Conference and Events Manager

The Open University; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

The Open University is seeking a Conference and Events Manager to support the planning, organisation and delivery of the 2027 OUVP conference and related engagement activities. The role requires coordinating schedules, liaising with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders and delivering high-quality event outcomes with strong attention to detail.

You will work within OU Validation Partnerships, reporting to the Head of Validation Partnerships, and contribute to effective planning,

Qualifications

• Experience in event or project management with schedules and risks.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong numeracy and ICT skills including MS Office.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to build relationships with stakeholders without formal authority.
• Proactive, problem-solver in changing environment.
• Team player and flexible.
• Experience in higher education or partnership environments.
• Awareness of QA/compliance in HE/FE.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain and monitor a detailed project plan for the 2027 OUVP conference, identifying milestones and risks.
• Coordinate planning and organisation of the conference: scheduling, logistics, venue, delegate communications, social media and accessibility.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver the conference programme.
• Coordinate conference content: calls for contributions, speaker liaison, briefing materials and post-event outputs.
• Draft and track conference communications with contributors, delegates and stakeholders.
• Maintain records, action logs, risk registers and issues logs for the conference.
• Monitor budget, procurement and value-for-money considerations.
• Ensure conference materials align with OU branding and audience needs.
• Support evaluation: feedback collection, summary reports and learning for future engagement.
• Support conference planning meetings: agendas, papers, minutes and follow-ups.
• Assist with other OUVP engagement activities including webinars and communities of practice.
• Undertake other duties as assigned by Senior Management Team.

Skills

Event management

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Microsoft Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid

Department: Validation Partnerships

Closing Date: 10 November 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 18.5

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 31 July 2027

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

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About the Role

Working within OU Validation Partnerships (OUVP), the Conference and Events Manager will report to the Head of Validation Partnerships and will provide event management support for the planning, organisation and delivery of the 2027 OUVP conference, alongside other OUVP partnership engagement and growth activities.

The purpose of this role is to support the effective planning and coordination of the conference, ensuring that key activities, timelines, communications, resources and stakeholder inputs are managed in a structured and timely way.

You will be expected to communicate and work collaboratively with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including OUVP colleagues, partner institutions, faculties, professional services teams and external contributors.

With excellent attention to detail and strong organisational ability, you will support OUVP to deliver high quality engagement activity. You will be confident in managing project plans, monitoring progress, coordinating actions and ensuring that work is delivered to agreed deadlines and standards.

Key Responsibilities

• To develop, maintain and monitor a detailed project plan for the 2027 OUVP conference, ensuring that key milestones, dependencies, risks and actions are clearly identified and managed.
• To coordinate the practical planning and organisation of the conference, including scheduling, logistics, venue arrangements, delegate communications, social media campaigns, accessibility requirements, resources and supporting materials.
• To liaise with OUVP colleagues, partner institutions, faculties and other internal and external stakeholders to support the development and delivery of the conference programme.
• To support the coordination of conference content, including calls for contributions, speaker liaison, programme development, briefing materials, presentation requirements and post-event outputs.
• To coordinate conference-related communications, including drafting, coordinating and tracking communications with contributors, delegates, partners and internal stakeholders.
• To manage and maintain accurate records, action logs, risk registers and issues logs for the conference.
• To coordinate budget monitoring, procurement activity and value-for-money considerations relating to the conference and associated engagement activity.
• To ensure that conference materials and communications are accurate, accessible, aligned with OU brand requirements and appropriate for the intended audiences.
• To support the evaluation of the conference, including the collection and analysis of feedback, preparation of summary reports and identification of learning to inform future OUVP engagement activity.
• To service conference planning meetings or working groups, including preparing agendas, papers, minutes, action notes and follow-up communications.
• To support other OUVP partnership engagement activities as required, including webinars, and communities of practice events.
• To undertake such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Senior Management Team, within the nature of the role.

About You

• Event or project management experience, including developing and monitoring schedules, managing risks and issues, coordinating actions and delivering work to agreed deadlines.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks, priorities and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Strong numeracy and ICT skills, including experience of using Microsoft Office applications and digital tools to manage information, track progress and produce reports.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to prepare clear, accurate and audience-appropriate communications and briefing materials.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiating skills, with the ability and confidence to build relationships, influence, advise and support internal and external stakeholders over whom there is no formal authority.
• Proven ability to work proactively, use initiative, solve problems and reach negotiated solutions in a changing environment.
• The ability to work co-operatively and flexibly in a variety of team settings.
• Ability to carry out the role in a way that is consistent with equality legislation and University policies and those of partner institutions.
• Experience of working in higher education, further education or a similar partnership-based environment.
• Awareness of quality assurance, compliance or partnership management in higher or further education.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Work Location

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, allowing you to work both from home and from the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office, some office attendance will be required in response to business needs.

We anticipate that this will be approximately one day per fortnight, with increased attendance required as we approach the OUVP Partnership Conference in May 2027.

The conference will take place at our Milton Keynes campus (Walton Hall) on 18 and 19 May 2027, and attendance will be required on both days. Additional working hours may also be required during this period to support conference delivery.

Please note that annual leave will be restricted during May 2027.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.