Development Manager (Digital) Maternity Cover

The External Relations Team is responsible for managing RGS Newcastle's profile as the North East's leading independent school, and as a champion of educational excellence, attainment and opportunity for our region. The team is responsible for engaging with our broad range stakeholders, through marketing, communications, publications, events, alumni activities, archival engagement and fundraising.

The purpose of this key role is to maximise the use of our customer relations database (Raiser's Edge) and ensure contact details are up to date in order for our communications to be targeted and effective. The post holder will work closely alongside our Development Manager (Editorial) who works on creating compelling content. You will work together to distribute innovative and persuasive campaigns.

The post holder should demonstrate excellent IT proficiency alongside outstanding verbal and written communication abilities. They must thrive in a dynamic work setting and actively contribute to a high-energy and ambitious team.

The Development Manager (Digital) will work within the wider External Affairs Team, comprising a Director of External Relations, Head of Digital Media, Head of Development, Development Manager (Editorial), Archivist and External Affairs Administrator. The team works closely with the Events and Commercial Manager and broader school Support Staff., Reporting to the Head of Development, the Development Manager (Digital)'s overall responsibilities will include:

• Lead on the sending of regular updates and appeals to our mass database of contacts (either through our fundraising database 'Raiser's Edge' or e-bulletin functionality in our website 'Finalsite'), ensuring that each segment of our audience receives relevant content which is presented professionally and integrated with the latest website content;


• Lead on the sending of all mass fundraising appeals, including mailings, email and telephone appeals (potentially extending to a Giving Day) and the donated deposit scheme;


• Ensure that pre and post updates/appeals, that our data is up to date/appropriately synced with other RGS databases (e.g., ISAMs);


• Lead on the digital aspects of all fundraising products, for example developing cost effective regular giving mechanisms and digital donor recognition;


• Maintain our Development social media channels, sharing relevant content and ensuring that the data is synced with our fundraising database;


• Lead the appropriate cleaning and augmentation of our data, for example leading any screening activities, and supporting the identification of Old Novos for systematic year group reunions;


• Support the exploration of further digital engagement with Old Novos, through a range of social media platforms;


• Contribute towards performance reports including agreed KPIs;


• As required, receiving donors and Old Novocastrians and any relatives or friends on visits to the School;


• Help to secure inspiring Old Novos to speak at key school events; and


• As part of a broader External Affairs team, support a number of events., The post will report to the Head of Development and work collaboratively with External Relations team.
  
  Excellent communication skills.


• Being well organised, be flexible and respond quickly to changing demands.


• Enthusiastic and motivated.


• A customer-orientated approach to all stakeholders.


• An understanding of, and commitment to, the special needs of working with young people. These include safeguarding, health and safety, security and handling confidential information at times.


• Excellent computer literacy, including essential understanding of Microsoft Office programmes including Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint and desirable experience in the use website content management systems and contacts databases (for example Raiser's Edge or ISAMs);


• A personal commitment to professional development.


• A positive and self-motivated individual, able to work both with minimal supervision and as a proactive and supportive member of an ambitious team;


Desirable

• Ideally, an understanding of the workings of a school or college.


• Experience using a CRM database such as Raiser's Edge., We expect the role to start July 2024 pending completion of the successful candidate's pre-employment checks.
  
  Thomas Horsley, the original settlor of the Royal Grammar School Newcastle (RGS) pledged his legacy to the School in 1525. Almost 500 years later, RGS continues to flourish as the premier independent school in the North East of England and as one of the country's leading schools.


In 2023, RGS was named overall 'Independent School of the Year' in The Telegraph Group's national awards. RGS also consistently tops the region's academic league tables and was awarded the Sunday Times' 2024 North East's Top Independent Secondary School, both the overall winner and for Academic Performance. While we pride ourselves on academic excellence, we are just as well known for our high level of pastoral support, involvement in a wide range of sports and other co-curricular activities, and our commitment to bursaries and partnerships.

RGS is fully co-educational with over 1,300 students aged 7-18 years (Years 3 to 13) and our academically selective places are highly coveted. We have more than 250 students in the Junior School, which shares the same outstanding site as the Senior School. Our Sixth Form is one of the largest in the independent sector with more than 340 students.

The school is based in the heart of the City, immediately opposite Jesmond Metro station and our excellent transport links attract students from far and wide. The school occupies over 30 acres of land and has state-of-the-art facilities, including a 25m swimming pool, two Sports Halls, five new art studios, a new library, a new Sixth Form Centre, a Performing Arts Centre with professional-standard theatre, several outdoor football/rugby pitches, an artificial turf pitch and the former County Cricket Ground.

