Head of Press (Edinburgh Fringe)
Summary
Closing date – rolling interviews
Start date – Mid May
Hours – Full-time, fixed contract (6 days a week work is required in August)
Based – August is based in Edinburgh. Can be flexible prior to this. Accommodation can be supplied for the right candidate.
Salary – £700 per week. The equivalent of £36,400 salary per rata
About Underbelly
Underbelly is a UK based live entertainment company that specialises in producing and programming ground-breaking theatrical productions and the creation of city-centre cultural events and festivals. Established in 2000 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Underbelly has since produced shows and events in locations from theatres to roundabouts from London and Edinburgh to Asia.
Our current London events and festivals include Underbelly Festival, Christmas in Leicester Square and Christmas in Trafalgar Square. We are also the event production partner for West End Live in Trafalgar Square and Pride in London, the second-largest one-day event in London. At the KitKat Club, Underbelly is co-producing the celebrated revival of Cabaret, with Ambassador Theatre Group Productions.
We love entertaining and creating fantastic and unique pop-up events.
Overview of the role
This role will look after Underbelly’s Press Office at the Fringe. You will be the lead on everything between Underbelly and the media at the Fringe, working closely with the marketing and programming teams as well as Underbelly’s Directors.
You and your team will be the press and media contact for all shows in our programme, whilst working alongside freelancers to facilitate our headliner campaigns. You will recruit and hire a team to work alongside.
In the lead-up to August this role can be remote, August will be full-time on the ground at the Fringe.
Key Responsibilities
The role is varied and expansive, with the main duties being:
- Planning and implementing Underbelly’s press strategy, alongside external publicists
- Hiring the Press team in the lead-up to the Fringe
- At Fringe, managing the Underbelly Press Office including managing incoming requests, running press photo calls and launches, ticket requests, clippings and review tracking and general artist management
- Being the first point of contact for companies and press regarding Underbelly, ferrying information to the necessary publicist, producer or performer
- Fielding any questions from the media about all aspects of the Underbelly programme
- Managing a Press Office team, ensuring they fulfil daily duties on time
- Overseeing our press campaign, run by an external publicist to highlight the Underbelly brand at Fringe, getting the most coverage possible
- Working with external PRs on all Underbelly shows making sure requests are facilitated and press coverage is maximised
- Working with the programming, marketing and ticketing teams in the planning and implementation of the campaign
What we are looking for
- Experience working in a busy festival or venue’s press office, ideally in a leadership position
- A team leader with the ability to motivate temporary, junior team members
- Excellent writing and editing skills
- You must be organised and work well in a high-pressure environment
- Experience working with marketing, programming and ticketing teams
- Someone who loves the arts and is excited to be involved in the Fringe
- A team player
- UK based press contacts are a bonus
How to apply
Apply here – https://underbelly.teamdetails.com/opportunity/335
Applications are rolling, we may close applications once a candidate has been appointed. Make sure to read the job spec carefully and respond to the application with this in mind.
Unfortunately due to the amount of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.