Event Manager

Job description
ROLE: Events manager

REPORTING TO: Managing Director

SHIFT PATTERNS: 40 hours per week over 5 days, at least 1 day at a weekend with occasional evening work

Pensthorpe is a diversified Nature reserve offering trails, sculptures, indoor and outdoor play, bird hides, themed walks, talks, and events.

Events are a key area of growth for Pensthorpe, working on repeat visitors and visitor loyalty, key event periods include the school holidays where we offer themed trails and experiences, along with seasonal walks and talks. The role of the event manager is to plan, implement, deliver and review these events and experiences supported by our team, to ensure our visitors have a great day with us.

The event manager will plan a varied offering and a broad spectrum of events and experiences for our visitors from all demographics including but not exclusive to Nature lovers, families, retirees and young children.

Key events in Pensthorpes calendar. Feb half term ‘Poo Trail’, Summer Hols, Camping & Glamping, Nature-based reserve walks and talks throughout the year, Pumpkin festival (new this year) Christmas Market, The North Norfolk Pole.

The Events manager will join the senior leadership team at Pensthorpe, and also join the site duty management team.

The principle responsibilities of the Marketing and Events Manager will be;

1. Focus on the achievement of budgeted revenue of paying visitors and membership revenue and working to increase visitor footfall year on year.

2. Deliver events that meet (and hopefully exceed) customer expectations

3. Work collaboratively with the site management team and working with external suppliers such as designers as required, to increase the profile of Pensthorpe and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, to better represent all that is on offer to its various visitor segments

4. Develop, create, organise and prepare for all on-site events which include school holidays plus ad hoc events and occasions from proposal right up to delivery.

5. Coordinate and lead event ordering, set up, and take down

6. Play a key role in the site's Senior Management Team.

7. Deliver the creative vision of the brand to visitors, team, volunteers and other key players

Specific projects:

1. To develop the Pensthorpe Pumpkin Festival event.

2. To create and develop the Pensthorpe Nature Festival

3. To grow and develop the North Norfolk Pole

Key Responsibilities

Event Strategy:

1. Use analytics, together with online and on-site questionnaire analysis, to understand visitor segments, working with marketing to create specific campaigns aimed at encouraging visitation, and repeat visits as well as increasing retail and cafe spending in these standalone departments

2. Lead in the development and implementation of an annual event plan and associated schedules for the whole site and individual departments/functions.

3. Maintain the Pensthorpe brand and ensure all events printed events fit with the business brand and ethos

1. Coordination of press days, and influencers attending events

2. Proofread, fact check and source check all press releases prior to sign-off and release by Marketing, ensuring appropriate permissions from quoted individuals and for images as required

3. Create event budgets with the support of the Finance manager and Managing Director.

4. Work within budget and timescales relevant to each event (internal and external)

5. Conduct a thorough post-event evaluation to ascertain success and profitability

6. Develop, with input and support from departmental heads and subject experts, a comprehensive timetable of seasonal trails, workshops, walks and talks (which can also be delivered on demand for visiting groups)

7. Support the creation of all supporting materials and promotional activity for such events

8. Support the development of educational activity, working closely with the Wildlife Education Officer to deliver an annual program of curriculum focused activity

+. Identify, evaluate and as appropriate, book, manage, set up and staff all external events ensuring maximum value in attendance through raising the profile of Pensthorpe. Events may include Royal Norfolk Show and Norfolk Science Festival, for example.

10. Be open and understanding to varying points of views, recognizing we are all working for the same shared goal, but, events must always be considered and compassion to our common goal and site ethos.

Event Delivery

1. Lead from the front and help with set up and implementation of events, being aware that if they are smaller events these may be solo, and larger ones will be with other key players.

2. Ensure there is an event plan communicated along with toolbox talks for relevant key players

3. Ensure all events are compliant with health and safety requirements, and also fit with our low-impact nature-based ethos.

4. Manage supplier relationships and other stakeholders

5. Project manage events to ensure they are delivered effectively

Management

1. Provide leadership, motivation, direction and support to the Pensthorpe Team

2. Chair monthly events meetings to include taking and circulating action points/ minutes

3. Join and be a key voice in monthly senior management strategy meetings

4. Take an active role in the local tourism network activities, attending meetings with groups such as WTGINN (Where to go in North Norfolk) NSTA, (Norfolk and Suffolk Tourist Attractions) and EAG (Eco Attractions Group) and feedback. Use meetings to ensure Pensthorpe is positioned well amongst these groups and gets the most out of its membership

5. Working with the Senior Management Team, assist in managing the Pensthorpe ’product’ (opening times, pricing, quality standards, customer feedback and engagement, customer complaints, membership targets, external events)

6. Take the lead in the management of personal data (excluding staff data) and ensure that all data retention of customer and potential customer data is acquired, stored and destroyed in accordance with Data Protection legislation.

7. Seek and manage sponsorship opportunities for events.

8. Look to build collaboration opportunities with other brands and organisations

Health & Safety / Environmental Health

1. Implement the legal obligation to maintain a safe working environment at all times

2. Follow the company’s procedures, as described in the Health & Safety Policy

3. Report anything unsafe to the Managing Director, and to report accidents, near misses.

4. Join the health and safety committee overseeing and contributing to the best working practices for the organization.

5. Create risk assessments for all events, along with standard operating procedures and safe systems of work.

6. Prepare and deliver toolbox talks ahead of key events

Team

1. Manage external agencies and where relevant, consultants.

2. Show awareness of the needs of fellow team members and to show them courtesy.

3. Communicate effectively with others in the team

4. Work collaboratively with colleagues in order to meet the objectives of the business

5. Contribute to team meetings and put forward ideas and feedback in order to improve ways of working.

General

1. Attend work with a clean and smart appearance, wearing the appropriate attire

2. Undertake any other tasks that may be reasonably requested

3. Implement the policies and procedures set out in the Employment Handbook.

4. Flexibility to be able to meet the demands of the business and having flexibility to be able to start earlier or finish later depending on the needs of the business and events calendar.

Knowledge, skills & experience

1. Key experience delivering events in a larger organization

2. A passion for our product —a keen interest in the outdoors, conservation, natural history and the value of nature in our personal well-being; for bringing nature to children and for promoting the value of natural play

3. Experienced in managing external providers of service and juggling internal and external work

4. Budget Management

5. Health and safety experience

6. Excellent understanding and demonstration of customer & relationship management

7. Naturally communicative with the ability to create warm and welcoming environments

8. Good command of the written word and visual presentation skills

+. Organised with keen attention to detail

10. Able to prioritise and keep calm in busy or demanding situations

11. Numerate, high level IT skills, able to undertake data analysis

12. Adaptive, good team worker and able to work across different disciplines

13. Willing to undertake training and development relevant to the role