Job Description

HEAD OF MARKETING
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD MARKETING FOR

AQUATICS IN SCOTLAND?

Salary circa £38k plus 6% pension

Hybrid working

Following the successful delivery of the previous strategy, Scottish Swimming is recruiting for a Head of Marketing to help drive forward the delivery of our new Corporate Plan and showcase the value of swimming and swimming pools across Scotland.

Success in the aquatic sports of swimming, para-swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, masters swimming and open water swimming relies on having the right people, partnerships, programmes and places to enable us to achieve our vision that everyone can swim. Our ambition is to achieve four vital aims: More swimmers, Stronger clubs, Supporting athletes and Active communities.

Based at the University of Stirling campus, Scottish Swimming is one of the leading sports organisations in Scotland. As part of the Senior Management Team, the Head of Marketing will provide leadership, motivation and vision to the marketing team, inspiring them to achieve further success in showcasing our sports and brand through events, communications and digital media. As Head of Marketing, you will be the strategic lead on all marketing, campaigns, and sponsorship activity, working with key partners, including Swim England, Swim Wales, British Swimming, sportscotland, investment partners and athlete ambassadors, attending conferences, networking events and Board Meetings, as required.

Your strategic planning, communication and leadership skills will be vital, as you work closely with key groups to deliver success and help inspire our members and partners in the development of our sports, resulting in more people taking part and reaching their full potential.

Key Functions:

• To create and proactively implement an aspirational strategy to position Scottish Swimming as a trusted brand for aquatics in Scotland across all major target groups
• Be responsible for the strategic planning, content and delivery of Scottish Swimming’s marketing strategy
• Lead on the development of creative and innovative video and design content working with agencies and the marketing team to showcase Scottish Swimming

In return you will be offered an attractive salary, including contributory pension, as well as being part of a supportive and enthusiastic team who aim to ensure that Scottish Swimming continues to lead the way within Scottish sport.

Scottish Swimming has a set of values that are visible on our website, ingrained in the business, and those we actively seek out in job candidates. We are dedicated to hiring people who can perform the tasks for which they are being recruited. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, regardless of any protected characteristics.

The Application Process

Applications should include a cover letter addressing your fit with the role and with Scottish Swimming, along with a full CV. Please note that links to Linked in or other external platforms will not be accepted as a substitute CV.

Please send your CV and cover letter by the closing date by email to f.carlo@scottishswimming.com

For an informal discussion please contact Elaine Mackenzie, Director of Services on 07713 245734. For further information including the job description please see the attachments. For more information about Scottish Swimming please visit the Scottish Swimming website at www.scottishswimming.com.

All applications will be acknowledged.

Applications received after the closing date cannot be considered.

Closing Date: Thursday 8th June 2023 at midday

Interviews: Monday 19th June

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title

Head of Marketing

Team

Services / Marketing & Communications

Office Base

University of Stirling Sport

Reports To

Director of Services

Key Relationships

• Scottish Swimming Management Team
• Marketing & Communications Team
• Board of Directors & Council
• Board Lead Sponsorship Sponsor & Board Lead Marketing & Comms Sponsor
• Scottish Parliament and UK Government
• External Organisations e.g. NHS
• Corporate Sponsors and supporting agencies
• sportscotland Marketing and Communications Teams
• Event Scotland and other National Bodies
• British Swimming & Home Country Marketing Teams
• Key suppliers and agencies

Job Purpose

Strategically lead on all marketing sponsorship activity, to proactively implement a strategy to position Scottish Swimming as a trusted brand in Scotland.

Key Tasks:

1. Strategic Marketing Leadership

1.1 Lead the development and creation of the annual marketing plan and the long term marketing strategy working closely with the Communications Manager, the marketing and communications team and Senior Management Team to align plans to the Corporate Plan.

1.2 Lead the marketing support for all key Scottish Swimming programmes:

1.2.1 Learn to Swim, work with Local Authorities and the Development Team to agree messaging around The new National Framework for Swimming in Scotland and the new School Swimming Framework and ensure all marketing materials for partnership agreements are delivered.

1.2.2 Membership Growth & Retention – support the development of new marketing resources to support membership growth and retention.

1.2.3 Club Development – With the Communications Manager review existing and develop new marketing resources to support our club development programme.

1.2.4 Education –work with the Education Team to develop marketing resources to support our education and training programme.

1.2.5 Performance – work closely with the Performance Team and Communications Manager to develop athlete engagement across the organisation.

1.2.6 Work with the CEO and SMT on the planning, consultation and presentation of the Corporate Plan

1.3 Engage with the Scottish Parliament, MSPs, stakeholders and partners to influence positive outputs and outcomes for our sports and to support the achievement of core Corporate Plan objectives.

1.4 Develop media contacts and relationships to help raise the profile of Scottish Swimming for all of the above programmes. Act as spokesperson for Scottish Swimming with media as and when required across all of our programmes and report on media coverage utilising the Onclusive platform.

