International Programmes Manager
Application Pack
September 2025

National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall (c) Hannah Hutchins

About us

National Centre for Writing (NCW) is a dynamic literature house for contemporary writing at the heart of England’s
first UNESCO City of Literature. We’re a charity and company limited by guarantee, committed to exploring the
artistic, social and place-making powers of creative writing and literary translation. Our work is focused on the ways
we can support a flourishing and diverse ecology for writers and translators, and support and engage communities
to tell their own stories.

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly effective project manager to deliver our residencies programme,
alongside other international projects and collaborations including the Meet the World event series and the Literary
Translation Centre at London Book Fair.

Our international strand of work forms a core programme area here at NCW that sets us apart from other UK-based
literature organisations. The residencies programme and our other international collaborations sit within a broad
offer of support and opportunities for international writers and literary translators, which also includes the Emerging
Translator Mentorship programme and our International Literature Exchange.

About you

To be successful in the role, you will have a minimum of five years’ experience of planning and delivering high
quality projects with an international element, within an arts, literature or literary translation context. The residencies
programme in particular requires a candidate with working relationships in the wider translation and literature
sector, as well as in Norwich ideally, to ensure residents can network effectively at a local level.

As our residencies programme is supported by a wide range of national and international funders and partners,

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a continually evolving mix of longstanding and new relationships, the ideal candidate will need excellent
communication skills and an ability to co-ordinate and synthesise the ideas and needs of multiple participants and
stakeholders, and will ideally bring their own international networks and contacts to the programme.

You will have excellent planning skills and an ability to deal with a wide range of people, being flexible to the
changing requirements and cultural sensitivities of residents, other artists and all our partners.

Equal opportunities

National Centre for Writing is committed to equality of opportunity. We actively encourage people from a variety of
backgrounds with different experiences, skills and stories to join us. By taking positive action (as permitted in the
Equality Act 2010) we aim to prioritise interviews for eligible candidates who demonstratively meet all the essential
criteria as outlined in the person specification who identify as having one of the following protected characteristics:

•  Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse
•  Disabled and/or Neurodiverse
•  Candidates from diverse socio-economic backgrounds as defined by household main earner occupation aged 14

and secondary schooling aged 12-16

How to apply

To apply for the position of International Programmes Manager please fill out our application form and equal
opportunities monitoring form at nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/vacancies/ along with a Personal Statement
(maximum 1,500 words) and send to Amanda Salmon, Head of Operations & Commercial at amanda@
nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk.

Closing date for applications: 10am, Monday 6 October

Interviews: Friday 17 October

If you have any queries about the job role, application process, or would prefer the application documentation
in a different format please email Amanda Salmon, Head of Operations & Commercial at amanda@
nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk.

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Terms & conditions

Position

International Programmes Manager

Accountable to

Head of Programmes & Creative Engagement

Responsible for

No direct reports

Contract

Salary

Benefits include

Hours

Leave

Location

Three days per week/0.6 fte, permanent post

£35,121 fte (£21,072.60 pro rata)

Contributory Pension Scheme (after successful completion of probationary
period), Cycle To Work Scheme, and Training and Development tailored to
your level of experience

Standard hours are 7.5 per day to be worked between 9am to 6pm. Exact
working hours for this 0.6 part-time role to be agreed with your Line
Manager. Some evening and weekend working may be required in order to
fulfil your role successfully for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be taken by
agreement and in accordance with the Staff Handbook

Paid annual leave of 25 days per annum plus 8 public holidays pro rata

NCW is located at Dragon Hall, 115-123 King St, Norwich, NR11QE. Minimum
one day per week in the office, remote working negotiable

Probation period

Six months

Notice period

Two months (one month during probationary period)

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BCLT Summer School 2017 (c) Anita Staff

Job description

Purpose of the role

NCW seeks to appoint an International Programmes Manager who will manage and deliver key programmes within
the organisation’s international strand of work, focussing on our multiple residency and retreat programmes for
creative writers and literary translators.

The International Programmes Manager will also effectively manage other international projects and collaborations
led by NCW, including the Meet the World event series and the Literary Translation Centre at London Book Fair.
Liaising with international funders, they will develop relationships to support and enable this work.

