Working hours: 35 hours per week (flexible / hybrid working) - occasional evening and weekend work with time off in lieu
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 11.59pm, 19 April 2026
Interview method: in person
 
Applicants must have existing right to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
 
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. 
 
This role is subject to:
  • Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
  • 2 references - where possible we require 3 years' history
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Council’s Culture Team in a permanent role, working on cultural grants and investments, partnerships, as well as events and communications for Manchester’s diverse and vibrant cultural sector. 
 
The Culture Team works to create the conditions for arts and culture to flourish in the city, for the benefit of all Manchester residents. This involves a busy work programme and collaboration with arts organisations, funding bodies, artists and communities on a diverse range of projects and partnerships. 

We are looking for a candidate to join the Culture Team with a working knowledge of the cultural sector or creative industries and of the funding landscape for culture. You will be passionate about about culture, its value and its impact. You will also have excellent communication skills and will be highly organised.  

You'll help to manage the Council’s funding resources, particularly our Cultural Strategic Investments and Cultural Partnership Grants programmes, with responsibility for monitoring processes and holding regular meetings with the cultural organisations we fund.  

You will also support an annual Cultural Impact Survey, which gives us powerful insights into what is happening in the city’s cultural life, as well as contribute to city strategies and plans, especially ‘Always, Everywhere: Manchester’s Cultural Ambition’ and our work to reduce carbon emissions. 

The role includes arranging meetings, and events with and for cultural organisations, as well as helping manage the prestigious Manchester Culture Awards and providing communications support through press and social media releases. 

In this role you will: 
  • Develop and manage monitoring processes and a schedule of review meetings, for organisations in the Council’s Cultural Partnership Grants and Strategic Cultural Investments portfolios.
  • Support the delivery of the Council’s annual Cultural Impact Survey.
  • Contribute to Manchester’s Cultural Strategy and development and delivery of the Culture Team’s Team and Zero Carbon Action Plan.
  • Support the Council’s Manchester Culture Awards, with responsibility for individual work packages. 
  • Support the delivery of events related to the Council’s cultural investment portfolio.  
  • Provide communications support for Culture Team activities in relation to communication briefs, press releases and social media. 
  • Liaise between cultural organisations and the Council’s Communications team in relation to advertising offers and opportunities.  
If you share our passion for culture and want to be part of a dedicated and hardworking team, we would love to hear from you. If you would like to have an informal discussion about this role, please contact Thorsten Mayer, Principal Resources and Programmes Officer, Culture via email at thorsten.mayer@manchester.gov.uk. 

We would love to hear from you if you have the following experience:
  • Communication Skills: Strong communication skills, written and verbal with the ability to adapt to the audience and situation with ability to influence or persuade internal or external stakeholders.
  • Analytical Skills: Ability to translate analyses into business cases which define potential benefits, options for achieving the benefits development of new or changed processes, and associated business risks.
  • Planning and Organising: Ability to clearly prioritise work, set targets for self and others to meet demanding timescales.
  • Project Management: Contributes to the project and programme planning process within a defined project management framework providing required information in a timely manner and identify emerging risks to the project or programme and reports these appropriately. 
  • Problem Solving and Decision Making: Is able to make effective decisions on a day-to-day basis, taking ownership of decisions, demonstrating sound judgement in escalating issues where necessary. Be logical in their thinking and explain reasoning behind decisions or actions taken.
  • Strategic Thinking: Ability to think creatively and provide innovative solutions to problems. Has ability to develop new approaches to finding solutions outside of existing parameters.
  • ICT Skills: Skills to use ICT systems to obtain and analyse data and present it effectively through a variety of ICT channels.
  • Research and Intelligence: Ability to conduct research using a variety of techniques, in order to gather evidence, evaluate and cascade to services and partners.
  • Financial Management: Ability to plan, forecast and monitor expenditure against budgets, investigates variances and takes timely action to address deviations.
Technical skills
  • Knowledge of and contribution to recent funding initiatives in local government and understanding of the national agenda on matters relating to a range of urban policy areas including arts & culture, smart cities and digital, energy, environment and climate change. Evidence of the ability to develop and implement programme and project management systems associated with funding programmes and projects locally, nationally, and internationally.
  • Knowledge of bidding for and managing funding from a range of funding bodies – local, national, regional, sub-regional and internationally.
  • Willingness to undertake occasional off site and out of normal office hours working.

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities. 

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone. 

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

  • We take time to listen and understand
  • We work together and trust each other
  • We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
  • We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
  • We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer 

  • Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks. 
  • A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum. 
  • Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events. 
  • Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more. 
  • Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process. 
  • A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life. 
  • Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits. 

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council 

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people. 

Support During the Process

  • Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
  • Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone. 

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme 

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

  • Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
  • Current or former care leavers
  • Have a disability or long-term condition

 When You Join Us 

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

  • A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
  • Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
  • A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email jobs@manchester.gov.uk. 

What we will need from you if you're successful 

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.  

Pre-Employment Checks 

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for, see the top of the advert for details.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve. 

Other relevant information 

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role. 

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.
 
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. 
 
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Location

, , Manchester, , United Kingdom

Job ID

7740