2. Sponsorship

2.1 In cooperation with the CEO lead the on-going review on all sponsorship activity, including the creation and execution of an annual sponsorship plan and the management of key accounts on a strategic level, ensuring all marketing and communications requirements are met to a high standard and are reported accordingly.

2.2 Create Rights and Benefits schedules for all sponsorship contracts ensuring that these are activated and managed working with the Events Manager and Communications Manager to achieve this.

2.3 Liaise with British Swimming and the Home Countries to develop UK wide commercial opportunities and ensure KPIs with national sponsors are met and new joint initiatives are implemented accordingly.

2.4 Lead strategically on maximizing all marketing and sponsorship opportunities of international events hosted in Scotland.

2.5 Represent Scottish Swimming at major events and receptions.

3. Brand Leadership

3.1 Lead on the creation, presentation to Board and implementation of Scottish Swimming’s Marketing plan aligned with the objectives set out in the Corporate Plan.

3.2 Lead on positioning Scottish Swimming as an early adopter of new technology, working collaboratively with agencies, other governing bodies, funding agencies and sponsors to implement new trends and developments.

3.3 Collaboratively working across all Teams to set and agree marketing spend within each department to ensure that all spend represents good value for money and maximising the return on investment wherever possible.

3.4 Develop, manage and oversee the annual marketing budget and sponsorship budget to ensure all spend is in line with phased budgeting and year end forecasting.

3.5 Lead on the strategic development of the Scottish Swimming brand and its sub- brands, ensuring high impact and consistency.

3.6 Work with appropriate agencies to develop new templates and manage the creation of corporate documents in accordance with the brand guidelines.

4. Creative Content

4.1 Lead on the development of creative and innovative content for video and design working with agencies and the marketing team.

4.2 Ensure a content sign off process is followed with all stakeholders.

4.3 Maximise recognition for Scottish Swimming through sharing and promotion of content e.g.with staff, Board, external agencies such as sportscotland or partners such as British Swimming, Home Countries and sponsors.

4.4 Lead the development of the Scottish Swimming website, providing support to the Digital Communications Officer, to ensure it showcases Scottish Swimming as a trusted brand and supports our membership and partners in providing accessible information to meet their needs.

4.5 Support and lead the aquatics team in the development of a Learn to Swim digital awards project to replace traditional style badges and certificates and ensure the contracted company produces a branded solution on time and within budget, and delivers on our sponsor’s rights and the needs of our aquatic provider partners.

5. External Suppliers

5.1 Lead on the tendering, appointment and ongoing evaluation of supplier contracts to support Scottish Swimming’s marketing and communications activities.

5.2 Actively research and establish new partnerships to enhance Scottish Swimming’s marketing activities.

5.3 Lead on actively building networks with other sports governing bodies and the wider sector to raise the profile of Scottish Swimming and strategically position Scottish Swimming as a visionary organisation that embraces sustainable marketing practice.

6. Research and Evaluation

6.1 Lead on the on-going development of all Scottish Swimming marketing activity based on generated data, research and consultation of key Scottish Swimming stakeholders and partners, as well as the CEO and senior management team.

6.2 Secure credible independent data, research and insights which help to inform strategy and support the completion of Corporate Plan objectives.

6.3 Lead on the presentation of data and insights in an engaging way for a variety of purposes: media, social media, website and member communications.

6.4 Lead on monitoring the progress of all activities as set in the marketing strategy to evaluate success and report to stakeholders, staff and the Scottish Swimming Board, if necessary, as well as regular team update meetings and progress feedback.

7. Board

7.1 Attend Board and Council meetings to regularly update on government engagement, marketing and communications plans, sponsorship strategy and campaign progress.

7.2 Support the Board with data and insights that help to inform future strategy and plans or information that may mean existing plans have to be adapted.

7.3 Present to Board annually the Marketing and Communications Plan, Sponsorship Plan and any other specific campaign plan updates as required.

8. Active Communities

8.1 Lead the Strategic Marketing and Communications activity to support the Active Communities area of the Corporate Plan working with the Aquatics team

8.2 Drive the #SaveOurPools campaign engaging support from government, media, membership, partners and external organisations to influence positive outputs and outcomes.

8.3 Engage with new external partners e.g. NHS, Diabetes Scotland, outdoor swimming groups that can help develop and grow our sports and achieve our objectives.

