Royal Astronomical Society
Events Manager
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Full-time, permanent | London (hybrid – 3 days/week in office) | 35 hours per week | Salary: £38,000-£45,000
About the role
We're looking for an experienced Events Manager to lead the planning and delivery of a diverse portfolio of in-person, virtual and hybrid events for professional scientists. From conferences and seminars to workshops and training sessions, you'll be at the heart of how we bring our scientific community together, creating excellent stakeholder experiences, strong financial outcomes, and events that help us live out our charitable mission.
Reporting to the Head of Membership, this is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive events professional to take ownership of a busy, varied portfolio and make a genuine impact on the reputation of a leading learned society.
What you'll be doing
Strategic development
- Develop and implement our annual events programme, aligned to our mission, strategic objectives and members' professional development needs
- Use data, evaluation and stakeholder feedback to continuously improve how we plan and deliver events
Event planning and delivery
- Plan, coordinate and deliver a diverse programme of high-quality events, on time, within budget and to a high standard
- Manage the full mix of in-person, virtual and hybrid formats, ensuring digital platforms and in-person experiences work seamlessly together
- Own event logistics end-to-end: venue sourcing, contract negotiation, supplier management, registration, accommodation, catering, accessibility and technical infrastructure
- Act as the key point of contact for speakers, delegates, suppliers and stakeholders, delivering excellent customer service throughout
- Support the recruitment and management of speakers, chairs and facilitators
- Champion best-practice project management and a culture of continuous improvement across the events function
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Financial and commercial management
- Prepare and manage event budgets, forecasts and financial reporting
- Monitor income and expenditure to ensure events are financially sustainable and hit agreed targets
- Identify opportunities for efficiencies, margin improvement and revenue growth
- Work closely with Marketing, Communications and Membership colleagues to maximise attendance and engagement
Risk, governance and compliance
- Ensure events comply with relevant legislation, health and safety, safeguarding, data protection and organisational policy
- Identify and manage operational, financial and reputational risks
- Maintain accurate event documentation, contracts and records
Monitoring and evaluation
- Set and track KPIs for the events programme
- Analyse attendance, financial performance and delegate feedback
- Report on outcomes and opportunities to senior management, committees and Council
What we're looking for
Essential experience
- Significant experience planning and delivering in-person, online and hybrid academic or professional events
- Track record of managing multiple projects simultaneously to tight deadlines
- Experience of budget management, financial monitoring and reporting
- Experience procuring and managing venues, suppliers and event-related contracts
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Desirable experience
- Background working within membership organisations, professional associations, scientific, charity or PCO (professional conference organiser) environments
- Knowledge of health and safety, risk management, accessibility and relevant legal requirements for event delivery
Skills
- Excellent organisational, task and time-management skills, with strong attention to detail
- Able to work proactively and use your own initiative
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels
- Confident user of the Microsoft Office / Microsoft 365 ecosystem
You are
- Friendly, approachable and professional
- Customer- and member-focused, with a genuine commitment to great service
- Proactive, adaptable and resilient, with a calm head under pressure
- Innovative, with an interest in new approaches to engagement and event delivery
- Comfortable representing the organisation externally and with senior stakeholders
- Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything you do
- Willing to work flexibly, including occasional evenings/weekends and travel within the UK and occasionally overseas
How to apply
To apply please send a CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for role to Nancy Gorman at ngorman@ras.ac.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 14th October.
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