RGS is a special place, known and respected throughout the whole country as well as the North East. It's a place where aspirations are high, results are outstanding, and opportunities are endless. Our students go on to study highly selective courses at the most sought-after universities, but also leave the school realising that life outside the classroom has been equally beneficial., Whilst the North East is beloved and popular with so many, we know that not everyone will have had first-hand experience of it, so this is a short introduction to a city and region which we love, and believe you will too. Newcastle is a medium-sized city with an historic centre and a vibrant life of its own. There's culture and arts in the form of the award-winning BALTIC Art Gallery and The Glass House, alongside several theatres that attract national touring productions. There's music from classical to club and we are home to the Royal Northern Sinfonia. There's also a growing food culture with some fantastic restaurants.

If you like sport then there's certainly no shortage of top-class entertainment: from Premier League football being played at St James' Park and EFL at the Stadium of Light to first class cricket at Durham (a mere half hour away), and great rugby at the Falcons, not to mention basketball and even ice hockey, and then there is the annual Great North Run. The North East has also produced some of the country's finest athletes in track and field and there are clubs aplenty to get involved with, most famously in Gateshead.

The coast and the hills are minutes away from the city centre. By car you can be in the middle of nowhere in 45 minutes, the Scottish Borders is only an hour away and the Lake District an hour and a half. The coast is served by the Metro (our version of the Tube), but some of the country's best beaches are up the road in Northumberland, less than 40 minutes by car. There's mountain biking, road cycling, climbing, and endless hill walks in stunning countryside. There are green spaces all over the city too, with plenty of parks for children and dogs alike to run around.

There are three local teaching hospitals, two universities in the city with another three close by. Some pioneering medical work goes on at the RVI, Great North Children's Hospital and the Freeman Hospital.

History abounds with more castles than you could count and sites of interest for almost every period o f English (and border) history. Add that to a proud, independently minded and very friendly local population and we have most things you could want.

There are excellent primary schools in the region and city as well as some good secondary schools too, but staff do get a discount at the RGS. There are also a number of good competitor independent schools as well.,
• We anticipate that this will be a 9-month fixed term role however the school may extend the end day of the fixed term on mutual agreement with the successful candidate.


• This is a part-time (26.25 hours/3.5 days per week) role, and the employee will work all year round.


• A competitive salary is available, based on experience, starting at c£30k FTE (pro rata c£21k for 26.25 hours per week). RGS Support Staff salaries are reviewed on 1st August each year.


• The successful candidate will be required to work all staff training days throughout the academic year.


• The successful candidate will also be expected to work the annual safeguarding training day in September each year, which is compulsory for all staff (date varies each year).


• The successful candidate may also be required to work limited special events e.g., RGS Day and Open Day, with advance notice being given by the school.


• The exact pattern of work (of 26.25 hours per week) to be agreed, but with each day including a 30-minute unpaid lunch break. In addition, there will be occasional out-of-hours work for specific events which is paid as time off in lieu. The school offers a generous annual leave entitlement of 31 days plus Bank Holidays for all year-round support staff. As this role is part time the holidays will be pro rata.


• The employee will be required to comply with a range of RGS policies, in particular, those regarding Data protection, use of ICT facilities, Child Protection, Staff Code and Health and Safety, a copy of which will be made available., During term-time, staff are provided with a free lunch, if on site.


• For non-teaching staff we offer a support staff pension scheme, The Aviva Pension Trust for Independent Schools (APTIS). On receipt of a 6% employee contribution the school makes an employer contribution of 10%. There is also the option of a 3% employee and 5% employer contribution if preferred. This scheme is administered via Salary Exchange (also known as Salary Sacrifice) for those who are eligible. You can opt out of the Salary Exchange arrangement whilst remaining in the pension scheme. Further details of the scheme and salary exchange will be provided on appointment.


• Membership to life assurance scheme through Aviva which pays out 5x annual salary in the event of death in service.


• The employee will become eligible for sick pay under the RGS Support Staff Sick Pay Scheme after a qualifying period. Details of the scheme will be provided on appointment.


• As with all RGS employees, the employee will be encouraged to become involved in the wider life of the RGS community.


• It is the school's policy is to allow all eligible members of staff to educate their children at the school at concessionary rates, subject to their children meeting the academic entry requirements and subject to a place being available.


• Ongoing educational support and development of all staff with the provision of external and internal training courses, and our middle leaders training programme for existing and aspiring managers.


• Opportunity to see free school productions in the Miller Theatre located in our Performing Arts Centre.


• Access to our onsite confidential counselling service.


• We offer access to the school medical team (1 doctor and 2 nurses) for triage medical advice and free flu vaccinations.


• Free use of a well-equipped gym, fitness suite and swimming pool at permitted times.


• Supportive and friendly community.


• Invitation to join staff clubs and wellbeing activities during term-time.


• Staff social events throughout the year.