Part-time Event & Party Co-ordinator in Ashford, Kent

We are recruiting on behalf of our client who are a Private School for a part time Events Co-ordinator. The role is Monday to Friday, 4 hours per day between 08.00 - 16.30, with some weekend work required.

Main Duties:

• Lead the planning, coordination and delivery of all events, weddings, private hires and lettings.
• Promote and develop the school's events and lettings provision to maximise revenue opportunities.
• Maintain effective liaison with internal departments, hirers, contractors and external organisations to ensure the successful delivery of events and lettings.
• Ensure that all events and lettings are delivered to the highest standards, reflecting and promoting the school's ethos and reputation.
• Manage the Bookings+ online portal and oversee all associated booking administration.
• Oversee Health and Safety compliance across all events and lettings activities, ensuring the school remains inspection and audit ready.

Key Areas and Responsibilities:

Commercial Activity:

• Create an overall strategy for generating commercial income which complements the Trust's ethos.
• Identify opportunities for generating income, ensuring a blend and balance of high-quality activities.
• Meet with potential customers to show the facilities available.
• Manage all external events and hires, while being on site throughout specific events such as weddings.
• Prepare and distribute advertising information, such as brochures and literature with the school's marketing company, Enterprises website and social media, including organisation of wedding fairs.
• Ongoing updating of the Enterprises website.
• Review and update venue/food/hire costs annually, undertaking market research of local competitors.
• Develop the Schools standing in the local community.

Events Management:

• Prepare for adequate planning time and have experience in event management.
• Appropriate levels of staff supervision at external events.
• Liaise with designated SLT and the Marketing team about the school's events to foresee any future clashes of the external and internal school events.
• Liaise with Estates, Catering and Grounds Managers as appropriate to book in events and hires.
• Monitor progress of event-planning to ensure efficient delivery and progress towards completion.
• Undertake effective evaluation and review of events to maximise sales within a competitive market.
• Communicate with the local registry office and parish church in logistics for wedding ceremonies.
• Support the continuous improvement of procedures, systems and services relating to events, lettings and venue hire operations.

Health & Safety:

• Oversee all Health and Safety requirements relating to events and lettings, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, School policies and best practice.
• Ensure the Schools Safeguarding Policy is adhered to when necessary for all events and hires.
• Complete and monitor all Health & Safety checks, inspections & statutory requirements prior to approving lettings, ensuring the school remains audit & ISI inspection ready.
• Ensure that risk assessments are completed in accordance with School Policy for events and hires.
• Ensure that all contractor, hirer and event documentation is received, reviewed and stored appropriately before events take place (DBS, insurance, RA, safeguarding policy, etc).
• Conduct pre & post-event inspections, ensuring facilities are safe, secure, clean and fit for purpose.
• Maintain accurate records and produce reports relating to lettings, events, Health and Safety compliance and income generation as required.
• Attend and successfully complete all relevant Health and Safety, safeguarding and compliance training necessary to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.

Communication & Relationships:

• Ensure excellent communication and fast response with clients regarding events, including follow ups on enquiries to help create more bookings.
• Ensure the discussion and communication on events issues, needs & procedures with all parties.

Finance:

• Manage appropriate income and expenditure budgets and contribute to the annual budget process, including staff/food/building costs in relation to events producing revenue for the school.
• Liaise with accounts for invoicing and making sure payments have been paid from events and hires.
• Log and keep up to date information of income from external events.

Person Specification:

• Demonstrate experience in a commercial sales and marketing role.
• Evidence of a proven ability to manage events and deliver excellent customer service.
• Demonstrate the ability to create, present and implement projects with foresight and effective forward planning & organisation skills.
• Display an aptitude to be creative, generate new ideas, and develop them into successful initiatives.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to liaise tactfully and effectively with staff, pupils, visitors and the public.
• Demonstrate a willingness to be adaptable, flexible and to work unsociable hours as sometimes required by the job.
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of financial constraints.
• Excellent IT skills to navigate software systems and proficiently use Microsoft Office.