Person Profile

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven leadership, line management, teamwork and decision-making skills
• Proven experience (minimum of 5 years) in a marketing/communications role, with at least 2 years’ experience in a senior management position
• Proven experience in digital marketing technologies
• Experience of developing and managing marketing/communications plans with proven ability of coordinating the delivery of projects, products, and programmes with attention to detail
• Proven ability to devise, plan and deliver strategic initiatives.
• Proven ability to work with others, motivate, provide direction and influence
• Excellent communication, presentation and reporting skills
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Proven experience in developing networks and partnerships
• Ability to have flexible working hours, as well as a flexible approach to work
• Ability to manage budgets
• Self motivated and able to meet deadlines, with a ‘make it happen’ attitude with a drive for results
• Strong IT Skills

Qualifications and Training

• Educated to Degree standard or CIM qualified or equivalent in a Marketing and/or Communications field
• Driving Licence
• A commitment to on-going professional development

General

• Promote Scottish Swimming both within and out with the work environment.
• Deliver Scottish Swimming customer care standards in the work environment.
• Attend, draft reports and contribute to Board, Council, Management and Staff Meetings as appropriate.
• Maintain knowledge of and adhere to the published Scottish Swimming policies
• Maintain own personal development records and ensure that interim review and annual review documentation is signed off and lodged according to company policy and timescale.

The above job description will be subject to annual review to reflect the needs of the Scottish Swimming and sportscotland Corporate Plans.

HEAD OF MARKETING

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Scottish Swimming is the Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, High Diving, Masters Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Artistic Swimming and Water Polo. Swimming is a sport for everyone and we are committed to developing the sport in an inclusive, equitable and fair way.

Our Vision is: Everyone can Swim!

Our Mission is: To inspire our members and partners in the development of aquatics, providing leadership and expert support, resulting in more people taking part and reaching their full potential.

Our Strategic Objectives are:

• To increase the number of people of all ages and abilities participating in swimming for health, fitness and fun.
• To support and develop stronger, more sustainable clubs that will provide increased and quality opportunities for people to participate at all levels.
• To enhance the aquatic pathway, ensuring high performance results through effective athlete development and quality coaching.

2.0 OUR STRUCTURE

2.1 Scottish Swimming has a governance structure which includes a Council elected from our membership and headed by our President and a Board appointed on a skills base, led by our Chair. In addition, there are a number of committees including:

• Swimming
• Diving
• Water Polo
• Masters
• Open Water
• Artistic Swimming
• Technical Officials
• Editorial Board
• Audit & Risk

The organisation is structured in two departments: Aquatics and Services. The Director of Aquatics manages both Development and Performance and along with the CEO, Director of Services, Finance Manager and Head of Marketing make up the management team. The company currently employs 29 full-time and 3 part-timestaff. The current staffing structure is found within the application pack.

Scottish Swimming boasts a modern, forward-thinking culture. We engage with our team to develop our “way of working” including clear direction, flexibility, responsibility, teamwork and trust. Being creative, we can often deliver a superior service for our partners and customers while providing our staff with a flexible and rewarding experience. Overall, the culture reflects a warm and supportive but also challenging environment.

3.0 Our Members and Partners

3.1 Our membership

• We have circa 21,000 members including athletes, teachers, coaches, and volunteers.
• We have 153 clubs which vary in size from 8 to 657 members.
• We have 45 affiliated swim schools, which offer organised learn to swim opportunities and these vary in size from a small number to over 5,000 customers.
• There are member clubs and swim schools across all parts of Scotland.

Our partnerships

• Key partners include sportscotland, the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, Leisure Trusts, British Swimming, Commonwealth Games Scotland, and Scottish Disability Sport.
• Critical to our sport are the partnerships with pool operators and owners.
• Through strong partnerships, Scottish Swimming can support operators and members to maximise pool usage and ensure good links between Learn to swim and Club swimming.

4.0 CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

4.1 The successful candidate will have a base at our headquarters at Sports Facility, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA.

4.2 The post is offered on a permanent contract.

The Scottish Amateur Swimming Association Limited operates a full disciplinary procedure.

5.0 SALARY

Circa £38k plus 6% pension

6.0 ANNUAL LEAVE AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

The annual leave entitlement is 30 days (with 2 of these being mandatory at Christmas to allow the office to close between Christmas and New Year) plus 8 public holidays. Leave to be taken in agreement with the Director of Services.

7.0 SCOTTISH SWIMMING HEADQUARTERS

Scottish Swimming’s headquarters is based at the Sports Facility on the University of Stirling campus, 45 minutes north of both Edinburgh and Glasgow by road. The University is Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence and is also home to the sportscotland Scottish Institute of Sport, Commonwealth Games Scotland offices, a number of other governing bodies and national training facilities.

8.0 APPLICATION PROCESS

8.1 Applications should include a covering letter addressing how the applicant’s skills and expertise fit with the job role and person specification, along with a full CV. Please note that links to Linked in or other external platforms will not be accepted as a substitute CV.

Applications can be submitted by email, endorsed “Head of Marketing” by 12 noon on Thursday 8th June 2023 to: f.carlo@scottishswimming.com

Unfortunately, applications received after the closing date cannot be considered.

All applications will be acknowledged.

Interviews will take place on Monday 19thJune 2023.

For an informal discussion please contact Elaine Mackenzie, Director of Services on 07713 245734.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £38,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• On-site parking
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Stirling

Application deadline: 08/06/2023

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