Head of Events
Posted 2 hours 19 minutes ago by The Geological Society of London
Permanent
Not Specified
Academic Jobs
Not Specified, United Kingdom
Job Description
The essentials
Founded in 1807, we are the oldest geological society in the world. Today, we are a world-leading communicator of Earth science through publishing, library and information services, cutting-edge scientific conferences, education activities and outreach to the general public. We also provide impartial scientific information and evidence to support policy-making and public debate about the challenges facing humanity.
We have a membership (Fellowship) of c. 12,000, more than 2,000 of whom are based outside the UK. Approximately 3,000 are Chartered Geologists or Chartered Scientists - professionals who have demonstrated a high level of technical competence in their field and a commitment to professional ethics.
What you ll be doing
Our Head of Events (HoE) will bring leadership and strategic vision to the Society s Events team encompassing scientific conferences, venue hire, and training courses, working to deliver the business plan and achieve targets for this active, income-generating department.
This role will be responsible for supporting the six-strong team in delivery of our busy events programme, working effectively with conference convenors, and providing exemplary support to our delegates, venue users, sponsors, and clients throughout the year. Working closely with the Director of Science & Engagement, our new HoE will work to develop robust and diverse income streams for the Society from our events as well as sponsorship and will oversee the expansion of our venue hire provision into new markets (e.g. weddings) in addition to seizing other opportunities for growth.
Overall responsibilities / requirements
Management & Leadership:
Candidates for the role of Head of Events will be required to demonstrate a range of skills, competencies, and abilities for the post, and the successful candidate will have demonstrable experience within an Events team as well as leadership experience. The individual will need to be able to build relationships with stakeholders and clients from a variety of sectors and will need to demonstrate a variety of skills.
Qualification & Experience
Leadership & Management:
Desirable Criteria:
The Geological Society is a registered charity and employs just under 60 staff at its offices in London and Bath. Our London office is situated in the beautiful London hotspot of Piccadilly in Burlington House, just next door to The Royal Academy.
As an employee conscious company, we invest in our staff by emphasising training, growth and progression in every role. We firmly believe in creating a positive workplace wellbeing culture and offer a range of benefits to our staff including:
- Permanent, full-time
- £55,000 - £62,000 (depending on experience)
- 5 total direct reports (including 3 Leads; Training Courses, Venue Hire, & Energy Group Events, Senior Events Coordinator, and Events Marketing Executive)
- Hybrid working with 2-3 days a week at our London office
Founded in 1807, we are the oldest geological society in the world. Today, we are a world-leading communicator of Earth science through publishing, library and information services, cutting-edge scientific conferences, education activities and outreach to the general public. We also provide impartial scientific information and evidence to support policy-making and public debate about the challenges facing humanity.
We have a membership (Fellowship) of c. 12,000, more than 2,000 of whom are based outside the UK. Approximately 3,000 are Chartered Geologists or Chartered Scientists - professionals who have demonstrated a high level of technical competence in their field and a commitment to professional ethics.
What you ll be doing
Our Head of Events (HoE) will bring leadership and strategic vision to the Society s Events team encompassing scientific conferences, venue hire, and training courses, working to deliver the business plan and achieve targets for this active, income-generating department.
This role will be responsible for supporting the six-strong team in delivery of our busy events programme, working effectively with conference convenors, and providing exemplary support to our delegates, venue users, sponsors, and clients throughout the year. Working closely with the Director of Science & Engagement, our new HoE will work to develop robust and diverse income streams for the Society from our events as well as sponsorship and will oversee the expansion of our venue hire provision into new markets (e.g. weddings) in addition to seizing other opportunities for growth.
Overall responsibilities / requirements
Management & Leadership:
- Shape and lead the Events team to deliver top-quality leadership and coordination of our events programmes and customer service for both internal users and external clients
- Continue to support a commercial approach to income generation across the Events department, to support revenue growth and diversification across sectors
- Grow event sponsorship, proactively identifying sponsorship opportunities and supporting the team, convenors, and others to become more confident in developing sponsor relationships and securing sponsorship income.
- Grow and nurture relationships with Fellows and external partners
- Grow and nurture relationships with internal staff across other departments, particularly those jointly responsible for delivering upon the Society s strategic aims
- Provide leadership and mentorship to the Events team, supporting ongoing professional development
- Act as the senior Events representative at internal committee meetings, providing expert input on event strategy, performance, and future plans.
