Head of Events

Job Purpose

To lead on the design and delivery of the University of Glasgow’s Strategic Events Programme, helping to realise the strategic ambitions of the University including recruitment, reputation, and development and alumni engagement key performance indicators.

• Lead the Events Team for External Relations, delivering a sector-leading approach to engagement with audiences including prospective students, alumni, funders, partners, and stakeholders locally, nationally, and globally.
• Oversee operational delivery and engagement plans for all events, managing people, budgets and planning to deliver world-changing experiences for all attendees.
• Develop and implement a robust evaluation process to measure the return on investment and impact of events, supporting the development of the Strategic Events Programme and the continual evolution and optimisation of events to support the presentation of World-Changing Glasgow.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead the development and delivery of the University of Glasgow’s Strategic Events Programme, working with Marketing and Communications, Development and Alumni and Recruitment & International Relations teams in External Relations, the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for External Engagement, and colleagues across the University, ensuring all events are in line with strategic objectives and deliver against clearly defined engagement KPIs.
2. Develop and manage the Strategic Events Programme proposal process, to include criteria for prioritisation, reviewing proposals received externally and from across the University, providing initial assessment including a review of strategic aims, audiences, feasibility of delivery, allocation of resources and to then make recommendations as to whether and how proposals should proceed.
3. Develop and oversee implementation of an operational planning framework to support the delivery of events, including delivery of risk assessment, technical, venue and catering requirements, compliance with Health and Safety legislation, as well as gathering feedback for evaluation and operational de-briefs.
4. Research, identify and develop plans for delivery on appropriate event platforms to ensure delivery of world-changing person, virtual and hybrid events.
5. Develop budget proposals for events that form part of the Strategic Events Programme, monitoring expenditure, ROI, and delivery of KPIs to ensure that financial record keeping and reporting systems are in place. To ensure events represent value for money, source sponsorship with external agencies, where appropriate, and agree mutually beneficial contracts.
6. Provide specialist professional support, advice, and knowledge in all aspects of events management, advising colleagues and encouraging best practice across all event formats in compliance with University-wide policies and procedures.
7. Responsible for maintaining up-to-date records on events using CRM systems and ensuring compliance with GDPR legislation.
8. Using specialist knowledge and experience develop and implement processes based on industry best practice. These will include but not be limited to Health & Safety and GDPR legislative compliance. Using these processes as its basis, develop the Event Management Toolkit as a guideline for institutional best practice to support teams across the University to deliver events that meet the highest professional standards and support the University’s reputation and brand.
9. Partner with colleagues on University-wide events planning and diary management, building relationships with academics, professional services, speakers, sponsors, and external partners to maximise the benefits from events.
10. Use specialist professional knowledge to develop and implement administrative systems and processes to ensure world class event delivery that best uses the skillset of team and ensures all team members are trained to deliver across physical, virtual and hybrid formats.
11. Lead on the presentation of our World-Changing Glasgow brand across the Strategic Events Programme, and work with marketing and communications teams to ensure promotional plans for key audiences are delivered for each event.
12. Represent the University of Glasgow on local, Scottish, UK and international Events networks.
13. As a member of the Marketing and Communications Management Team, be a positive and creative influence to improve overall standards of planning, delivery, qualitative reporting, and impact.
14. Undertake other duties as assigned by the Director of Marketing and Communications.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential Knowledge/Qualifications:

1. A1 Ability to demonstrate the necessary strategic competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary professional knowledge and management skills in a similar or number of different specialist roles. Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9,10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in relevant discipline, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role.
2. A2 Proven knowledge of event management best practice including GDPR compliance, Health and Safety Legislation guidelines and broader sector challenges.
3. A3 Knowledge of the use of digital marketing and branding practices for event purposes.
4. A4 Excellent industry knowledge & contacts.
5. A5 Working knowledge of Raisers Edge or equivalent CRM database.

Desirable:

1. B1 Thorough knowledge of the higher education sector including current trends.
2. B2 Membership of an appropriate professional body, either events or project management.

Essential Skills:

1. C1 Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
2. C2 Credible and professional with excellent relationship management skills, with the confidence to and influence senior members of staff and VIPs.
3. C3 Ability to work under pressure, delivering to strict deadlines and balancing multiple priorities.
4. C4 Ability to stay calm and focused on a crisis situation and steer colleagues to reach realistic and achievable solutions.
5. C5 Proactive and creative with broad experience across a number of event formats.
6. C6 Proven ability to negotiate with external suppliers and outside agencies to achieve value for money and a positive outcome for the University.
7. C7 Proven ability to manage, motivate and develop a team to deliver on strategic goals.
8. C8 Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office and CRM databases.
9. C9 Ability to work flexibly to deliver events on and off campus in the evening and on weekends.

Desirable:

1. D1 A good grasp of digital media platforms.

Essential Experience:

1. E1 Significant and wide-ranging event and stakeholder management experience within a complex organisation.
2. E2 Experience of organising events for an international audience – both in the UK or overseas.
3. E3 Experience of organising high profile events for in excess of 5000 attendees.
4. E4 Experience of managing and controlling budgets and resources.
5. E5 Critical path planning and risk assessment experience.
6. E6 Experience of event management overseas or with diverse international audiences.
7. E7 Proven broad experience of managing a team in pursuit of strategic goals in relation to external and stakeholder engagement.

Desirable:

1. F1 Experience of setting up and managing sponsorship arrangements.
2. F2 Experience of organising large scale academic events such as ceremonies, conferences or Continuing Professional Development events.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £49,250 – £56,921 per annum.

This post is full time and open ended.

Closing Date: 23:45 10th March 2025.

Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit:

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