Marketing and Communications Assistant - April 2023

Candidate Information

Marketing and Communications Assistant

April 2023

Sutton Valence

one school, many journeys

Introduction

Sutton Valence School (SVS) is an independent, HMC co-educational day and

boarding school situated in the heart of Kent. The School is part of, and

overlooks, the picturesque village of Sutton Valence whilst being just five miles

from Maidstone and within convenient travelling time from central London.

The School enjoys an excellent reputation for providing a truly holistic education

for its pupils. An important part of its success is the partnership between staff,

parents and pupils who work together as a purposeful and supportive

community, allowing pupils to excel and realise their full potential.

The Senior School’s roll is currently 560 of which 113 are boarders. Class sizes

are small and the overall pupil-staff ratio of 9:1 enables Sutton Valence pupils to

benefit from the close guidance and individual attention of teachers. The

academic staff are all highly-qualified subject specialists. In addition to the focus

on excellent academic achievement, all pupils are encouraged to take full

advantage of the School’s broader co-curricular offering to expand and develop

their interests in both the creative arts and sport, as well as their leadership

skills and sense of service.

Contained within the 100 acre site, there are dedicated games pitches, an

all-weather playing surface, a sports centre, which contains a fitness suite, an

all-weather athletics track and field sports arena and an indoor six-lane

swimming pool.

Sutton Valence Preparatory School (SVPS) occupies its own site in the

neighbouring village of Chart Sutton and currently has 285 pupils between the

ages of 2 and 11. SVPS offers outstanding learning opportunities for a

wide-ranging cohort in each of the four pillars considered core to an SVS

education: Academic, Enrichment, Community and Leadership and Service. SVPS

has a long history of preparing children for the next stage of their education,

including the Kent Test and entry to Sutton Valence.

The Post

Sutton Valence School is seeking an enthusiastic and innovative individual to work

within a small team delivering marketing and communications for our Nursery,

Preparatory School and Senior School. The post will suit a talented and creative

individual seeking to develop their marketing career. Reporting to the Marketing

and Communications Manager (MCM), the successful candidate will contribute to

the marketing and communications operation, supporting Admissions activity for

the School and working with various stakeholders to enhance our communications

and brand.

The Marketing and Communications Assistant will contribute to the planning and

delivery of a programme of engaging, inspiring and distinctive content (including

videos, gifs, photos, news stories, flyers and posters). They will seek and develop

creative methods to promote the work of the School, and will be responsible for the

results of the projects they manage.

Applicants must possess strong copywriting and organisational skills together with a

drive to continuously improve on performance. Attention to detail is imperative,

along with a genuine interest in social media campaigns and the flexibility to work

on various projects as they present themselves.

Whilst this is a broad overview of the key responsibilities, there are always varied

opportunities and projects that may arise and so approaching all tasks with a

flexible, open-minded and creative approach, whilst being willing to learn about and

contribute to an exciting School environment is paramount.

plan and detailed termly plans;

• Work with the MCM in implementing digital advertising opportunities,

including a range of social media platforms, creating campaigns and draft

copy;

• Maintain the library of School photography and videography to ensure

availability of images suitable for promotional activities, advertisements,

website use and publications, and manage the database of non-photo

consent children;

• Assist with the organisation of events and functions;

• In collaboration with the MCM, implement, manage and adjust our social

media strategy as necessary, based on research data;

• Collaborate with the MCM in the production of literature, including

magazines, booklets, handbooks, brochures and other printed publications

as required;

• Undertake marketing tasks as requested by departments across the School

and the MCM, including creating PowerPoints, digital portfolios, providing

images, updating documents, etc.

Communications

• Producing weekly newsletters;

• Publicising news stories through a variety of social media channels;

• Copywriting, such as blog posts, social media captions, and editorial

articles;

• Check the School calendar and liaise with teaching staff to identify internal

and external stories of interest;

• Creating website news pages for Little Lambs Nursery, the Preparatory

School and the Senior School.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

• Hold a relevant higher education qualification or have previous marketing

experience;

• Possess previous experience of updating social media profiles and other

digital marketing platforms;

• Previous experience of Google Analytics, Adobe InDesign, WordPress or

iSAMS is desirable;

• Training will be available for the successful candidate.
  

