Project Manager

Purpose:

An exciting new opportunity is available to project manage a unique partnership project involving two Cumbrian organisations.

The Rum Story Re-Imagined is a project that will be delivered over the next 12 months by Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners – who own The Rum Story visitor attraction in Whitehaven town centre – and Anti Racist Cumbria. This project has been made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery Players.

The project’s aim is to reveal the history of The Rum Story and Whitehaven’s connection to the trading and trafficking of enslaved African people, resulting in a world-class, relevant and attractive visitor experience. We are looking for a project manager to help us connect The Rum Story’s coastal community with a global story in a way that is authentic, bold, educational and engaging.

In order to manage this collaboration effectively, the partners wish to appoint a Project Manager for a fixed term of 12 months (on an employed or freelance basis) to undertake a feasibility, consultation and information-gathering exercise – including who needs to be involved in that process to make it a success, as well as costs and funding streams.

The objectives will be to:

• Tell the story in the right way, through a prism of anti-racism to improve the customer experience and make a real difference to people’s lives, regionally, nationally and globally
• Connect local people with their heritage, and build pride in this retelling
• Engage with the Whitehaven community to embolden, empower and equip them to take pride in being a leading light in telling the story and heritage
• Be part of embedding anti-racism into the culture of The Rum Story
• Prepare people and visitors for the change that is coming by working with the wider team to re-brand The Rum Story and refresh/upgrade the website
• Increase footfall through the door – new visitors (locally and globally)
• Increase the return of previous visitors by adapting and flexing to keep it interesting and fresh
• Consider long-term environmental sustainability

The project vision: 

This project is a partnership between The Rum Story and Anti Racist Cumbria. Anti Racist Cumbria is a charity whose aim is to make Cumbria an actively anti-racist county, by tackling racism through action and education to create a forward-thinking and actively anti-racist Cumbria. 

Working with The Rum Story in line with the objectives listed here, will support this aim in the west of the county, and have an impact on Cumbrian arts and culture, education, leadership, as well as regional businesses and organisations.

The Rum Story’s aim is to tell its story in a truly representative way that is relevant to a modern and much wider audience that is true to the past but can shape the future. Through this, The Rum Story can make a real difference and bring change to its local communities, to Cumbria and beyond, through education, arts and culture, positively impacting as many people as possible and businesses from all backgrounds.

Through our exciting collaboration, the partners are supporting and benefiting each other’s vision, aims and objectives.

Requirements of the role:

• Outreach work, holding discussions and sessions to gather insight into existing stories of rum, Whitehaven and The Rum Story itself; establishing what each person/group would like to see in the future and bringing the community together and with The Rum Story on this journey. Make them feel connected to this heritage and be excited about it.
• Capture information in a variety of ways: (Data/numbers, conversational/thoughts/feelings, different inputs).
   
• Establishing, both physically and story wise:

1. What is there?
2. What isn’t there?
3. Which voices are missing?

• Determine what additional expertise we need, such as:

1. Historian who understands local history
2. Historian who understands the global history
3. Curators
4. Who can engage the community in co-curation to ensure key messages are told from different perspectives

• Capture, record and understand what people actually think of The Rum Story:

1. What do locals think?
2. What do visitors think? (Who has actually been asked? How diverse have those visitors really been?)
3. Is all visitor data, information and feedback recorded for measuring? If not, what needs to be introduced to make this happen and for it to work effectively?
4. What do educators think? What opportunities are there for The Rum Story to be told differently and more widely? Conversations with teachers will be an essential part of this.

• Review existing partnerships and establish what new relationships are needed to make things happen
• Consider existing funding commitments while looking to the future to understand how much money might be needed to bring the bigger vision together
• Agree both the medium-term and longer-term priorities for the project and partners
• Focus on international connections and establish if there is scope for these to be stronger, particularly in areas such as Antigua and the rest of the Caribbean, US (particularly Virginia), and West Africa.
• Research, collect and communicate all the information and evidence to answer the big question “How does The Rum Story sell the vision back to the community, wider partners and appropriate funders as necessary to make all of the above happen… and then deliver it?!”

Skills needed

Essential:

• An understanding of what anti-racism means, and a curiosity about anti-oppression (or intersectionality)
• An attitude of openness and curiosity to be able to talk and engage with people from all walks of life and different lived expertise.
• The ability to value principled disagreement/polite dissent so that discussions can be generative/productive/positive even when people disagree. 
• Being comfortable with iterative processes (repeating something until it works/practising something) and flexible plans that are responsive to emerging need
• Knowledge of Whitehaven and the West Cumbria coast (or an economically similar region)
• An enthusiasm for history, heritage and community
• A creative approach to getting things done (this might be because you’re working in the creative sector or because you can demonstrate flexibility and using imagination and flair in our professional or personal life)
• An engaging and effective communicator

Desirable:

• Ability to undertake research and data capture
• Self-organised/self-starter
• Project management experience
• An interest in local and/or national history
• Operational knowledge of the heritage sector
• Presentation skills
• Effective management of budgets
• Ability to get around Cumbria - driving licence preferable

Headline terms & conditions:

Contract: Fixed term appointment for 12 months - both directly employed and freelance candidates will be considered equally
Remuneration: 32k pro-rata salary 
Hours: It is anticipated that this role will be carried out over four days per week. However, WHC and ARC are responsive to flexible working requests and will take a collaborative approach to finding the right solution for the individual, the project and the organisations.
Reporting to: This is a jointly commissioned post and project by The Rum Story/Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners and Anti Racist Cumbria. The successful candidate will be jointly supervised by the two organisations, and one another will be held mutually accountable.
Location: Based at WHC’s offices above The Rum Story in Whitehaven town centre. There will be a requirement to travel within Cumbria and potentially further afield, for which reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Additional employee benefits: Staff discount in The Rum Story shop.

How to apply:

Please send a CV and covering letter to The Rum Story via email: louise@rumstory.co.uk

Closing date: 5pm Friday 18th October 2024

Interviews: Tuesday 5th November and Wednesday 6th November at The Rum Story, Whitehaven. Standard rate/class travel expenses will be reimbursed.    
Interviews will involve an interview panel. More details will be provided if you are invited to interview. 
Please ensure you are available for both interview dates if you decide to apply for this post as we are unable to change these dates to accommodate external factors. We will inform you if you are called for an interview no later than 5pm on Monday 28 October.

Further information:

If you would like an informal discussion or the format of the application present significant barriers email hello@antiracistcumbria.org. 

Equal opportunities statement:

The Rum Story and Anti Racist Cumbria are working together to not only promote equal opportunities in employment but to push further and strive for equity. All job applicants receive a fair chance regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or beliefs, sex or sexual orientation (protected characteristics).

We are required by law to ensure all employees are entitled to work in the UK. Prospective employees, regardless of nationality, must be able to produce original documents before employment starts, to satisfy current immigration legislation.

Apply