Aberdeen Jazz Festival 2024

Community Engagement Worker Brief

The Aberdeen Jazz Festival (Jazz Scotland) would like to contract a Community Engagement Worker (December 23 – March 24) in advance of the 2024 festival. The Aberdeen Jazz Festival has been a key feature of the city’s events calendar for many years, taking place in iconic and established venues, and featuring the best of local, national, and international musical talent. While our audience numbers are significant as they are, our intention is to ensure that the festival is relevant to more people. The postholder will therefore engage with diverse groups of people to help Jazz Scotland achieve the following aims: 

• Better understand the formal, informal, professional, and non-professional jazz and jazz-related music-making that currently happens in city 
• Build connections with relevant music-making groups/individuals/scenes 
• Understand whether, and how, they might like to be supported by Jazz Scotland
• Showcase, where relevant, any work undertaken at AJF 24 
• Identify any partnerships that could be deepened going forward

A full brief will be agreed at the start of the project, but the project will include:

• 70 hours of research, engagement, and dialogue with community groups
• 15 hours to produce a report and recommendations
• Line-management and induction by Jazz Scotland staff
• Budget and support to produce a small programme of  festival events/activities based on research and recommendations.

Person Specification

This role will suit someone who is Aberdeen-based with a keen interest in 'bottom-up' approaches to community cultural work. We are looking for someone with:

• Sound knowledge or keen interest in jazz or jazz-related musical styles.
• Experience in bottom-up community engagement work, especially with diverse groups.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivation and excellent organisational abilities
• Research skills
• Experience of producing cultural events/projects/activities
• Good knowledge of groups/organisations in ‘Regeneration Areas’ and minority ethnic-led associations/groups in Aberdeen [preferable].

Rate of Pay

85 hours @ £17p/h = £1445

£100 expenses

Total = £1545

Applying

Please send a CV and cover letter outlining why you believe yourself to be suitable for the role. Email these documents to simon@jazzscotland.com with the subject line ‘Aberdeen Community Engagement Worker Application’. Deadline for applications 11.59pm Friday 24th November 2023. We will review the applications and invite suitable applicants to a short interview on the week beginning 27th of November. The role will begin the following week.

Eligibility

Applicants will be engaged on a freelance basis and will be responsible for their own tax obligations. Minimal travel expenses are covered, so the post-holder should be based in or around Aberdeen City.