Must be able to

• Prioritise workload effectively;

• Offer insights and generate ideas with practical application;

• Work collaboratively with others in order to achieve practical results;

• Be proactive in all areas of responsibility;

• Meet deadlines and thrive under pressure;

• Have the confidence to visit staff, lessons, obtain quotes and document

activities taking place on the School sites;

• Demonstrate a high level of organisation and excellent time management.

Must have

• Commitment to Sutton Valence School, and be able to demonstrate an

understanding of its ethos and the School’s ambitions for the future;

• High levels of energy and a ‘can do’ attitude;

• An interest in photography;

• Excellent writing, editing and production of engaging and distinctive

marketing materials and publications;

• Good creative judgement, with an eye for photographic selection and an

appreciation of graphic and typographic design;

• Proven knowledge of IT applications;

• Thorough approach and exceptional attention to detail;

• High standards of personal and professional presentation;

• High level of integrity and confidentiality.

Terms and Conditions

The post is available from April 2023. The starting salary is circa £22,250 per

annum. The hours of work are 8.45am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday for 52 weeks a

year. The annual holiday entitlement is five weeks plus public holidays, to be taken

outside of term time.

Application Process

Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the application

form in full. CVs will not be accepted in substitution for completed application

forms.

Covering letters of application should state particular skills and attributes you can

bring to Sutton Valence School and a brief details of how you fit the position,

including specific details of skills, experience and achievements.

Do not meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and

people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single

qualification. At SVS we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive

workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience does not

align perfectly with every qualification or experience in the information provided,

we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or

other roles.

Further information about Sutton Valence School can be found on our website.

To apply please complete the application and monitoring form and email it with a

covering letter to hradmin@svs.org.uk or post it for the attention of the Assistant

Bursar, Sutton Valence School, North Street, Sutton Valence, Kent ME17 3HL.

Closing date:Monday 3rd April 2023

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to

the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring

Service (DBS), and a declaration of medical fitness. It is an offence to apply for

this role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to

children.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

A copy of the School’s Child Protection policy may be found on the School’s

website, which all applicants are expected to read prior to interview.

Sutton Valence School is an equal opportunities employer.

Please note: we reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

Benefits to Working at SVS

Pension

The School operates a contributory pension scheme which is open to all members of

staff. Support Staff are offered the opportunity to join a defined contribution (DC)

scheme, and currently offer two levels of contribution. With Option One, the

employee contributes five per cent of their salary, and the School contributes three

per cent. With Option Two, the employee contributes seven per cent and the School

contributes fourteen per cent.

Fee Remission

All staff with a contract for at least one full term and have children who attend either

the Senior or Preparatory School will be eligible to receive a discount in respect of

School fees (excluding the Nursery). The current rate of discount is 65 per cent for

full-time staff, and for part-time staff the relevant percentage will be calculated on a

pro rata basis.

School Meals

All staff are provided with excellent lunches with no charge. Refreshments are

available in the department pantry throughout the day.

Free Parking

Both the Senior and Preparatory School sites have free, ample parking available for

staff. Both sites have accessible parking bays.

Community and Environment

We are very proud of the positive and supportive community we have and staff

often comment on this being one of the best aspects of working at SVS. This,

coupled with a beautiful physical environment both at School and in the

immediate vicinity, make it a highly desirable place to work.

Benenden Healthcare Membership

All staff are welcome to join the Benenden Healthcare Scheme. The cost of

joining Benenden is currently £11.90 per month; the School pays up to 80 per

cent of contributions, based upon length of service. Further Information is

available from the Bursary.

Fitness Facilities

All staff may use the Senior School’s fitness facilities at designated times.

These facilities include an indoor, heated, six-lane swimming pool, a fully

equipped air-conditioned Strength and Conditioning Suite, and a

Cardiovascular Suite, as well as a large sports hall available for a multitude of

sports.

Sutton Valence School

North Street

Sutton Valence

Kent ME17 3HL

www.svs.org.uk

01622 845200

A member of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation.

Registered Charity No 1181012