Main responsibilities

Residency programme
•  Oversee the delivery and development of the NCW residency programme for international writers and literary

translators, including both in-person and virtual residencies and exchanges

•  Develop and implement new international residencies and exchanges that focus on areas of interest to the
organisation including opportunities for: literary translators working into and out of English in the UK and
internationally and residency exchanges with fellow UNESCO Cities of Literature

•  Develop and oversee the Visible Communities programme, for literary translators from global majority

backgrounds and/or working from diaspora languages
Liaise with existing, and cultivate new, funder and partner relationships, both nationally and internationally

•
•  Work with NCW’s Head of Programmes and Development Manager on new funding applications where

necessary

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•
•

•

Lead the NCW residencies team in supporting you to deliver the best possible experience for residents
Seek opportunities to involve residents in the UEA’s British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) programme
where relevant
Seek opportunities to integrate residents and their work into other strands of NCW programmes where relevant.

Other international programmes
•  Contribute an international perspective to our public programme through developing and delivering NCW’s Meet

the World series of online events

•  Coordinate the steering group for the Literary Translation Centre to develop and deliver an annual three-day

programme of events at London Book Fair

•  Attend London Book Fair as needed
•
Represent NCW at RECIT network (European Network of Literary Translation Centres) meetings as needed
•  Collaborate where appropriate with the UEA’s BCLT team to explore collaborative programme opportunities
•  Collaborate closely with the Head of Programmes in exploring the viability of other international projects, and

implement where appropriate
Evaluate international projects and make recommendations for future activity.

•

Compliance and financial management
•  Work collaboratively with team members and other colleagues to meet organisational objectives
•  Work with the Senior Management Team (SMT) to take part in annual budget reviews and work with the Head of

Finance to manage project budgets
•
Prepare papers and reports in a timely fashion for SMT, the Board, funders and stakeholders as required
•  Carry out all duties within the parameters agreed and in accordance with appropriate internal and statutory

procedures

•  Adhere at all times to NCW employment policies and procedures with particular reference to Health & Safety,

Child Protection and Equal Opportunities.

General
•  Act as an advocate for NCW - its vision, its activities and its values - at relevant networks and meetings
•  Undertake training as identified and agreed to ensure the ongoing effective delivery of the post, and where

applicable, to undertake required training relating to your professional qualification

•  Undertake any other duties assigned by the Head of Programmes which might reasonably be deemed to be
within the status of the job and appropriate to the post. All duties must be carried out with due regard to
confidentiality.

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Person specification

Professional experience

Implementation and results
focus

Essential
•  At least five years’ experience of delivering high quality projects with an

•

international element
Experience of translating strategies into a compelling and diverse
programme of work, supported by a robust operational and evaluation
plan

•  An awareness of literature and translation trends and issues facing the
sector; the ability to use this information and analysis to inform artistic
decisions
Excellent budget management skills

•
•  Well networked, locally, nationally, and internationally; able to use those

contacts to develop the international programme

•  Demonstrable experience of identifying and cultivating new funder and

•

delivery partnerships
Experience of convening and coordinating multiple stakeholders to
deliver projects to deadline

Desirable
•  A passion for literature, creative writing, and literary translation
•  Additional languages

•

Focuses attention and resources upon meeting agreed organisational
targets, priorities and objectives

•  Applies skill, effort and judgement to get the job done
•  Accurately assesses the length and difficulty of tasks and projects and
breaks down the work into the process steps, enabling the team to
achieve its goals
•  An eye for detail

Adaptability and flexibility

•  Open to change and new information and able to respond to this within

the appropriate cultural context

•  Adapts behaviour and work methods in response to new information,

changing conditions or unexpected obstacles

•  Adjusts rapidly to new situations that warrant attention and resolution
•  Confident and the able to remain composed and resilient under

pressure, self-sufficient and capable of managing a diverse and rapidly
changing portfolio of work

•

Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of working in highly
successful and motivated teams that consistently excel in the
achievement of organisational goals

•  A practiced networker with experience of communicating at all levels and

using persuasive arguments to achieve solutions

•  A creative problem solver
•  Willing to share knowledge
•  Conveys ideas and facts orally and in writing clearly, concisely and

effectively with ability to negotiate and influence
Listens actively and communicates in a timely manner

•

Communication and
interpersonal skills

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London Book Fair (c) Kate Elliott

National Centre for Writing is supported by: