The purpose of this role is to help plan and deliver events that provide engaging forums for key London stakeholders to generate and share ideas whilst communicating Centre for London’s messages around key policy areas and strengthening our networks. The role includes contributing to fundraising and developing ideas for new events and conferences.
Key responsibilities include:
Events delivery
* Help organise and deliver events such as report launches, private roundtables, and conferences; including preparation, delivery/logistics, and post event wrap-up.
* Help identify key stakeholders, influencers and decision makers to build relations with so we can maximise the impact of our research and activities.
* Support the External Affairs team with the delivery of larger conference events including researching and liaising with external contacts such as speakers, contractors, sponsors, venues and other stakeholders, as well as general logistics.
* Help grow the Centre’s network of speakers and supporters to ensure we meet or exceed our diversity targets.
* Work with colleagues to use processes and systems for creating guest lists, finding and securing venues, composing invitations (in Mailchimp) and administering responses (in Salesforce).
* Compose copy for the website, briefings and social media.
* Working with others to ensure key messages are communicated through events content and impact is tracked.
* Work with others to innovate and create new ideas for events and activities.
* Administer and update the events inbox and Centre for London’s website (in WordPress).
Reporting and record keeping
* Ensure that Salesforce, Centre for London’s database, is kept up to date and accurately reflects the status of relationships with stakeholders, fundraising approaches and project delivery in line with latest data protection laws.
* Maintain and improve Salesforce through adding new contacts, data cleaning, coding contacts for relationship management and proactively suggesting improvements.
* Help write impact reports for events-only projects and support with other impact reports, e.g. Trustee updates.
* Help ensure Centre for London’s calendars and master planner are kept up to date with external events.
Development and fundraising
* Work with colleagues to develop events ideas and proposals to further Centre for London’s priorities and objectives – and contribute to preparing fundraising proposals
* Proactively research and identify suitable organisations, individuals, sponsors, speakers and exhibitors interested in the Centre’s work.
* Contribute to impact reports for funders.
* Where appropriate, work with the Development Team to ensure all funders receive the benefits we have agreed with them and are communicated with regularly.
General responsibilities and duties
* Undertake the duties of the job description in accordance with the operational policies of Centre for London, including but not limited to the diversity policy and code of conduct.
* Maintain good working relations with trustees, staff, funders, network members, and others connected to the organisation.
* Present the organisation in an appropriate and professional manner to people who we work with and try to influence.
* Contribute to the development and growth of the organisation through working in accordance with its wider objectives, corporate philosophy and values.
* Assist at Centre for London events outside of normal working hours as necessary.
* Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required.
Person specification
Applicants must show commitment to Centre for London’s vision: London by 2030: an ascendant global city.
Experience and knowledge:
* Delivering events logistics including venue selection and booking, working to budgets, managing catering, AV and event staff.
* Strong verbal and written communication skills in a variety of contexts, e.g. writing invitations to speakers, information about events for websites and newsletters, speaking with prospective and existing funders.
* Experience communicating with VIPs or stakeholders.
An advantage:
* Experience in fundraising.
* Awareness of London policy, networks and government, and how to effect change in policymaking and practice.
* Experience running political, parliamentary or policy events.
If your experience does not match this list but you feel strongly that you have transferable experience and an interest in the work we do, we still welcome your application if you can explain in your cover letter.
Competencies and attributes:
* Highly organised. Creating clear plans and managing delivery challenges. Able to balance and prioritise multiple tasks, often to urgent and competing deadlines.
* Attention to detail. Accurately record, recall and execute details such as sponsor requests, names and titles of key stakeholders, venue requirements and other details.
* Good writing skills. Able to write invitations, event copy, press releases, newsletters and/or other corporate communications an advantage.
* Excellent verbal communication and customer service skills and ability to assist with high level stakeholders (such as policy advisers, politicians, civil servants and academics as well as business and third sector organisations), anticipating their needs.
* Ability to adapt and learn quickly. Able to show initiative and adapt quickly to new challenges.
* IT proficiency, including MS Office, and ability to learn programmes such as Salesforce, MailChimp and WordPress CMS.
* Ability to follow guidelines and procedures to comply with the Institute of Fundraising Code of Practice; maintain confidentiality and work with financial data and personal data within ICO and GDPR regulations framework.
* Excellent team player – supporting and championing colleagues and contributing to team culture.
About our culture
We are a small charity with nine members of staff. Everyone is passionate about London and committed to making it a better city. We have a friendly, fun and collaborative team culture. We invest in our team to help them succeed; offering on the job support and opportunities for development of your skills, both formally through training (learning lunches, whole team and individual training) and informally through experience and shadowing.
We celebrate London’s rich and diverse culture and we want our team to reflect the city we serve. We especially welcome applications from women, and people from minority ethnic and/or less advantaged backgrounds.
We’re a London Living Wage and an equal opportunities employer – an ethos which also informs our work. We make employment decisions by matching organisational needs with skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. Ours is a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based on merit.
We also know that there’s much more to life than work. Our flexible hours policy allows staff to make sure work fits around their personal lives. Benefits include 25 days holiday per year (plus extra days during office closure between Christmas and New Year), a contributory pension, cycle and savings schemes, childcare and eye care vouchers. All staff have access to an Employee Assistance Programme, and we have an organisational commitment to promoting good mental and physical health. Our support for working parents and those with caring responsibilities includes enhanced maternity pay (12 weeks at full pay), enhanced provision for supporting partners (three weeks leave at full pay), and we encourage shared parental leave.
People who have worked with us for more than two years may also be able to take career breaks of up to six months, giving them time for personal or professional development, or to simply take an extended holiday.