A
Life
Written

Learning & Participation Assistant
Application Pack
November 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, rooted in Norwich and
open to the world. Our home is the Grade-I listed medieval Dragon Hall located on the historic King Street on the
banks of the Wensum River in the heart of Norwich, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. This landmark venue
consists of a 120-seat venue for live events, workshop spaces, and accommodation for writers’ residencies, as well as
office space for our core team of 21 staff members.

NCW exists to inspire connection, resilience, and understanding through writing, literary translation, reading, and
the exploration of ideas. We are a place for the exchange of stories. Founded as New Writing Partnership in 2003 and
becoming Writers’ Centre Norwich in 2008, the organisation has steadily grown to become a leading voice in the UK
and international literature sector as well as a key member of Arts Council England’s group of seven regional writer
and literature development organisations.

In summer 2018, NCW was launched with the restoration of Dragon Hall following a significant capital redevelopment
project. We are an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO), for the period 2023–2028, and
we are the Focal Office for Norwich’s UNESCO City of Literature designation.

About the role

The role of Learning & Participant Assistant is key to supporting the ongoing development, delivery, and participant
recruitment for NCW’s busy Learning & Participation programme. The role will inolve working across core projects
for young people, schools, and communities, including (but not limited to) World of Words: West Norfolk, Stories
Uncovered, Lit From the Inside, A Life Written, and the Young Norfolk Writing Prize.

The successful applicant will be introduced to the workings of a high-profile organisation and supported to develop
their skills in administration and event delivery. It is an ideal opportunity for somebody interested in pursuing a
career in the arts and literature sector.

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The role is based at Dragon Hall, our home in the heart of Norwich. There is some flexibility around working hours
across the week.

About you

To be successful in the role you will bring with you a strong interest in literature and in working with young people,
schools, and communities. You will have excellent communication, writing and IT skills, and will bring with you at
least two years’ workplace experience, preferably in the arts or wider cultural sector. You will have an eye for detail
and enjoy creating systems for a smoother workflow.

You’ll be confident using your own initiative, and you will have the ability to manage a mixed workload across
multiple projects in a professional and confident manner and a commitment to a very high standard of work. With
excellent interpersonal skills online, over the phone and in person, you will demonstrate an ability to get on and
communicate with people of all ages.

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 and influence and develop our working practice.

By taking positive action around diversity (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 Learning & Participation Assistant 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, who can also provide this information in an alternative format eg. Microsoft Word.

Closing date for applications: 10am, Monday 8 December

Interviews: Monday 15 December

Applicants will be notified to confirm if they have been invited for an interview by 5pm, Thursday 11 December.

As this is an Assistant position, we are unable to offer informal conversations with potential candidates. Our most
recent Annual Review shows the diversity of our programme and projects, alongside our website containing further
information and resources, which you will find useful. If you have any technical questions about the application
process that isn’t addressed in this pack, please email us at info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk.

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Terms & conditions

Position

Learning & Participation Assistant

Accountable to

Senior Programme Manager, Learning & Participation

Responsible for

No direct reports

Contract

Salary

Benefits include

Hours

Leave

Location

Part-time (15 hours per week), permanent post

£24,570 fte (£9,828 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

15 hours per week to be worked between 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Working days are flexible and can be agreed on appointment. Some
evening and weekend working will be required 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. Travel
within the region may be required

Probation period

Three months

Notice period

One month

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Winners of the Young Norfolk Writing Prize 2025 (c) Andi Sapey

Job description

Purpose of the role

The Learning & Participation Assistant will provide high level administrative support for the planning and delivery of
NCW’s Learning & Participation programme through their work with the Senior Programme Manager, Learning &
Participation. They will contribute to the smooth running of specific projects and support the core operations of the
programme.

Main responsibilities

Programming
•  Gather and monitor information about regional schools and relevant organisations and communities to

assist in targeted programme delivery.

•  Develop and maintain database systems to support the organisation of programmes.
•

Establish and maintain productive and positive relationships with artists, participants, teachers, and
partners.

•  Administer and monitor programme evaluation data and other associated programme inventory.
•
•
•  Project research.

Support the production of programme publications (gathering content and proofreading).
Support new artists with the DBS certification process.

Event and meeting support
•  Act as a point of contact for practitioners, volunteers and participants, liaising on bookings, contracts, materials

and other access needs.

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•

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•
•

Join sessions and events with participants where necessary, both in the building and offsite, which may take place
outside of normal working hours.
Lead on event administration including using Excel, Google Sheets and Outlook calendar.
Provide refreshments and hospitality to visitors and staff as necessary.
Support meetings as requested, including note-taking in person and online.

Customer service and enquiries
•  Act as a first point of contact for the organisation over phone and email and direct all enquiries to the

appropriate member of the team.

•  Daily administration of NCW’s Learning & Participation programme-specific inboxes, which may include

submissions, project enquiries and prize entries.
Processing sales where needed via NCW’s box office system.
Positive and proactive office support.

•
•

Compliance
•  Carry out duties in accordance with appropriate internal and statutory procedures.
•  Adhere at all times to NCW employment policies and procedures with particular reference to Health & Safety,

Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Confidentiality.

General
•

Effectively manage your own work programme, and work with colleagues, stakeholders and project partners in
the achievement of the above tasks.

•  Work collaboratively with team members and other colleagues in our communications and operations team to

meet programme needs and organisational objectives.

•  Act as an advocate for NCW – its vision, its activities, and its values, always acting in a timely, professional and

appropriate way, representing Dragon Hall and NCW positively.

•  Undertake training as identified and agreed to ensure the ongoing effective delivery of the post.
•  Undertake any other duties assigned by the Senior Programme Manager, Learning & Participation or Head of

Programmes, which might reasonably be deemed to be within the status of the job and appropriate to the post.

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Person specification

Administrative skills and
experience

•  At least two years’ experience in the workplace, preferably in the arts or

wider cultural sector

•  An interest in literature and working with local communities
•

Experience of working on multiple projects and managing a demanding
workload
Experience of events administration and/or support
Excellent organisation and office administration skills

•
•
•  Ability to convey facts orally and in writing
•

Excellent IT skills (Microsoft Office) including Outlook, Word and Excel
skills, as well as Google suite
Excellent writing and proofreading skills

•

Desirable
•

Knowledge of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

Implementation and results
focus

•

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

Adaptability and flexibility

Communication and
interpersonal skills

•  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

•  Open to change and new information
•  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
•  Confidence and the ability to remain composed and resilient under

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

•
•

Experience of working in a customer facing role
Strong interpersonal and customer care skills and an ability to get on
with people of all ages

•  A professional and confident manner with a commitment to a high

standard of work

•  Ability to work on own initiative as well as part of a team
•  A creative problem solver
•

Listens actively and communicates in a timely manner

Other attributes

•  A strong interest in literature

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Audience at our storytelling session at the City of Literature strand of Norfolk & Norwich Festival (c) Luke Witcomb

National Centre for Writing is supported by: