Event Durham Coordinator (Customer Relations) (24001955)

The Event Durham team is the University’s Conference and Tourism team, responsible for managing all incoming commercial enquiries, and converting these enquiries to bookings, generating income for the University and supporting activities such as, but not limited to, academic and residential conferences, meetings, corporate events, weddings, B&B accommodation, etc. Annually, the Event Durham team receives over 2,000 enquiries and books and manages over 1,600 events.

As Event Durham Coordinator (Customer Relations), you will provide a consistently high-level of services, as the link between sales, colleges, departments and customers; ensuring a seamless turnover from sales to service and back to sales, identifying further sales opportunities, wherever possible, to enhance customer experience. You will comply with our Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for planning (pre and post-event); ensuring information recorded is accurate and up-to-date and in the required format.

You will also support other areas within Event Durham, including handling incoming enquiries and supporting with the management of academic conferences.

The Estates and Facilities Directorate provides a range of essential services to Durham University and is responsible for managing, maintaining and developing the infrastructure and building fabric of the various campuses., We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails, · Respond to queries and provide information/advice, while raising more specialist or complex queries with more experienced team members.

· Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve issues relevant to your role and make recommendations based on your findings.

· Enhance Durham University’s reputation by providing support to the delivery of internal and external events

· Respond to stakeholder needs and enquiries to deliver and shape an excellent stakeholder experience

· Convert business through proposal, negotiation and contractual agreements, ensuring all business is booked within agreed parameters.

· Monitor feedback on the services provided by your area of working and identify changes that will improve the service level that is provided and compliance.

· Ensure that information used to analyse the service being delivered is accurate and provide reports and analysis of patterns and trends to senior colleagues.

· Prepare reports for consideration by senior managers.

Planning and Organising

· Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role.

· Organise and schedule assigned resources, activities and events, using the relevant procedures and systems.

· Monitor processes and activities to ensure team priorities are met.

· Help manage and coordinate events, conferences and other activities.

Teamwork

· Provide specialist support and advice to team members on your areas of expertise.

· Make changes to the services provided by your team in discussion with other team members.

· Identify opportunities and contribute to decisions on how to improve services being delivered by the team.

· Seek feedback from students, colleagues and on their requirements from your service and recommend improvements to senior colleagues.

Communication/Liaison

· Update and apply changes to processes and procedures.

· Use your knowledge and expertise to provide advice and guidance to resolve problems and respond to a wide range of queries.

· Provide instruction and demonstrations to others within your area of working.

· Create good working relationships with other team members and anyone else that you come across as part of your role to work together on joint activities.

· Liaise with staff in other areas to ensure that services are being delivered in an efficient and collaborative way.

· Accurately record event information in the relevant systems and capture feedback, making suggestions and recommendations for improvements.

· Contribute and engage with staff and other stakeholders on events.

· Create good working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers to work together on joint initiatives.

· Build relationships with contacts and contribute to internal and external networks to share good practice and exchange information.

· Any other reasonable duties.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

1. Five GCSEs at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics

2. Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.

3. Relevant experience in a similar role or customer service environment.

4. Experience of working collaboratively with other team members to ensure the delivery of high-quality services.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

1. Excellent spoken and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.

2. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including, Microsoft 365 applications, business systems, email and internet.

3. Committed to continuing professional development.

4. Ability to solve problems yourself and as part of a team and plan appropriate solutions.

5. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchange information.

6. Ability to contribute to operational planning activities.

7. Relevant sales and coordination experience within a relevant, comparable market.

8. Relevant knowledge of meetings and event management industry standards and processes.

9. Demonstrable strong customer account development and customer relationship management skills.

10. Demonstrable understanding of knowledge of conference and events management.

11. Excellent attention to detail.

12. Experience of managing multiple projects.

Desirable Criteria

1. Committed to continuing professional development.

2. Relevant industry and professional recognition, and certification of achievement of skills and knowledge.

3. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchange information.

4. Knowledge of Kx event management and residential system, or similar conference booking system.

5. Relevant knowledge of menu planning, food presentation, and banquet and service operations.

6. Proven track record of sales achievement.

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:

· 27 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 39 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.

· No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.

· Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.

· On site nursery is available and children’s clubs in the summer holidays.

· Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).

· There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.

· The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.

· Discounts are available via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions.

· We offer generous pension schemes.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Judith Williams, judith.williams@durham.ac.uk, Event Durham Manager would be happy to speak to you.