Content Marketing Officer, Job Description
INTRODUCTION & CONTEXT
Leas Lift is a Grade II* cliff funicular railway situated in the Leas & Bayle Conservation Area in Folkestone. The Lift is one of 15 funicular lifts remaining in the UK and one of only three remaining water-balanced lifts, operating with the original machinery.
Folkestone Leas Lift opened on 21st September 1885, connecting The Leas with the seafront. The District Council ran the lift until 2009, and then a CIC. In 2017 the Lift closed when the Victorian braking system, which is manually operated, with no adequate failsafe was deemed to be inadequate by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
In subsequent years, a new CIC and then a CIO was formed to raise funds to restore and re-open the Lift to the public. In November 2023, the trustees of Folkestone Leas Lift CIO secured a 4.8 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to restore the Leas Lift and deliver a 3-year programme of heritage activities. The project aims are:
- Restore Folkestone Leas Lift and re-open it to the public as a working funicular lift;
- Improve the upper and Lower lift stations so that anyone can access all areas;
- Install permanent interpretation telling the story of Leas Lift and people associated with it;
- Provide an excellent visitor experience with 21st century facilities;
- Deliver an inclusive 3-year programme of engagement activities which breaks down economic, physical, and attitudinal barriers;
- Provide opportunities for young people to obtain knowledge, experience and develop skills to enhance their employability;
- Contribute to Folkestone’s visitor economy by creating jobs and improving connectivity;
- Minimise the environmental impact of Leas Lift through design and operations;
- Ensure Leas Lift is resilient by developing a sustainable business and operational model.
A business planwas developed as part of the NLHF application, which includes sections on market research and visitor segmentation.
In the past months, the Board of Trustees and CEO have developed the overall vision, mission and values for the Leas Lift, which will be a guiding light for its interaction with consumers, colleagues and stakeholders:
Vision
To enable people to be and feel transported, connecting them to Folkestone’s past, present and future.
Mission
To restore and maintain Folkestone’s iconic Leas Lift as a fully-functioning funicular lift, historical curiosity and sustainable community endeavour.
Values
- Local – The Leas Lift exists through the support of its resident community and therefore puts the community first.
- Green – The lift is an expression of the community’s wish to live more sustainably and in tune with its environment,
- Open – The Lift is an inclusive space for everyone and shares its story in an open and transparent way. It is open every day and therefore reliable.
- Curious – The Lift is an intriguing feat of innovative Victorian engineering: it encourages creative thinking and an inquisitive mind.
- Fun – The Lift evokes joy, happiness and a sense of wonder in its customers, visitors, staff and supporters.
In parallel with the development of the Leas Lift vision/mission/values, an interpretation vision and strategy has been developed for the Leas Lift, setting out how we intend to tell the story of the Lift and in what ways we will involve and engage with the community.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The purpose of this new Content Marketing Officer role is to manage external marketing and comms relations, manage all Leas Lift marketing channels and produce inspiring and engaging marketing and interpretation content to promote and position the Folkestone Leas Lift as a fully-functioning funicular lift, historical curiosity and sustainable community endeavour. Your marketing content and communications strategies will reach far and wide, ignite interest in the Lift and draw residents and visitors to the Lift and its café from the day of its re-opening.
Key Responsibilities
- Produce all physical and digital interpretation content for the Leas Lift
- Review the marketing strategy and develop & coordinate the implementation plan
- Support the Community Engagement Manager in effectively reaching out to various audiences to promote the delivery of onsite and virtual events, talks and walks
- Manage communications with press/ publicity / key stakeholders in the run up to, and after the re-opening of the Leas Lift
- Maximise press coverage of Leas Lift by working with partners and key stakeholders in Folkestone and Kent
- Manage communications with stakeholders and audiences using direct and digital marketing (e.g., e-newsletter, Facebook, Instagram)
- Promote Leas Lift as a sustainable mode of transport, visitor attraction, venue and destination for filming to generate income
- Manage volunteers involved in marketing and promotional activities
- Managing students undertaking marketing-related work experience with the Leas Lift
- Support the team and evaluation consultant by providing key information for Heritage Fund progress reports and the final summative evaluation report
- Plan and prioritise workload, manage deadlines
- Undertake such other duties as required
CRITERIA – Essential
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in content marketing in a heritage, arts, or similar setting
- Experience in writing interpretation content
- Creativity to develop and deliver engaging marketing campaigns
- Experience of commissioning and managing digital and print marketing
- Experience of volunteer /staff management
- Good verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate comfortably and confidently with a variety of audiences
- Highly organised with good attention to detail
- Excellent customer service skills and telephone manner
- Excellent IT skills and adequate digital design skills (Canva/Adobe)
- Works well under pressure
- Able to use own initiative whilst recognising when to refer to line manager
- Willingness to work flexibly as part of a team
- Ability to prioritise and organise workload
- ‘Can do’ attitude and problem solver
CRITERIA – Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of delivering a National Lottery Heritage Fund or Big Lottery Fund project
FOR ALL APPLICANTS:
Safeguarding Regulations: Leas Lift is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all young people and adults and we and other schools and partners will need to undertake an enhanced DBS checks on you. A condition of your employment will be that you complete such applications whenever requested to do so and that the checks confirm that there are no reasons why you should not work with children or vulnerable adults.
If you wish to apply for this role, please send your CV with a cover letter to: hello@leaslift.co.uk by Sunday 12 January 2025 00:00hrs (midnight) latest. Interviews will be planned between 15 and 24 January 2025.
Please send all queries about the role to hello@leaslift.co.uk, or give us a call on: 01303 761892. Copies of the business plan, interpretation strategy and marketing strategy can be requested via the hello@leaslift.co.uk email.