- Manage external relationships with Events partners, including catering suppliers, AV technicians, and Security where appropriate
- Lead on the delivery of appropriate Health & Safety management alongside equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility actions across the Events team and throughout our programme of public facing events
- Oversee the management and delivery of Society conferences, events, and lectures alongside our Energy Group Lead and Senior Events Coordinator, including offsite delivery where appropriate
- Oversee the planning and delivery of flagship conferences for audiences of approximately 500+ delegates, ensuring high-quality audience experience and strong financial performance.
- Oversee the development and implementation of a strategy for the branding and marketing of events from web, print and social media alongside our Events Marketing Executive
- Embed a commercial approach to conference development and delivery
- Lead the development of partnerships across the Events team, including the management and delivery of joint, flagship events such as the Energy Geoscience Conference (EGC) series in partnership with GESGB
- Work closely with the Senior Leadership Team, staff, and Council, to grow the offering of Society events, in London and beyond
- Worth the wider staff team to ensure that our Conference provision is aligned to the Society s science strategy & supports ongoing professional development for our fellows and members
- Provide strategic oversight of the Society s developing Training Course programme alongside our Training Courses Lead and Training Courses Committee to ensure commercial sustainability, quality, and growth
- Support the promotion and upscaling of our Training Courses programme alongside our Events Marketing Executive
- Work with the wider staff team to ensure that our Training Course provision is aligned to the Society s science strategy & supports ongoing professional development for our fellows and members
- Provide strategic leadership, working with the Venue Hire Lead to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to grow and diversify venue hire revenue, aligned with the organisation s wider commercial objectives.
- Lead on the design, launch, and ongoing development of our new Weddings venue hire initiative in partnership with our Venue Hire Lead following the granting of our wedding license from Westminster City Council, ensuring strong market positioning and a high-quality client experience
- Work with the wider events team to improve booking and on-the-day service for internal and external venue-hire clients
- Oversee and continuously improve the end-to-end booking journey and on-the-day service for internal and external venue-hire clients, working closely with the wider events team to deliver a consistently high standard of service.
- Lead on the procurement and management of key suppliers (including catering and other event services), running competitive tenders and negotiating contracts that best support the quality, profitability and sustainability of our events programme.
Candidates for the role of Head of Events will be required to demonstrate a range of skills, competencies, and abilities for the post, and the successful candidate will have demonstrable experience within an Events team as well as leadership experience. The individual will need to be able to build relationships with stakeholders and clients from a variety of sectors and will need to demonstrate a variety of skills.
Qualification & Experience
Leadership & Management:
- Experience of successfully implementing and leading change
- A track record of successfully building and nurturing strong and productive relationships, internally and externally
- A team worker with proven experience of working collaboratively to realise organisational objectives
- An ability to influence and inspire people successfully at all levels.
- Demonstrable ability to prioritise multiple tasks and work to tight deadlines when required
- Familiarity with the current Microsoft Office suite, and use of CRM systems
- Tact, tenacity, and a willingness to work in partnership with others
- Positivity and enthusiasm for the role, and support for your team
- Exceptional interpersonal and people-management skills
- A commitment to personal development and learning
- Successful delivery of conferences and events
- A track record of successful leadership and management
- Financial management, commercial awareness, including budgetary management
- Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, and to the Society s other core values as set out in our strategy
- Strong written and oral communication skills
Desirable Criteria:
- Venue management experience
- Successful delivery of academic and/or professional/B2B conferences
- Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements relevant to public events and venue hire (e.g., licensing, GDPR)
- Experience of working with trustees, committee members, volunteers, and other stakeholders
- Commercial experience in a relevant sector
- Experience of training courses and/or ongoing professional development in a commercial capacity
The Geological Society is a registered charity and employs just under 60 staff at its offices in London and Bath. Our London office is situated in the beautiful London hotspot of Piccadilly in Burlington House, just next door to The Royal Academy.
As an employee conscious company, we invest in our staff by emphasising training, growth and progression in every role. We firmly believe in creating a positive workplace wellbeing culture and offer a range of benefits to our staff including:
- 25 days basic holiday entitlement you start, increasing up to 30 days with continued service (pro-rated for part-time staff)
- Option to purchase up to 2 days extra holiday days per year
- Contributary pension scheme with 10% employer contribution
- Access to 24/7 online GP with mental health & wellbeing counselling
- Free premium Headspace account for you and 2 members of friends/family
- Discounts and recognitions scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Season Ticket Loan scheme . click apply for full job details