eAA Marketing Co-ordinator Contract: Invitation to Tender

Preamble
The e-Assessment Association (eAA) was formed in 2006 with the support of leading UK organisations in this field. The eAA's main purpose is to encourage and support a community of practice for individuals as well as organisations, using a model similar to those adopted by many other professions. 

Widespread use of IT in education at all levels is itself a development dating back at most three decades, and e-Assessment is necessarily a still more recent development. Traditional pencil-and-paper examinations have played a major part in UK education for at least a century and there has been time for standards to develop and become integrated into the culture of the teaching profession at all levels, primary, secondary, tertiary and higher.  This process has only just started for e-Assessment, and the special advantages and issues associated with this new medium have only recently begun to be appreciated outside a small number of specialist practitioners. 

The Board of the eAA believe that the demand for professional support in this area is therefore likely to grow significantly in the next few years, and this is why the services of a Coordinator are required.  At present the level of activity of the eAA justifies a part-time contract, but this has the potential to grow as the eAA expands.  The Board expects that the contract on offer now will appeal to a person with the drive and ambition to help guide this development.

General Description
The eAA Marketing Co-ordinator will market the eAA’s services by undertaking the duties outlined below.  The contract holder will manage continuing membership activities, help to develop and implement a longer-term strategy to ensure that the eAA retains its membership, and continues to attract additional sponsorship through new activities and/or services.

The eAA Marketing Co-ordinator will be the central point of contact for the membership and sponsors, and will provide liaison between the eAA’s various activities. The eAA Marketing Co-ordinator will act on new requests from members, provide resolution of members’ issues or refer them to eAA Board members as necessary, and provide general information via the website and newsletters.
The following are essential for this position:

• The ability to multi-task in, for example, handling numerous queries while assisting new members in signing up.
• Strong interpersonal and strong communication skills in using marketing abilities to generate business for the eAA and ensure satisfaction for members and sponsors through close client relationships.

Type of Position: Annual contract, part-time 
Location: Dependent on suitable candidate. Maybe home-based.
Main Duties:

• Act as the central point of contact for building and maintaining an excellent working relationship between members and sponsors
• Work towards becoming a trusted advisor for members on topics relating to the eAA’s portfolio of services. 
• Respond in an informed manner to queries relating to eAssessment
• Create and collate content for the eAA websites
• Author appropriate content and develop discussions
• Identify opportunities for events and communications
• Organise events in association with sponsors and partners
• Undertake membership campaigns
• Be able to organise and represent the eAA at meetings
• Identify, engage and coordinate the necessary eAA resources to support the membership
• Ensure all contractual obligations are mutually agreed upon and met
• Communicate to the membership all relevant updates and changes, e.g. to existing services, membership fees etc.
• Communicate comments and requests to the eAA Board of Management and its committees
• Work within the financial constraints provided, and report and discuss all financial requirements to the eAA Treasurer prior to expenditure.

Conditions of Work
Work will be done primarily by phone and email, but some travel will be required to manage the eAA’s presence at events and conferences, by setting up and staffing stands for instance.
 
The contract holder must be able to work on her or his own and take a responsible attitude to the workload. It is expected that the contract holder will adjust the monthly workload to suit what is required. The role is based on an annual amount of £8,400 and is notionally 25 hours per month. This is a self-employed role where the contract holder will be responsible for payment of all tax and national insurance contributions. No pension contribution is provided.
 
Further Particulars
Applications, no more than 2 pages indicating how you would fit this role together with a short CV to include 2 named referees should be sent to Matt Wingfield by e-mail to members@e-assessment.com no later than 12 noon on Tuesday 8th February 2011.

Interviews are likely to be in London on or around the date of the AGM of the eAA at the end of March 2011.