Local Liaison Officer Needed 

Recruiting now

(Apply by end of Monday 20th February 2023)

This post has been funded by Awards For All

Job Title

Local Liaison Officer

Terms:

  • Early March or asap until mid August 2023 (plus debrief meeting)
  • Fixed fee of £3,600 on self employed basis
  • 10 hours per week on average.
  • Quieter times before and after the festival. Busier times with increased working hours around the event.
  • Flexible working arrangements with some evening and weekend work required. 
  • You must be available for the full period as outlined including potentially unconventional working hours.
  • You will be required to give the event your sole attention from Monday 31st July to Tuesday 8th August 2023, and to stay in your own accommodation (tent / campervan) on the festival site at Strathallan Castle for the majority of this period.
  • Fee is inclusive of a reasonable amount of local travel.
  • Crew catering provided when working on festival site.

 Role Purpose

Reporting to the Director of Planning & Development and working closely alongside the wider MugStock team, particularly the Volunteer Coordinator and Development Team, you will be the main link between the festival and our local community, with a focus on those living closest to the site, but with a remit to raise the profile of the event across Perth and Kinross. Success in the role will be evidenced by an event well attended by a large and diverse populus of locals, who feel engaged, represented and excited by MugStock, and which is understood, accepted and supported even by those among our closest neighbours who choose not to attend.  

The Organisation

MugStock is a Festival of Music & Merriment. Our 5th event takes place at new site Strathallan Castle, near Auchterarder in Perthshire from Friday 4th – Monday 7th August 2023 with music, merriment and extraordinary occurrences across 4 days.  Profiling the best emerging talent from Scotland and beyond, MugStock has earned a reputation for its diverse musical programme. Workshops, stalls, walkabout performers, site decor and camping help add a bit more magic. 

A festival for all ages, MugStock has been highly praised for attracting a friendly and diverse audience who help create our much remarked upon safe and relaxed atmosphere. We aim to put on an event which everyone can enjoy. As a not for profit festival with a strong social conscience, we have positioned MugStock as being extremely reasonably priced, ensuring that we create an event which is socially, geographically and financially accessible. 

As a charity involving a growing number of volunteers, we see MugStock as an evolving community in which everyone contributes to creating something larger than themselves, for all to enjoy. We collaborate to create an environment which promotes diversity, respect, physical and mental health, skills development, and participation in and appreciation of the arts.

The festival is led by a voluntary board of directors, and supported by an army of other volunteers, and a small team of part time staff.

 

Role Description

Reporting to the Director of Planning & Development the Local Liaison Officer’s duties include: 

  • Raising the profile of MugStock as a new event to the area, with a particular focus on the city of Perth and the communities surrounding Strathallan such as Crieff and Auchterarder.
  • Establishing excellent relationships with our most local neighbours, ensuring that any concerns about the event are understood, recorded, noted, responded to and where possible mitigated, particularly concerns relating to noise and traffic.
  • Building relationships with the residents within immediate proximity of the site who are most likely to be affected by the event, offering, maximising the uptake of and administrating the distribution of free tickets.
  • Encouraging maximum uptake of opportunities for locals to book discounted tickets, with a particular focus on encouraging older people to attend.
  • Keeping the MugStock board of directors and wider team informed about pertinent local affairs and reception of the event.
  • Working in partnership with the Volunteer Coordinator to local volunteers, with a particular focus on younger and older people
    • Volunteer roles to include advanced promotion, and on site delivery (stewarding etc)
  • Working with MugStock’s head of Decor, Volunteer Coordinator and Board to help coordinate and promote community festival decor building workshops in the local area
  • Identify potential local acts and liaise with the Director of Programming and Production in order to ensure local representation on the festival’s stages.
  • Developing partnerships with local organisations and groups, including identifying those who would benefit from receipt of free tickets, and proactively distributing these in line with MugStock’s social priorities.
  • Assisting the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure that team members are appropriately supported to maximise the benefits derived from their volunteering experience.
  • Whilst volunteers are on site, working with the Volunteer Coordinator to help consolidate the team through inclusive events such as a crew film night and a community meal
  • Leading on local PR within Perth & Kinross, coordinating volunteers as appropriate to help promote the event locally
  • Conducting face to face consultancy with community members
  • Being an ambassador for the festival
  • Initiating discussions with local businesses to explore potential partnerships, advertising and sponsorship
  • Representing MugStock at relevant community meetings (such as community councils)
  • Establishing links with local groups and organisations to explore the potential for joint work
  • Attending meetings of the event’s safety advisory group (SAG meetings) approximately 3 meetings during contract
  • Working with the Volunteer Coordinator to plan and execute a team social event on site after the conclusion of the festival
  • Liaising with and reporting to the wider MugStock team, through attending meetings, writing reports, by phone and email.
  • Any other relevant duties

Person Specification

 

Essential

  • Exceptional organisational skills
  • Exemplary written and verbal communication skills
  • Confident networking ability
  • Proven ability to organise own time and set appropriate priorities
  • Experience of working with and within communities
  • Ability to work as part of a team and independently
  • Experience of maintaining accurate records
  • Outgoing, enthusiastic, positive and confident
  • Sense of humour
  • Belief in the potential of a grassroots music festival to improve people’s lives
  • Own transport

 

Desirable 

  • Lives local to city of Perth and / or Strathallan Castle
  • Direct and digital marketing skills
  • Experience of working in a festival or events environment
  • Previous experience of volunteering and management
  • Existing network of contacts within the communities of Perth, Crieff, Auchterarcer and the surrounding areas
  • Experience of working within the charitable sector
  • Superb research and analytical skills
  • Experience of PR

 

How to Apply

  • Please send an email to alan@mugstock.org with:
    • Email subject: LOCAL LIAISON OFFICER APPLICATION – {Your Name}
    • A CV (no more than 2 sides of A4, pdf format)
    • A brief covering letter (pdf) or covering email explaining how your skills and experience match the role and person description, and why you would like to work as part of the MugStock team
  • Closing date for applications: Monday 20th February 2023
  • Interviews will take place the week beginning 27th February
  • Postholder will ideally start in early March

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