Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre Manager

Full time (37 hours per week), 10-month fixed-term contract (adoption leave) 

To start as soon as possible 

Salary: £35,000 pro rata 

Location: Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, Llanystumdwy, LL52 0LW 

The Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales team works collaboratively across Wales, with offices in Llanystumdwy and Cardiff. The ability to work unsociable hours, including the occasional weekend, bank holiday and one evening per week is essential due to the nature of this role. There will be occasional opportunities to work from home. 

Closing Date: Thursday 3 July, midday 

Interviews: week starting 7 July 

Please note, we are open to discussing joint proposals to share this role. 

To learn more about Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales, our principles and our offer to staff, click on the links below: 

About Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales   

Careers and staff benefits  

Our Recruitment Policy  

Our Pledge  

About the Role of the Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre Manager 

Tŷ Newydd is a residential centre that welcomes groups of writers to take part in courses to develop their creative writing craft. The Centre is occasionally used for public events, conferences and as a private holiday space. It is a lively and busy centre throughout the year. 

The Tŷ Newydd Centre Manager is responsible for managing the Centre on a day-to-day basis. Among the main responsibilities are ensuring that health and safety and risk management systems are in place, leading on welcoming guests and ensuring a high-standard hospitality experience, and managing financial budgets. By working closely with the team at the Centre, the Manager has an overview of catering management, cleaning and gardening services.  

The role requires organisation, preparation and a responsibility for solving problems at short notice to ensure that the centre's courses and activities are delivered smoothly. The Manager oversees the coordination of building maintenance and maintains close working relationships with local craftsmen to protect and improve the site. 

The Manager also works closely with teams across the organisation, including the Communications Team to promote course sales by feeding data on orders and customers, as well as the Finance Team to budget, make financial forecasts, raise invoices and ensure that all Tŷ Newydd's financial processes are carried out. 

The Manager will welcome guests from all over Wales and beyond to Tŷ Newydd, and basic Welsh communication skills are essential for this role. 

Key areas of delivery: 

• Responsibility for the operations of Tŷ Newydd as a residential centre, including (but not limited to): contact with customers and artists; order administration, including fee collection and invoice processing; dealing with suppliers; supervising the catering, cleaning and accommodation arrangements; contract and organise maintenance needs.
• Responsibility for managing budgets, including forecasting and reconciliation.
• Ensuring compliance with the law and regulations, including health and safety and risk management.
• Leading the hospitality element of the site, including: greeting guests and giving welcome presentations; informing guests of health and safety processes on their first night; chairing evenings with guest readers; working unsociable hours as required.
• Collaborating with the Hospitality and Catering Co-ordinators to ensure a high quality of service on site, including being responsible for the condition of the building and gardens prior to the arrival of each group.
• Coordinating the office, including: managing resources and services, including the telephone and internet provision; responding to various queries; maintaining the centre’s calendar and booking systems.
• Contributing to Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales’s organisational processes and documents, including gathering data, reporting on impact and reporting on progress against targets.
• Ensure that environmental targets are achieved at Tŷ Newydd.
• Any other tasks as required. 

Reports to: Artistic Director 

Suitability for the role 

We are looking for someone who has: 

• Experience of centre or hotel management and/or business management.
• Understanding of building maintenance and managing facility services.
• In-depth knowledge of health and safety, and risk management processes.
• Awareness of how to maintain green and environmentally friendly standards within the centre's processes.
• Understanding of sales processes and the ability to work as part of a team to track and increase them.
• Good understanding of computer systems, including Excel, CRM systems or booking management systems.
• Good understanding of budgets, financial forecasts, financial reconciliation and invoicing.
• Friendly and confident customer and hospitality skills, and the ability to solve problems.
• The ability and willingness to work unsociable hours, including on occasional weekends, bank holidays and one evening per week. 
• Clear, sensitive and positive communication skills - written and spoken.
• Basic Welsh-language communication skills and a positive attitude towards the language. 

Desirable skills: 

• Experience of line management.
• Strong Welsh communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Interest in literature and the arts.
• Experience of public speaking.
• Awareness of Listed Buildings maintenance.. 

Any job offers will be made subject to an appropriate DBS check. 

If you are interested in this role but are unsure whether you have sufficient experience, contact Alys Lewin, Operations Manager (alys@llendiathcymru.org / 02920 472266) for an informal chat. 

How to apply 

1. Read the above job description and the suitability list carefully. Also, read the Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales Strategic Plan for 2022-27 and take a look at our website. 
    
2. Write an application letter* or create a video application* explaining why you are interested in the role and how you are suitable for it (e.g. mention your experiences and what specific elements interest you about the job). Written applications and video applications will be assessed equally. 
    
   *Maximum of 2 A4 pages, or a 5-minute video. 
    
3. Send the following to post@llendiathcymru.org by Thursday 3 July, midday: 
    

• Your application letter or video;
• Your CV, details of two referees who know you in a professional context. We will only contact your referees after an offer of employment has been accepted;
• A completed Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales Equality and Diversity Form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2QJXSMH 

 What will happen next? 

We will assess the applications and invite successful applicants to an interview at Tŷ Newydd on the week starting 7 July. We will confirm in advance who will be on the interview panel to represent the Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales team. 

Although this will be a formal interview, we will endeavour to ensure that all candidates are comfortable with the interview process. If the process causes you any anxiety, please let us know in advance and we can arrange an informal meeting or telephone/video chat before the interview with Alys Lewin, Operations Manager. 

Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales is a registered charity (1146560) which works with the support of the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government.