Job Title: Marketing Manager
Reports to: Artistic & Executive Director (direct), Board of Trustees (indirect)
Direct reports: Marketing assistant
Terms: Salary to be confirmed by start of April
Hours: 35 hours per week. 6 month probationary period. (We are open to considering applicants who would prefer to work part-time or as a job share)
The Bristol Improv Theatre (BIT) is looking for a hardworking, creative, organised and ambitious Marketing Manager to join our friendly and vibrant team. We’d love to find somebody who is passionate about theatre and live performance with a ‘can-do’ attitude and interested in pursuing a career in marketing for the Arts, social media or copywriting.
About Bristol Improv Theatre
The Bristol Improv Theatre is the UK’s first full-time dedicated improv theatre. We create, teach and perform spontaneous theatre that is welcoming, creatively ambitious and unapologetically entertaining. We host renowned improv and comedy acts from all over the UK and overseas, as well as being a hub for talented local troupes.
Our venue, located just off the Triangle, is a home for Bristol’s amazing improv community. Some people join as students, taking our classes to build confidence and unlock creativity; others jump on stage at monthly improv jams, or perform in shows with the community theatre group, the Unscripted Players. Others just turn up and enjoy the shows and stay for a pint in the bar afterwards; our theatre has often been described as the friendliest place in Bristol.
We also offer bespoke improv training to help businesses with teamwork, creativity and confidence.
Responsibilities include:
General
- Lead all Marketing for Bristol Improv Theatre, overseeing the development and implementation of strategies to achieve audience development, income, customer experience and brand awareness targets.
- Working with the wider BIT team and Artistic Director to generate creative marketing ideas and solutions, while ensuring all campaigns and activity align with BIT’s mission, vision and values.
- Keep up to date with new trends in marketing and the cultural sector that would allow BIT to deliver a better standard of service.
- Develop, co-ordinate and deliver marketing campaigns for seasonal programming and one-off events.
- Writing or editing copy for various marketing channels (email, direct mail and social media), ensuring BIT’s tone of voice is maintained.
- Organising reciprocal marketing with relevant theatres and organisations.
Social media:
- Update the organisation’s social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Threads and other relevant platforms.
- Respond to customer queries, questions, messages and comments across social media.
- Create dynamic and engaging written, graphic, and video content. Design creative assets on Canva and/or photoshop for use on social media and print marketing.
- Work with the Box Office Manager to create Facebook events for the BIT’s events.
Website / Digital
- Create, update and edit website content, ensuring all landing pages and temporary event pages are up to date with the latest copy and assets.
- Work with the Box Office Manager to ensure the BIT’s event listings are kept up to date on the website and on external listings sites (Visit Bristol, Headfirst, Ents24).
- Be the point of contact for all departments to ensure their website content is up to date and is consistent with BIT’s welcoming and inclusive tone of voice.
- Ensure our website is accessible by carrying out regular accessibility audits (e.g. checking images have alt text, checking the colour contrast of text, checking the readability of copy).
- Develop an engaging content strategy for the blog section of the website. This may include writing, proofreading and publishing blogs on the website on relevant topics and themes.
- Set up and monitor digital adverts through such channels as Google AdWords and Meta.
- Report on the performance of digital marketing campaigns and channels on a monthly basis using Google Analytics and Meta Business Suite.
Email Marketing
- Write copy and create content for the BIT’s weekly e-newsletter, distributed by Mailchimp.
- Update and create pre and post show emails on Line Up Now (the BIT’s ticketing system).
- Managing the design, print and distribution of printed marketing materials such as flyers, posters and brochures.
- Coordinating poster/flyer design with visiting acts.
- Updating poster displays and print within the BIT.
- Organising the distribution of seasonal brochures.
- Proofing brochures, flyers, adverts, programmes, and other print and online content; ensure our branding guidelines are maintained
Press / PR
- Strengthen brand awareness and reputation for the organisation and its associated artists.
- Writing and distributing press releases for seasonal campaigns and organisational announcements.
- Growing and maintaining relationships with local press and broadcast media.
- Coordinating press interviews and occasionally being an ambassador for the BIT when required.
