Programme Manager, Ark Culture

ARK SCHOOLS; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working model

Remote up to 10 days/year

Core hours 10:00–16:00

27–30 days leave pro rata

Job summary

Ark Culture Programme Manager (Hybrid - West London) leads high-quality cultural education across 48 Ark schools, managing partnerships, school-based projects, mini festivals, and teacher networks. You will oversee budgets, timelines and logistics, and collaborate with writers to develop Year Six shows.

A strong track record in arts education and stakeholder engagement is essential. The role reports to the Head of Creative and Extended Curriculum and offers flexible working with some remote

Qualifications

• Experience delivering school-based curriculum or enrichment arts opportunities.
• Ability to work with diverse partners including schools, artists and cultural organisations.
• Strong understanding of school environments and the cultural sector.

Responsibilities

• Manage partnerships between cultural organisations, artists and Ark schools.
• Project manage school-based projects, mini festivals and workshops across regions.
• Lead a pilot project with arts partners in SEND spaces in three schools.
• Develop scripts for Year Six shows with writers for three schools.
• Lead the Ark Drama Teachers Network and coordinate CPD events.
• Share cultural opportunities across the network.
• Oversee budgets, schedules and logistics for delivery.
• Build relationships with partners, teachers and school leaders.
• Lead data collection for evaluation and inform fundraising storytelling.
• Support legacy planning beyond the funding period.

Skills

Budget management

Timeline management

Stakeholder management

Project coordination

Partnership development

Inclusion and accessibility

Job description

About The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to manage and deliver a programme of high quality cultural education across art, dance, drama and design for the 48 schools in the Ark Network. The programme aims to ensure all pupils experience great cultural education, and this role will play a key part in delivering partnership projects across our schools as well as contributing to networkwide initiatives.

We are seeking a highly skilled and organised project manager with experience producing school based curriculum and enrichment arts opportunities and working confidently with a wide range of stakeholders. You will demonstrate an understanding of both school environments and the cultural sector, and be able to communicate effectively with colleagues in each. Strong budget management, timeline oversight, and a commitment to inclusive practice are essential to ensuring all children can access and benefit from our cultural offer.

The Programme Manager, Ark Culture will report into Head of Creative and Extended Curriculum. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office on a fixed term working part time.

Interviews will be taking place virtually w/c 9th November 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage partnerships between cultural organisations, artists and our schools
• Project manage school based projects, mini festivals and workshops in schools across our regions using a place based and school centred approach
• Project manage a pilot project with arts partners working in SEND specialist spaces in three of our schools in West London
• Project manage a programme with three schools and professional writers to develop and write scripts for three new Year Six shows
• Lead the Ark Drama Teachers Network, coordinating CPD opportunities and cross-school events
• Share cultural education opportunities across the wider network
• Manage project budgets, schedules, and logistics to ensure successful delivery
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partners, teachers, school leaders and cultural organisations
• Lead programme-wide data and evidence collection for evaluation purposes
• Provide accurate and timely information to communications and fundraising colleagues to support storytelling, reporting and funding bids
• Support the programme to ensure its legacy continues beyond this funding period, sharing knowledge and remit

Key Requirements

• Right to work in the UK
• Experienced in working in or with schools in the field of cultural education
• Strong knowledge of educational settings and arts landscapes
• Proven experience in project or programme management, ideally within arts, cultural or education settings
• Experience delivering performances or artistic programmes with young people
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to work across multiple schools and cultural partners
• Understanding of school environments and awareness of the cultural sector
• Confidence managing budgets, timelines, and logistics
• A clear commitment to inclusion and ensuring that all children can access cultural learning opportunities
• Relational approach able to communicate with children, teachers and artists
• Able to adapt to different settings and be flexible to accommodate different needs in different settings
• Ability to see the larger picture and communality across multiple projects to make a coherent programme
• Willing to support across all areas during delivery

Benefits

• Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our state of the art West London office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working
• In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years' service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to‑face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest‑free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

About Us

There are 34,000 students learning in our network of 48 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, Pontefract and Portsmouth. We've always believed that, with the right approach, every child has the potential to succeed. We work in the communities where we can make the biggest difference to children's lives, and all our schools are non-selective.

It works: our schools achieve great results - significantly outperforming national averages, especially when it comes to driving progress - the best measure for 'closing the gap'.

We take what we learn in our schools to develop new solutions and approaches that we can share. Over the last two decades, we have developed and incubated more than 20 projects and programmes, supporting them to scale and achieve systemic impact on the life chances of all children. Over 300,000 children currently learn using an Ark curriculum and our Ark Start nurseries are demonstrating a new model for early years education that we hope will become the norm.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone - staff and students - can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark's diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link .

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend on the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark's safer recruitment process, please click this link .

Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response.

For any questions, please contact [email protected] .