Community & Membership Coordinator (Freelance)
Reports to: Operations & Administration Manager
Location: Talent House, 3 Sugar House Lane, London E15 2QS
Contract: 12-month freelance contract
Time commitment: 2.5 days per week (120 days across the contract period)
Contract value: £24,000 (£200 per day equivalent)
Based primarily at Talent House, Stratford, with some flexibility for remote working. Occasional evening and weekend activity may be required. Participation in a shared team reception rota from time to time.
Introduction
UD is a Black-led National Youth Music Organisation based in Stratford, Newham, with a 25-year track record of talent development and community building rooted in Black music culture.
Co-founded in 2000 by the current CEO alongside a group of hip-hop musicians, UD’s mission is to educate, empower and create life opportunities for young people inspired by the sounds, words and rhythms of Black music. We address racial and socio-economic inequality by nurturing talent, building skills and creating pathways into the music industry for underrepresented communities. To date, UD has supported over 50,000 young people, the majority of whom are Black and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
UD’s vision is to be a leading talent development centre for Black music, recognised for its social and cultural impact and for the value it adds to a more diverse and inclusive music industry.
Programming. Community. Membership.
UD is seeking a Community Programme & Membership Coordinator to help shape a vibrant programme of activity at Talent House, grow community engagement and build pathways into participation, repeat attendance and membership.
Working with partners, audiences, participants, members and creative practitioners, you will identify opportunities, shape community-informed programming and build relationships that support the growth of Talent House as a thriving creative hub.
Success in the role means building strong relationships with communities, partners and stakeholders; developing a programme that reflects community interests and needs; creating new opportunities and partnerships; and strengthening pathways into Talent House through partner referrals, wider marketing and outreach, and engagement with audiences and participants across UD activity. The role will help turn these relationships and interactions into repeat attendance, ongoing participation and membership.
Main purpose of the role
To coordinate and develop community engagement, community-informed programme activity and membership growth at Talent House, strengthening pathways into and through Talent House that encourage sustained engagement, repeat attendance and membership.
We are looking for someone who is confident building relationships and developing partnerships. Existing networks within music, creative industries, education, community development or cultural sectors are welcome, but equally important is the ability to identify opportunities, make connections and bring people together.
Key responsibilities
- Community Programme Development
- Lead the ongoing development and delivery of the Talent House Community Programme, building on the existing track record of seminars, workshops, showcases, networking activity and subsidised studio access.
- Ensure the programme remains relevant, engaging and responsive to community interests and demand.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen, expand and innovate within the programme, testing new ideas while building on successful activity.
- Work with the team to identify and engage artists, facilitators, speakers and industry professionals, drawing on existing UD relationships and developing new opportunities where appropriate.
- Community Engagement, Partnerships & Membership
- Build and maintain relationships with community organisations, education providers, creative practitioners and strategic partners.
- Strengthen pathways from audiences and participants into membership and ongoing engagement with Talent House.
- Support membership recruitment, retention and engagement, helping to grow a connected and active Talent House community and contributing to the long-term sustainability of Talent House.
- Insight, Evaluation & Learning
- Gather feedback, participation and membership data to understand what drives engagement and conversion.
- Share insight and recommendations with the wider team to inform future programme development and membership growth.
- Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, testing and learning across Talent House activity.
Person Specification
- Essential experience and knowledge
- Experience in community engagement, programming, audience development, membership, cultural participation or partnership development, including developing programmes, events or community activity in response to audience, participant or stakeholder insight.
- Excellent relationship-building and communication skills and experience working with diverse communities, young people, artists or creative practitioners.
- The ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities and take a proactive and collaborative approach.
- Desirable
- Existing networks within the creative, cultural, education or community sectors.
- Experience working in arts, culture, music or creative industries.
- Experience using CRM systems, participation tracking tools and knowledge of audience development and membership models.
Our values in practice
At UD, we are committed to working in ways that support our mission, our communities, and each other. We expect all team members to contribute in ways that are:
- Purpose-led. We understand how our individual roles contribute to UD’s aims and to positive outcomes for young people and communities, and we prioritise work that is mission-critical and adds value.
- Open, evidence-informed and accountable. We communicate clearly and transparently, and we use data and evidence accurately to inform our work, demonstrate impact and meet our accountability to funders and communities.
- Grounded in integrity and professionalism. We work to high standards of delivery, time management and quality, and we do what we say we will do.
- Respectful and collaborative. We value the skills, experience and perspectives of others, support colleagues appropriately, and work within clear roles and responsibilities, while contributing flexibly to shared priorities when required.
- Resilient, responsible and adaptable. We recognise the realities of working in a small organisation and are flexible and solution-focused, balancing our responsibilities to beneficiaries with care for staff wellbeing.
Staff and freelancers are expected to:
- Adhere to UD’s policies on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, safeguarding, data protection, confidentiality and health and safety
- Contribute to a safe, inclusive working environment and raise concerns appropriately
- Commit to their own continuing professional development
The Community & Membership Coordinator is expected to model these values in their day-to-day work and interactions.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
UD Music Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in the arts and cultural sector, including people from Black and Global Majority backgrounds, disabled people, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
We are committed to making our recruitment processes as accessible as possible and are happy to discuss access requirements or reasonable adjustments to support candidates through the recruitment process.
How to Apply
Please email your application to jobs@udmusic.org with the subject line ‘Community & Membership Coordinator (Freelance)’ with:
- a CV (maximum 2 pages), and
- a short covering statement (maximum 2 pages) explaining your interest in the role and how your experience relates to the key responsibilities and requirements of the role.
The deadline for applications is Monday 10th August at 12 noon.