Other
- Regularly attend BIT performances, events and classes to gain an understanding of the BIT’s work, gather content (photos, videos, testimonials etc), be a visible presence as part of the BIT team.
- Build relationships with and collaborate with partners across the city, including attending Bristol Arts Marketing (BAM) events, Visit West events, networking events and other key in-person marketing events.
- Be a point of contact for and marketing queries for associate artists and visiting acts.
- Coordinate professional photography/videography of events.
- Undertaking any other duties deemed necessary by theatre management, as suitably required.
- Identify and undertake training and development as required in order to meet personal and business needs.
- Championing accessibility and inclusivity across all marketing (e.g. adding alt text to images, checking copy is readable, adding captions to video, communicating access information about the building).
This isn’t an exhaustive list and may be subject to change. We’d also like to shape the experience around your interests, passions and strengths and will do what we can to tailor the role to help you get the most out of it.
Person Specification
| Essential | Desirable |
| • Proven experience in a marketing role. • Proven interpersonal, teamwork and decision-making skills. • Ability to work under own steam and manage time efficiently. • Strong copywriting and proofreading skills. • Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills. • A thorough understanding of social media platforms and scheduling tools. • Creativity and an ability to think outside the box. • Experience using website content management systems (preferably WordPress), ticket selling software and email marketing software. • An awareness of marketing trends and networks and how they could benefit our organisation. • An interest in theatre and/or improv.An ability to deal with multiple projects and work under pressure, to tight deadlines. • A supportive, flexible, reliable, committed, collaborative and compassionate team member. • A willingness to participate and engage with Bristol Improv Theatre’s events and community. • A commitment to accessibilty and inclusion in both the BIT’s marketing and across the whole organisation. | • Previous theatre/arts marketing experience. • Graphic design skills. • Detailed knowledge of improvisation as an art form. • An understanding of the local and national theatre and improv landscape. • Knowledge of Bristol’s Arts and Culture scene and it’s audience. • Experience using analytics software such as Google Analytics or Meta Business suite to report on marketing campaigns. • Experience using Google AdWords. • Experience of line management. • An understanding of accessibility requirements in both digital and print marketing. • Experience of budget management and financial controls |
Diversity
We, at Bristol Improv Theatre, know that diversity in a workforce is a strength to any organisation. We want to hear from people of different backgrounds and life experience, and are excited to hear the breadth of experiences that our applicants would be able to bring to a marketing role. We especially encourage applications from people from the global majority and LGBTQ+ community.
If there’s anything which is preventing you from applying or you wish to discuss prior to your application, please contact us at hello@improvtheatre.co.uk and a suitable member of our team will be in touch.
Employee Perks:
- Free tickets to shows as part of our Staff Standby Comps scheme.
- Free use of the venue’s spaces when it is not booked by another party.
- Occasional discounts / free spaces on improv classes and workshops.
- Contributing towards an independent, community-focused theatre!
How to Apply
- By Writing – please send a CV and short cover letter (max. 2 pages) stating your suitability and why you want to apply for this role.
- By Audio – please send a CV and voice note up to 4 minutes in length stating your suitability and why you want to apply for this role.
- By Video – please send a CV and video up to 4 minutes in length stating your suitability and why you want to apply for this role.
Please address the following three questions in your cover letter, voice note or video:
- Why do you think you are suitable for this role? Please provide an overview of your relevant experience for the role. Talk about where you’ve worked and the areas of marketing that you have experience in. Your answer should include some specific examples of projects/campaigns you’ve worked on.
- Why do you want to work for Bristol Improv Theatre? Please tell us what appeals to you about Bristol Improv Theatre itself. Use this as an opportunity to research and reflect on our values, audiences, events and theatre school. Your answer should show that you have an understanding of our values and desire to help achieve our mission, vision and values.
- What interests you most about this position? Your answer should evidence that you’ve read and understood the responsibilities of the role. You can use this as an opportunity to talk about any responsibilities that you’re particularly interested in – whether this is because you’ve specialist skills in this area, or because you’re keen to develop in this area.
Send to: hello@improvtheatre.net
Application deadline:
Monday 7th April 2025, 10am.
Interviews W/C 14th April with start date as soon as possible.
