Job Pack
Admissions and Awards Coordinator

Applications due: Midnight, 12 October 2025

Cockpit is hiring an experienced administration coordinator to join our Business Incubation
team in the role of Admissions & Awards Coordinator.

Reporting to the Head of Business Incubation, this role is key in supporting Cockpit’s
reputation for world-class makers and the successful delivery of our renowned Awards
programme. The role will support onboarding into both of our sites on Awards, Bursaries, and
applications from full-paying studio residents.

About Cockpit
Cockpit is a centre of excellence in contemporary craft and home to more than 180 makers
united by their extraordinary skill and creativity. A charity recognised as a UK top 100 social
enterprise, we give makers the tools to build their businesses so they can focus on what they
do best: making. We provide funded studio space, in-house business training and coaching,
and exhibition opportunities for makers working across 23 different disciplines.

Cockpit aims to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity and is the UK’s only business
incubator for makers. We are a destination for talent, having launched the careers of some of
the major names in craft.

About the Role
The Admissions & Awards Coordinator promotes and organises applications for standard
studio places, Bursaries, Awards, and prizes at Cockpit, working as a part of the Business
Incubation team and working closely with Marketing, Development, and the Studio
Management teams.

Specifically, they:

• Organise all aspects of Awards, Bursaries, prizes, and standard studio place

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applications from promotion of the opportunity through to confirming whether a
maker has been successful or not
Ensure a smooth welcome for new Awardees and Standard Studio Makers, liaising
with Business Incubation, Studio Management, and Marketing until all onboarding
requirements are completed

• Work closely with the Marketing team to ensure promotional plans and data sets for
each award are maintained, remain current, and are implemented in a timely manner

• Collate applications, convene interview panels, and record results on the CRM
• Coordinate all offers for Standard and Award places in conjunction with Studio

Management, Development, and Business Incubation teams

• Collect and manage data and information from makers on Awards and Bursaries for

reporting purposes

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About you
We are looking for an experienced admin coordinator, used to working on their own initiative
as well as within a team.

You will be organised, systematic, and used to working to tight deadlines.

You will be confident in a front-facing role representing Cockpit and maintaining multiple
relationships, with excellent attention to detail and customer service skills.

You will be familiar with Office 365 applications (Excel essential), have experience in
maintaining and developing a company CRM, be used to working with databases and
managing data, and be capable of using software and apps such as booking systems, survey,
and community platforms.

Please see the job description and person specification for full details (page 4).

Diversity drives creativity
Cockpit is committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity in all our activities. We know that
creativity and innovation are fuelled by diversity. Recognising that equity is a matter of social
justice, we foster an inclusive culture where all aspects of diversity are celebrated and seen
as key to success and flourishing.

We are committed to building a more diverse community and creating an environment
where anyone, from any background, can develop their talents, do their best work and
realise their full potential. This extends to our community of makers, staff team, and Board of
Trustees. We especially welcome applications from candidates with backgrounds currently
under-represented in craft, including people from the Global Majority* and D/deaf and
disabled people.

*Global Majority is a collective term that refers to people who are Black, Asian, dual-heritage,
mixed-heritage, indigenous to the global South, and/or have been racialised as ‘ethnic
minorities’.

As part of our commitment to increasing the diversity in our staff team and better reflect the
communities we serve, we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who meet all
the essential criteria in the person specification and identify as being from a Global Majority
background and/or as D/deaf and/or disabled. This scheme recognises under-representation
and that structural injustices mean that, currently, there is not a ‘level playing field’ in our
sector or society.

If you identify as having one or more of these protected characteristics and meet the
essential criteria for the job, please state in your application that you would like to be
considered under our guaranteed interview scheme.

To ensure accessibility for all candidates, everyone who is invited to interview will be asked in
advance to let us know of any access needs.

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Read more about our commitment here: https://cockpitstudios.org/careers/diversity-and-
inclusion/

How to apply
To apply, send a CV and covering letter outlining how you fulfil the brief to
lateefat@cockpitstudios.org. Your cover letter should outline your interest in the post and
working with Cockpit and how your experience fits the job role.

On submission of your application please also complete our equal opportunities monitoring
questionnaire.

