£12.71 per hour + £1.53 holiday pay
Advertising End Date
25 Sep 2026

Role & Department Overview

Lancaster Priory (the Church of St Mary) is a Grade I listed building sitting on a site of Christian worship dating back to at least the 5th century. Located prominently on Castle Hill next to Lancaster Castle, the Priory is not only an active, vibrant parish church but also one of the city's premier heritage tourism assets and a spectacular, acoustically renowned venue for high-profile musical events, concerts, and community events.

We are seeking a creative and forward thinking intern to research, develop, and deliver an actionable 5-year Marketing Plan.

The focus of this project is threefold:

  1. The Heritage Asset: Elevating the Priory’s profile as a "must-visit" destination for local, national, and international tourists exploring Lancaster’s historic quarter.
  2. The Cultural Venue: Developing robust marketing strategies to attract performers, audiences and event promoters to Lancaster Priory.  Positioning the church as the premier historic venue for live music, choral performances, and arts events.
  3. The Worshipping Community: Communicating the Priory’s identity as a welcoming, inclusive, and joy‑filled place of deep Christian worship at the heart of Lancaster. 

Interviews: end of September, tbc

Location: Working from home with visits to Lancaster Priory, Lancaster

 Duration: 3-6 months

Reporting To: The Vicar / Lancaster Priory PCC

Job Description

1. Market Research & Audience Insights

  • Analyse and evaluate the Priory's current standing in the regional tourism market.
  • Map and profile target audiences, distinguishing between heritage tourists, spiritual visitors, local community members, and music enthusiasts.
  • Competitor benchmarking against other heritage assets and event venues in Lancaster and the North West.

2. Strategic Heritage Marketing

  • Identify key opportunities to work with neighbouring heritage assets (e.g., Lancaster Castle, City Museum, Judges' Lodgings).
  • Devise campaigns to increase daily footfall, boost revenue, and enhance the overall visitor experience (e.g. by telling the story of Christian worship at Lancaster Priory.)
  • Explore digital tourism opportunities, such as audio guides, QR-code history trails, and virtual tours.

3. Event & Venue Marketing Strategy

  • Work with existing staff to enhance the promotional strategies for the Priory's rich musical calendar (including the Priory Choir, visiting orchestras, and community concert series).
  • Develop material to market the space to external concert promoters and event organizers.
  • Outline an updated media kit (technical specs, capacity, seating plans, acoustic highlights) for prospective venue hirers.

4. Digital & Traditional Media Action Plan

  • Audit the Priory’s current website, email lists, and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram etc), providing clear recommendations for growth.
  • Provide recommendations on how to optimise a traditional (offline) media campaign including preferred routes to attract new audiences
  • Work with existing staff to provide draft content outlines and a sample 12-month campaign calendar.
  • Provide a realistic budget proposal and ways to measure future success.

Person Specification

What We Offer

  • Real-World Impact: Your final document will directly shape the future funding, visitor layout, and event strategy of a major historic site.
  • Mentorship & Networking: Regular guidance from the Priory management team and exposure to cultural stakeholders in Lancaster.
  • References: A comprehensive professional reference upon successful completion of the strategic plan.

Essential: 

  • Currently studying (or recently completed) a degree in Marketing or a related discipline. (3rd year, or MSc preferred)
  • Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to gather audience insights and translate findings into clear marketing recommendations.
  • Creative thinker with the ability to develop engaging marketing concepts for diverse audiences (heritage, cultural events, community engagement).
  • Good understanding of digital marketing channels (social media, websites, email) and interest in improving online presence and engagement.
  • Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce structured reports, campaign ideas, and content plans.

    Desirable

  • Interest in heritage, culture, tourism, or the arts, with an appreciation for historic venues and community spaces.

Equal Opportunities Note: Lancaster Priory is an inclusive church and welcomes applications from individuals of all faiths and none. The successful candidate must be supportive of the wider community and cultural aims of the Priory, but personal religious affiliation is not a requirement for this role.

Please apply by sending your CV and cover letter to Simon Acomb via email: [email protected]. 
 
The Employment & Recruitment Service is advertising on behalf of an external company not affiliated with Lancaster University.
 
 

Help and advice on making applications can be found on the Lancaster University Careers pages. Visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/careers.

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