Conference Services Manager – Events and Short Academic Programmes

LMH seeks to appoint a dedicated and dynamic Conference Services Manager for our Events and Short Academic Programmes (SAP) business. The Conference Services Manager plays a key role in delivering Lady Margaret Hall's successful commercial operations, managing key aspects of the LMH Oxford Summer Programmes and leading the College's year-round conference and events business. Together, these activities generate valuable income in support of the College's academic mission.

As part of the dedicated Short Academic Programmes team, the postholder will manage the residential, social and cultural experience for students attending the LMH Oxford Summer Programmes, ensuring they enjoy a welcoming, well-organised and memorable stay. The postholder will also lead the Conference team, which manages a wide range of events from day meetings and residential conferences to B&B bookings, banquets, weddings and summer schools. The Conference team provides event management, teaching room set-up and audio visual support for the LMH Oxford Summer Programmes, and delivers the set-up and AV for internal bookings and events.

This is a varied and hands-on management role, leading a friendly and experienced team while working closely with colleagues across the College, including Catering, Housekeeping, the Porters’ Lodge and Accounts. It offers the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the continued success and growth of the College's commercial activities.

We are looking for an organised, motivating and customer-focused leader who enjoys working collaboratively, thrives in a busy environment and takes pride in delivering exceptional service. In return, you will join a supportive College community where your work will have a direct impact on both the visitor experience and the wider academic mission of Lady Margaret Hall.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the College’s Conference and Events business, leading the co-ordination and delivery of commercial conferences and events, and, from time to time, specific internal events.
• Establish quality standards for the Conference team, leading Conference team capability, commitment and ethos.
• Set and meet income and profit targets for the Conference business.
• Identify improvements and innovations in the vision and strategy for the social and cultural elements of the LMH Oxford Summer Programmes, in partnership with other members of the SAP team.
• Organise and deliver the non-academic elements of the LMH Oxford Summer Programmes to ensure that the students have an excellent and safe experience.
• Recruit, and manage the supervision of students from within the University of Oxford as ‘Residential Advisors’ (RAs).

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

The successful candidate will be an energetic and enthusiastic team leader, results-oriented, willing to work hard and committed to excellent customer service. Working in collaboration with others, they will be able to develop and improve the strategy for the non-academic elements of the short academic programmes and the Conference business. They will have excellent communication and collaboration skills. They will enjoy motivating and managing colleagues to realise the vision and deliver great results. In addition, the post-holder will have good organisational, planning and time-management skills. They will care about the details on which great customer experiences are built. Overall, we are seeking an experienced manager who thrives on challenge, and is excited about being part of an expanding business. We are looking for a highly effective individual; someone who is comfortable taking on responsibility, a team-player who can be relied upon and who aims high.

Essential Experience – 3+ years previous experience in:

• Experience of working with summer schools or with other short course providers; and/or
• Experience of conference and event management.
• Experience of line management.

Desirable - Previous Experience:

• Experience of working within the University of Oxford or a Higher Education environment;
• Experience of delivering online courses or events.

Terms and Conditions

The salary will be £48,000 to £50,000 per annum for a 37.5-hour week. This is a permanent role. Candidates should be educated to degree level. Candidates must be able to attend some events during evenings and weekends, for which time off in lieu will be granted. Some hybrid working is possible in this role. The usual team pattern is to work one day a week from home. This pattern varies, and is adaptable. For instance, during quieter times of year it may be possible to work a couple of days a week at home, and during the really busy weeks the job-holder may required to be in 5 days a week. There will be an initial probationary period of four months. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

Benefits of working for the College include 37 days holiday (including bank holidays), the option to join a University pension scheme and one free meal per working day. Additional benefits include a free annual flu jab, employee assistance programme, a parking permit scheme, a childcare salary sacrifice scheme, a bicycle purchase scheme, bus and train Season Tickets.

Deadline for applications: 12 noon Tuesday 18th August 2026. First interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 24th August 2026.

A principal aim of this College’s Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that in the recruitment, selection, training, appraisal, development and promotion of employees, the only consideration must be that the individual best meets, or is likely to meet, the requirements of the programme or course or post. Lady Margaret Hall is committed to provide a learning, working and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members are respected, and which is free from prejudice, intimidation and all forms of harassment, including bullying. We seek to ensure that no-one suffers, either directly or indirectly, as a result of discrimination. Lady Margaret Hall has a range of family friendly policies.