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JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Admissions & Awards Coordinator
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: 0.6 FTE (3 days per week)
Salary: £30,000 FTE
Reports to: Head of Business Incubation
Works with: Business Incubation team, Head of Development, Head of Marketing & Digital,
and the wider Cockpit team

MAIN DUTIES:

Planning

• Create and maintain a detailed rolling 12-month plan for all studio admissions,

specifically for:

o The bi-annual Awards cycle
o Standard Studio Applications

Liaise with Head of Development to refresh the 12-month plan as new Awards are
confirmed and old Awards are phased out

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• Communicate these plans to the whole Cockpit team on a regular basis
• Work with the wider Cockpit team to coordinate recruitment of interview panellists,
providing a framework to ensure that a focus is given to the make-up of panel
members to amplify Cockpit’s message of diversity and inclusivity and to maximise
the profile of each award. Liaise with the Cockpit team and conduct research into
craft specialists to ensure our commitment to quality of making is expertly assessed
Logistical planning for each Award, including room bookings, securing internal and
external panellists, confirming their participation, manage their needs and
expectations on the day of interviews, and provide refreshments and catering where
required

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• Communication with all applicants, using CRM to record each maker’s journey from
the point of interest or application through to notification of application decisions

• Act as a key liaison between the Development, Business Incubation, and Studio

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Management Teams in the process of monitoring studio capacity, so that potential
logjams or empty spaces are flagged at the earliest opportunity
Ensure excellent client management with smooth handover to the wider Business
Incubation Team and Studio Management at the final stages of makers being
onboarded

Promotion

• Act as a strong liaison between Development, Marketing, and Business Incubation to
support timely promotion for recruitment of Awards and admissions. Contribute to
creating and/or refreshing Award descriptions, including writing draft copy for
approval if required
Plan and lead information sessions 2-4 times per year intended to promote awareness
of Award and Standard Studio opportunities. Coordinate team input and represent

•

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Cockpit online/in-person if required (may require evening work). Liaise with the
Business Incubation and Marketing teams to promote events and ensure they are
well-attended

• Work with the wider Cockpit team to ensure our Award and admissions distribution
lists of key craft organisations, makers, stakeholders, etc. are up to date. Contribute
to relationship management, with lead responsibility for some stakeholder
relationships as required. Research and contribute to maintaining current sector
knowledge, ensuring our Awards are known about within specific craft discipline
networks, etc. and in line with our strategic objectives

• Communication regarding interview outcomes with interested parties including:

o The wider Cockpit team
o Head of Development and Head of Marketing & Digital
o Cockpit Studio Holders
o Funders

• Work with the whole Cockpit team to ensure our promotion and recruitment

processes are aligned with Cockpit’s equity, diversity, and inclusion policy. Contribute
as required to the research, evaluation, and development of our Guaranteed
Interview Scheme for makers applying to our opportunities who may face barriers to
entry to a self-employed craft career

Reporting & Data Management

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Provide regular reports to the wider Cockpit team, principally around:

o Studio demand forecasting
o Application metrics
o Trend analysis
o Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Ensure data is accurate and that the Cockpit CRM system (Beacon) is maintained,
including key relevant contact (individuals and organisations)

• Use CRM to record all actions and notify the Cockpit CRM team leads on any system
updates needed to continuously improve communication with makers, record-
keeping, and data analysis
Set the timeline for collation of Award reports for funders, sending questionnaires to
Awardees in a timely manner, and compiling and formatting responses from
Awardees and the Cockpit Business Incubation Coaching team.

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• Maintain excellent standards in confidentiality, including use of potentially sensitive

client data, demographic information, and GDPR compliance

General

• Occasionally assist with the Business Incubation Programme and Event activities, in
particular offering reciprocal support to the Events and Programme Coordinators
• Assist at Cockpit’s public events (for example, Awards information evenings, Open

Studios) and represent Cockpit externally as reasonable, including occasional evening
and weekend work

• Become a CRM super-user as part of your professional development, if the relevant

skill set is not already held

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• Any other duties within the job’s remit as may be required by the Head of Business

Incubation, COO, or CEO

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential knowledge, skills and experience

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Experience of managing a full annual programme of applications from advertising
through to processing, interview, and placement
Experience working with multiple teams and business functions such as marketing
and development

• Outstanding organisation, planning, and coordination skills
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Systematic and methodical, with good online research skills
• Meticulous with excellent attention to detail when managing and preparing

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paperwork and communications
Strong administrative skills supported by well-developed ICT skills (including Microsoft
SharePoint, Office 365 especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
Experience in a customer-facing or client liaison role (face to face, telephone, email,
etc.)
Excellent communicator with good understanding of how to talk to a varied audience
Experience of working with data, databases, and CRM systems (Beacon preferable)

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• Ability to manage multiple projects in parallel (task and time management)
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Self-motivated with excellent interpersonal skills
Experience supporting and coordinating a small team and managing differing
priorities and working styles

Desirable knowledge, skills and experience

Experience of reporting to funders and project partners against deliverables

• Understanding of creative industries and/or craft
• An interest in developing in a coordination role
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• Data analysis experience
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Experience of being a database champion or team leader
Experience of using online presentation apps (e.g. Sway, Canva) booking apps, survey
software, community platforms, newsletter platforms, and performing simple
template website edits
Experience of speaking to groups and audiences, e.g. hosting, tours
Experience of working with artists or makers in the creative industries

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Applications due by: Midnight, 12 October 2025

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