Venue Sales Coordinator - {10-11} Carlton House Terrace

The Venue Sales Coordinator will contribute to the growth of the department’s turnover by leading on enquiry response with a timely, professional and knowledgeable approach. The role will contribute to revenue growth by maximising opportunities to increase spend per head through proactive and thoughtful upselling of in-house services including catering and AV, and trusted external suppliers. With previous sales experience, you will be a confident, driven, and highly organised professional, as well as an excellent communicator. You will have the ability to build and nurture strong relationships, manage client expectations, meet deadlines, and negotiate effectively with both clients and suppliers. We expect from the successful candidate to effectively plan and manage a full range of corporate, private, academic, and charitable meetings and events from initial contact to post event follow up. You will act as a contributing member of the vibrant Venue Sales and Marketing team to deliver ambitious sales and service targets, thereby fulfilling the Academy’s strategic objective to make the most of its assets and secure its future.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as the first point of contact for all incoming corporate and private enquiries, either by email, telephone or in person and respond to all of them in a timely and professional manner ensuring accurate information is added to the venues room booking system Priava.
• Deliver effective venue show rounds, providing visitors with a warm welcome on arrival and a positive first impression of the venue, following up promptly post their visit with relevant information where required.
• Follow up with all leads in a timely manner to encourage conversion and to maintain an up to date pipeline for the Head of Venue Sales, Venue Business Development and Marketing Manager and Catering General Manager.
• Manage key regular bookers and accounts by establishing and maintaining positive relationships and communicating regularly with latest news and offers.
• Be responsible for problem solving event enquiries while maintaining consistent sales levels.
• Support the Venue Business Development and Marketing Manager and Venue Sales and Marketing Officer in proactive sales, client networking, promotional events, and industry exhibitions.

EVENT PLANNING AND DELIVERY

• Produce, distribute, and file all contracts in a timely manner and ensure all agreed deadlines are met. This involves the negotiation of hire rates and terms and conditions of hire.
• Plan and manage the events you have sold and provide on the day support for events as and where required.
• Event planning and delivery includes obtaining and inputting final event details into the booking system, ensuring rooms set ups and event requirements are correct on the day, attending planning meetings and conducting client greetings on the day.
• Actively participate in weekly planning meetings, covering all event bookings for the week ahead, communicating changes and delegating tasks to the in-house catering and AV teams, as well as the facilities department where necessary.
• Manage the safe delivery of events in a Grade I listed building; ensuring all teams have accurate information in order to deliver events to the venue’s high standards and delegate tasks to other team members and suppliers as required.

OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with the facilities team and report any maintenance or health and safety issues.
• When required, work as part of the Academy’s front of house team, ensuring that there is always someone on reception when the building is open.
• Maintain current fire warden, first aid and mental health first aid training to be able to act in case of emergencies.
• When needed, undertake opening and closing of the building - to assist with ‘front of house’ security, checking that doors and windows are locked at night and that the building is secure and safe during the day.
• Other tasks and responsibilities that reasonably may be requested in relation to hospitality and facilities operations.

ADMINISTRATION

• Provide administrative and operational support to the Head of Venue Sales, Business Development and Marketing Manager and the Sales and Front of House manager on strategic projects including, but not limited to, green initiatives, Equality/Diversity & Inclusion projects, data security and database management.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

• Internal: Academy staff at all levels; in particular colleagues in IT/AV, Facilities and Front of House and our in-house catering partner.
• External: Commercial clients; external event suppliers and industry partners.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (Grades A-C) or equivalent, including English Language and Mathematics.
• Demonstrated experience of working within a sales, hospitality or events environment, ideally within an historic/heritage venue.
• BTEC / NVQ or equivalent in Hospitality or Events Management (desirable).

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Works and communicates effectively.
• Confident, enthusiastic, pro-active open-minded attitude to work.
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of people, including internal teams (Catering and AV), agents, planners and location scouts.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Diplomatic and discrete when dealing with clients.
• Responsive, flexible, and willing to work across a range of tasks within changing priorities.
• Positive attitude to challenges and co-operation with colleagues.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and the capability to learn new IT skills and apply IT to solve problems and deliver work more effectively.
• Experience of using a room booking system or events database (desirable).
• Events Industry knowledge – including suppliers and event agencies (desirable).
• The ability to carry out some heavy lifting / manual tasks, when necessary.
• A strong desire to develop new skills and knowledge and apply them to strengthen our work.

PROACTIVITY AND PLANNING

• Has the ability to prioritise and make informed judgements about allocation of time to different tasks, and work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Comfortable with a mixture of independent, self-directed, and collaborative teamwork.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

• Confidence to problem solve complex event enquiries and manage on the day changes to events.
• Work alongside the event delivery teams in catering and AV and troubleshoot when problems occur during live events.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• The ability to work flexible hours with a variable schedule during the normal workday (8.00am – 7.15pm) including early starts, late finishes and weekends.
• Well presented - a smart appearance is required at all times; business attire allowance will be provided, and suitable smart work shoes are required.

WORKPLACE VALUES

The Academy’s workplace values and supporting text are set out below. We share these core values with each other. They guide how we work together and with others. We demonstrate them through our behaviours.

• COLLABORATION - We consistently work together to a common purpose, supporting each other, communicating openly and sharing knowledge. We are flexible and adaptable, receiving feedback constructively.
• CREATIVITY - We bring imagination and curiosity to our work, valuing learning, diverse thinking, and innovation. We are open-minded, receptive, and responsive, taking account of alternative perspectives.
• EMPATHY - We are understanding, sensitive, compassionate, and considerate, mindful of our own wellbeing alongside that of others.
• EXCELLENCE - We always do our best, without striving to be perfect, applying our expertise and experience to develop and grow.
• INTEGRITY - We are open and honest with each other, accepting personal responsibility and demonstrating loyalty. We are reliable and dependable, having belief that we will be transparent and clear.
• RESILIENCE - We are confident, bold, and tenacious, knowing when to listen as well as when to speak up. We respond positively to challenges and overcome problems.
• RESPECT - We are inclusive in our regard for each other, showing courtesy and appreciation. We treat people fairly and equally, welcoming everyone’s contribution and difference.

BENEFITS

• 34 days' annual leave + bank holidays + paid overtime + excellent occupational pension.