abbey Rd, Bearwood, Smethwick B67 5RD; remainder from home / remotely, flexible working. As our team grows, we may move to a new space (staying in Smethwick/Bearwood) and work in person more regularly (as the team agrees).
DEADLINE: 9am, Mon 12 May 2025
What does Spectra do?
We are a fierce and joyful, neurodiverse multi-arts organisation. Founded on the idea of radical inclusion, we’ve developed a reputation for aesthetically driven, gently provocative performances, installations and workshops that engage all of our audience’s senses.
Our mission as an organisation is to lift learning disabled people’s capacity to influence change in their own lives and the world around them. Our work centres on holding space for neurodiverse and learning disabled people to make their voices heard through sharing their ideas, skills, talents and abilities. We believe that our world and our communities are improved when everyone has the opportunity to contribute.
Our methods of working are co-creative and collaborative – delivering impactful projects that showcase the skills and creativity of neurodivergent and learning disabled artists. Our work is rooted in co-production which means that everything we do is shaped by the people we work with. Each workshop, installation, garden or experience is a distinct representation of the individuals who participate, combining their histories, culture, world views and aspirations into a unique whole that can only exist because that group of people brought it into being. Our work is all nature-focussed which increases environmental knowledge and appreciation leading to positive environmental action.
Since 2013 we have run 575+ co-creation sessions/workshops and performed to over 11,000 people. We’ve produced 12 performances, from large scale events at Midland Arts Centre in Birmingham and Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry, to street festivals, a touring show; two interactive digital performances including six films; 1 sector-wide symposium; 1 report on ‘Improving Critical Engagement’, and built 3 co-designed gardens on hospital sites.
Supported since our founding by Arts Council England, we joined their National Portfolio in April 2023; we have also recently received a three year grant from National Lottery Reaching Communities. Our work has also been supported by partners, the National Lottery Community Fund, the William A. Cadbury Trust, Creative Black Country, Birmingham 2022 Festival, National Lottery Heritage Fund, West Mercian Building Society, West Midlands Combined Authority Green Grants, Edgar Lawley Trust, Severn Trent Community Fund, and Your City & Metropolitan Hospitals Charity.
What would I do in this role?
- Work with the Creative Director to lead on strategic Aims and Objectives as laid out in our Business Plan
- Internal systems, eg communications, CRM, workflow, scheduling/calendar, document and materials storage; database development
- Business planning and delivery including potential developments such as a shift from CIC to CIO; a new office/studio space; CIC Report and Confirmation Statement
- HR: write up role descriptions and briefs for recruitment; schedule panels and interviews; communicate with applicants; collate applications; prepare contracts; work with staff and freelancers to write access riders; liaise with the appropriate government bodies regarding paying those who are on benefits; analyse training needs; book training and wellbeing focussed staff outings; support any tricky staffing situations
- Financial management: maintain company budget; run payroll monthly; make payments; prepare and send invoices; complete financial reports for funders; liaise with accountants to prepare annual accounts
- Delivery of company policies, ensuring they keep pace with any changing legislation; collaborative work with Impact Lead, Steering Group and Creative Director on policy content and presentation
- We don’t have a traditional management structure, but a flattened hierarchy in which each staff member and freelancer has a named Support Contact. Our Operations Lead will be the Support Contact for any new core staff and relevant Consultants
- Develop and maintain sector and national strategic partnerships as well as high-level delivery partners through in person advocacy and networking
- Prepare and disseminate Board and Steering Group papers; minute both meetings
- Play an active role in our company-wide collaborative environment, contributing to aims and objectives, strategy and planning, project work; rolling chair of weekly team meetings
- Undertake supported intersectional learning in line with our environmental, disability justice, and anti-racism work and other training and development as required and desired.
This role would suit me if I…
- believe in the work that Spectra makes and its impact – and that an intersectional, radical approach running throughout all aspects of the organisation is necessary to that work
- am a clear communicator with strong interpersonal skills who actively centres care and can balance warmth and compassion with directness
- enjoy working collaboratively, seeking to value the input of people with different lived experience than my own
- ask incisive questions and am a strategic thinker
- have professional experience of creating accessible systems for diverse groups, supporting others to thrive in their work, financial management and partnership working; knowledge of the arts and culture sector and relevant HR legislation will be beneficial
- am authentic, inclusive, collaborative and enjoy a laugh; taking pleasure in networking and making connections would be an asset
- am organised, reliable, resourceful, have a strong work ethic, and like to take initiative
- enjoy reflecting and am open to learning with the aim of making a more meaningful impact.
What will it be like working at Spectra?
No day will be exactly the same: as well as desk based work researching, planning, organising, and communicating, you may have collaborative meetings with core team members, freelancers, participants and partners. You will work remotely and may travel to meet peers and communities. You will work independently, with the team, consultants, and creatives. We are open to learning from and with you, to testing out different methods; we are open to being challenged.
Our current team includes a full-time Creative Director and part time Creative Lead, Impact Lead, Development Lead, Community Lead and Marketing & Communications Lead. At the moment, we co-work on Tuesdays, which gives us the chance to touch base and move work forward with all the benefits of face-to-face communication. It also provides us with a space for checking in, offering and receiving support, and bouncing ideas off each other collaboratively. As our team grows, we may agree together to have more contact time.
The remainder of your working time will be flexible and undertaken remotely. We expect you to manage your time and work load independently, whilst working with the team to identify priorities and being assured support will be provided when needed.
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 maisy@wearespectra.co.uk to chat through how we can best open this opportunity to you.
Application process: an application form is available here: Application Form. 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 this Equal Opportunities Form.
In order to minimise unconscious bias, we anonymise all applications while shortlisting and do not review equal opportunities forms until after we have drafted our initial shortlist. We 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 (approximately 250 words each):
- Please tell us how your experience and previous work demonstrates that your values align with Spectra’s. If you feel this hasn’t been the case as much as you would like it to be, please tell us about how you see this shifting were you to fill this role.
- We are a care-led, inclusive and radical organisation and the Operations Lead’s work will codify this as regards HR. How will the way you formalise and develop HR demonstrate care, inclusivity and a radical approach?
- The Spectra team is looking forward to the Operations Lead establishing internal systems that will improve efficiency. Given already established ways of working, diverse users, and a need for systems to be responsive, how will you approach establishing an internal workflow management system?
- Financial management undertaken by this role will include maintenance of our overall company and individual project budgets (with income from a variety of sources); bookkeeping; financial reporting; payroll, payments and invoices. Please tell us how your experience underwrites this aspect of the role.
- Many aspects of this work will be collaborative, including developing strategy. Please tell us about your experience and interest in collaborative work and how you envisage strategy developing collaboratively.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 9am, Mon 12 May 2025
INTERVIEWS: in person in Smethwick w/c 19 May 2025. 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.
The role is due to start immediately, but we can be flexible with the start date depending on prior commitments. Please note, offers of employment will be dependent on proof of the right to work in the UK and completion of a DBS check.
Please contact maisy@wearespectra.co.uk with any questions or if we can help make this opportunity more accessible to you.
@SpectraArtsCompany