Events Officer (Maternity Cover) in Burgess Hill

Employment Type: Part Time

Salary Range: £23,800 0.8 FTE (based on £28,750 FTE)

Deadline: 01-09-2026

Compliance: Burgess Hill School is a Charity No 307001. The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a check of the Barred List, as well as other pre-employment checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all criminal convictions, including those that are ‘spent’ unless they are ‘protected’ under the DBS filtering rules.

Contract: Fixed-Term Maternity Cover – Part-time

Hours: 30 hours per week (4 days)

Job Purpose: The Events Officer is responsible for the planning, coordination and successful delivery of a wide range of school events, supporting student recruitment, student retention, community engagement, and the overall objectives of Burgess Hill Girls. Working closely with colleagues across the school, the postholder will ensure that internal and external events are delivered to a high standard, providing an excellent experience for prospective families, current parents, students, staff, visitors and external hirers. The role also includes responsibility for managing venue hire enquiries and supporting the effective administration of the school’s events programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Event Planning and Delivery

• Coordinate and support the delivery of a programme of recruitment, community and school events across the Nursery, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form.
• Assist with the planning and organisation of external recruitment events, including exhibitions, feeder school activities, local festivals and community events.
• Coordinate in-house recruitment events, including Open Evenings, Open Mornings and other admissions-related activities.
• Support the delivery of curriculum, pastoral, and co-curricular events in partnership with teaching and support staff.
• Lead on the organisation and delivery of selected key events, including conferences, networking events, and community partnership initiatives.
• Attend key school events, including those taking place during evenings and weekends, as required.

• Event Coordination and Administration

• Manage event requests from staff, ensuring all relevant information is gathered and recorded.
• Arrange and attend planning meetings with event owners to establish objectives, requirements, and timelines.
• Coordinate support from relevant departments, including Facilities, Housekeeping, Catering and IT, to ensure events run smoothly.
• Maintain detailed event plans, schedules, and records to support the effective delivery of all events.
• Organise and coordinate regular events meetings to review upcoming activities and monitor progress.
• Provide general administrative support relating to the school’s events programme.
• Act as the primary point of contact for external venue hire enquiries.
• Conduct site visits and tours for prospective hirers and provide information regarding facilities, availability and hire arrangements.
• Prepare contracts and associated documentation for external bookings.
• Maintain accurate records of all bookings and ensure the events calendar is kept up to date.
• Manage communications with hirers before, during and after events, providing all necessary information and access arrangements.
• Raise invoices and maintain records relating to venue hire activity.

• Relationship Management and Customer Service

• Provide a professional, welcoming, and responsive service to parents, pupils, prospective families, visitors, and external stakeholders.
• Develop effective working relationships with colleagues across the school to ensure successful delivery of events.
• Support wider marketing, admissions, and community engagement activities where appropriate.

• General Responsibilities

• Work in accordance with School policies and procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality in relation to pupils, parents, staff, and School information.
• Demonstrate a flexible approach to working hours, recognising that some evening and weekend working will be required.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will have recent experience of organising events and will possess excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills. You will be highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities effectively, and demonstrate excellent attention to detail. Experience within an educational environment would be advantageous but is not essential. Strong IT skills and confidence using a range of software applications are required, together with a professional, customer-focused approach and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Benefits:

• Free cooked lunch
• Access to on-site fitness suite & tennis courts outside of school hours
• Discounted local sports centre membership
• Pension scheme & wellness package
• On-site parking
• 28 days annual leave (pro rata) + Bank Holidays + discretionary Christmas closure days