Audience Development Officer in Leeds

Salary: SO2 £37,280 - £39,152

Hours: 37 full time

Contract: Fixed term until end of March 2027. This position is funded through Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status.

Location: Leeds – across multiple sites / hybrid

We have an excellent and rare opportunity for a skilled marketer to join Leeds Museums & Galleries. As Audience Development Officer, you’ll bring a creative approach to building audiences in arts and heritage environments. Based in the Audience Development department you will work closely with other digital and design colleagues, as well as develop relationships with staff across venues to help drive visitors and income. We’re looking for a candidate who is experienced in the full marketing mix to lead and advise colleagues within Leeds Museums and Galleries in effectively developing audiences. Leeds Museums & Galleries are the largest local authority-run museum service in England and operate a varied portfolio of eight museums, heritage sites, country houses and galleries. Home to 1.3 million objects, the service aims to inspire, educate, entertain and challenge the people of Leeds and visitors to the city.

About You

• Experience of marketing in the cultural or heritage sector
• Proven experience in delivering targeted integrated campaigns
• Knowledge of evaluation methods and audience segmentation models

About The Role

As our next Audience Development Officer, you’ll contribute to driving visitors to attractions, increasing income, and building robust audience development plans to work to longer term goals. The role is integral to the Audience Development team who manage a varied portfolio covering marketing, market research, digital engagement, brand and design, PR, ticketing and CRM.

What We Offer

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How To Apply

Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Head of Audience Development.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people. This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Purpose:

To develop audience development strategies to build audiences, achieve income targets, communicate key messages and engage key stakeholders in the work of Leeds Museums & Galleries. To lead targeted marketing campaigns from inception, delivery, to evaluation. To work with departmental colleagues, external partners, funders and suppliers, to effectively meet the service strategy.

Responsibilities for grade:

• To lead and advise colleagues within Leeds Museums and Galleries in effectively developing audiences.
• To work closely with individual attractions to produce annual audience development plans to meet organisational objectives.
• To manage an allocated portfolio of attractions in all their marketing and audience development activity and delivery of major projects.
• To plan, manage and deliver integrated marketing campaigns and cross-service projects to achieve agreed objectives.
• Support in the use and development of brand identities and advocate an understanding of brand management to colleagues across the service.
• To manage agreed market research programmes and interpret the data to aid audience development decisions.
• Establish and manage evaluation methods to generate analytics and insight to inform future site and marketing planning.
• Lead on aspects of CRM marketing including establishing e-communication schedules and producing/monitoring regular targeted communications.
• To manage multiple budgets in line with audience development objectives.
• To represent Leeds Museums & Galleries at external meetings and develop and maintain working relationships with colleagues, partners, funding bodies, stakeholders and agencies.
• To lead and advise on marketing activity in project groups including staff from the service, LCC corporate communications and external agencies.
• To regularly evaluate communication methods, demonstrating ROI in reaching audiences.
• To keep abreast of new developments in audience development, identifying opportunities for more targeted and effective communication with our audiences, rationalisation of resource and income generation.
• To manage press activity, maximising opportunities and devising stories to help achieve allocated site objectives – including maintaining press plans, procuring specialist press support, managing press previews (where required) and overseeing press officer work.
• Manage and monitor campaign budgets for campaigns and core marketing in addition to other cross-service projects including use of financial systems and databases.
• Manage suppliers in-line with procurement frameworks.

Responsibilities expected of LCC employees:

• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
• To work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.