The HR Booth is supporting our client The Ferret Media Ltd in recruiting for a Business Manager.

The Ferret Media Ltd is an award-winning multimedia cooperative based in Scotland producing independent, not-for-profit, investigative journalism that holds power to account and empowers its readers. Formed in 2015 to provide a sustainable platform for original investigative journalists, we are looking for a part-time (3 days per week) business manager to partner with our co-editors, ensure the smooth running of the business and to support our ongoing development.

About the role

The business manager role looks after many of the non-editorial duties required to run The Ferret, partnering with the co-editors and the board on elements such as fund development and co-publishing agreements. This includes:

• BUSINESS PLAN & BUDGET - Lead the development of the business plan and budget, collaborating closely with the staff and board to agree a plan and track progress throughout the year.
• FUNDING & OTHER INCOME GENERATION - Help identify funding opportunities and track progress on applications and responses. This could include completing grant applications or supporting journalists applying for project-specific funding, as well as identifying opportunities for board members to assist where useful. Assist in reporting for grants.
• MEMBERSHIP - Initiate and lead membership recruitment campaigns and work with staff and board to deliver the AGM and other member events as needed. Support the organisation to develop a membership strategy that can be implemented across operations and editorial teams.
• OPERATIONS - Manage contracts for co-publishing deals, ensure financial tasks like invoices and accountants are managed, and other administrative tasks as required.
• COMMUNICATIONS - Act as a point of contact for non-editorial communications for the organisation, resolving queries directly or referring them to the appropriate part of the business as required. Collaborate with co-editors, operational lead, and social lead to streamline communications where possible.
• MONTHLY & ANNUAL REPORTING - Work with operations and financial leads to ensure organisational performance reporting is tracked and shared with board and staff. This includes financials, membership, and reach and engagement of content.
• BOARD SUPPORT - Support the board of directors, including the coordination and production of papers for discussion, occasionally attending/presenting to the board (4-6 times per year)

While The Ferret is non-hierarchical, each role in the organisation is supported by an assigned line manager, in this case the chair of the operations committee.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Good understanding of the media landscape and passion for independent journalism.
• Demonstrable experience managing projects and using influence to keep things on track.
• Demonstrable track record of successful fundraising, ideally in the context of media and a member-led organisation.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, confident in working with a broad range of people.
• Experience of financial management
• Competent with Google Suite and other cloud tools such as Slack and Trello.
• Self-starter, entrepreneurial mindset, able to work with minimal supervision.
• Experience of organising events.
• Ability to work from home.
• Commitment to promoting equality, inclusion and diversity across the organisation.

Desirable experience

• Experience developing membership growth and engagement strategies.
• Experience supporting a voluntary board working in a related sector, such as media, non-profits, social enterprises or co-operatives.
• Experience administering accounting and HR software.

Our Values

We are a value-driven organisation. We believe in transparency, we treasure accuracy and our journalism is non-partisan. Our new business manager will need to have a clear understanding of our culture, and a shared belief in the importance of what we are trying to do, and the way we are trying to do it.

In return we offer the chance to be part of a dynamic and driven organisation at a critical and exciting time in our development, with the potential to help shape the future of the media in Scotland.

Our Offer

This is a rolling freelance contract, for three days a week at a day rate of £135 per day (£35,100 pro-rata). The successful candidate will work as a contractor, with 18 days paid holidays, travel expenses and sick leave. The Ferret also provides an annual home working allowance.

The position is remote, though there is a community newsroom in Glasgow where team members can work. The team will meet in person in Scotland (usually Glasgow or Edinburgh) quarterly. Reasonable travel expenses for in-person meetings can be reimbursed. Team members must have permission to work in the UK as The Ferret cannot provide sponsorship.

• Do you believe in holding power to account, sometimes irreverently?
• Do you believe that good journalism can change things?
• Do you think the future of journalism should be in the hands of journalists and readers, not shareholders?

This is your chance to join the board of Scotland’s leading investigative journalism outlet, The Ferret. A cooperative owned by our readers and writers, and recent winners of Team of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards, we’re looking for directors for our board who can bring new skills and perspectives to help take The Ferret to the next level in 2023.

Could that be you? We hope so!

We particularly welcome applications from people from under-represented and marginalised backgrounds including those from the Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled people, LGBT people, women.

We would really value the following skill sets, although we’re happy to hear from others too:

• Funding expertise, particularly in the journalism/social change space
• Wordpress, coding and web design
• Social enterprise/cooperative management
• Community engagement and outreach