Conference and Events Operations Manager

De Vere; Mortimer; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent hospitality group is seeking a Conference & Events Operations Manager to oversee the delivery of diverse events at their estate. This role involves leading events, ensuring high standards, and managing relationships with clients and teams. Successful candidates should have proven management experience in events or food & beverage, strong leadership skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. The position offers a competitive salary and various benefits, including bonuses and holiday perks.

Benefits

£40,000 per year

HOD Bonus Incentive Scheme

Free meals on duty

Complimentary use of Leisure Club

Extra paid day off for your birthday

Annual complimentary 2-night stay

£50 colleague rates for overnight stays

31 days holiday each year

Career progression opportunities

24/7 health and wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Management experience in large-scale events is essential.
• Strong leadership skills to coach and support diverse teams.
• Ability to manage multiple events and changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of conferences, weddings, and special events.
• Ensure that each event runs smoothly and meets client expectations.
• Build strong relationships with clients and internal teams.

Skills

Proven management experience in Conference & Events or Food & Beverage

Practical, people-focused leadership style

Strong organisational skills

Focus on client and guest experience

Ability to work various shifts

Job description

Are you looking to lead events at scale within an award-winning hospitality group?

At De Vere Wokefield Estate, we believe exceptional events are built on strong leadership, thoughtful detail, and teams who take pride in what they deliver.

We’re looking for a Conference & Events Operations Manager to lead the delivery of conferences, weddings and special events across our venue, home to 39 flexible meeting and event spaces and hosting up to 500 guests.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, you’ll take full ownership of the end‑to‑end delivery of events, ensuring each one runs smoothly and meets the high standards our clients and guests expect. This is a hands‑on, operational role where you’ll be present on the floor, leading your teams, responding to challenges in real time, and ensuring every detail is carefully considered.

You’ll build strong relationships with clients and internal teams, manage your department rota to ensure the right level of cover for early starts, late finishes, and weekends, and play a key role in developing and supporting your people to perform at their best. No two days are the same, and you’ll thrive in a fast‑paced environment where organisation, adaptability, and clear communication are essential.

What you’ll bring:

• Proven management experience in Conference & Events or Food & Beverage, with responsibility for weddings, banqueting, or large‑scale events
• A practical, people‑focused leadership style, with the ability to motivate, coach, and support a diverse team of colleagues
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple events and changing priorities
• A genuine focus on client and guest experience, with a pride in delivering events that run seamlessly
• Ability to work a variety of shifts, including early starts, late finishes, and weekends

If you’re operationally focused, detail‑driven, and enjoy being at the heart of event delivery, we’d love to hear from you.

The Pay & Benefits:

At De Vere we pay attention to the thoughtful details that inspire the loyalty of our permanent colleagues. That’s why we are proud to offer the following benefits for the role of Conference and Events Operations Manager.

• £40,000 per year
• HOD Bonus Incentive Scheme with the opportunity to earn up to 10% of salary based on business performance
• Free meals on duty in our colleague dining facilities
• Stay in shape with complimentary use of the Leisure Club facilities saving you money on costly gym memberships
• We believe in celebrating your special moments too, which is why we offer an extra paid day off for your birthday, along with a £20 love to shop voucher.
• Varied shift patterns and contracts available to suit your lifestyle, we are 24/7 operation, meaning shift patterns to suit everyone
• As a token of our gratitude for your loyalty, we'll treat you to an annual complimentary 2-night stay with dinner in a De Vere property of your choice, plus additional monetary rewards for reaching long service milestones
• Discover exclusive perks with our £50 colleague rates for overnight stays at De Vere properties, accompanied by a fantastic 50% discount on Food & Beverage.
• 31 days holiday each year (increasing annually up to 33 days)
• Explore our Exclusively Yours Benefits portal, unlocking hundreds of discounts on retail, travel, and leisure activities.
• We are committed to your growth and offer excellent career progression opportunities, including access to our Apprenticeship programmes and study support.
• Take advantage of our Employee Assistance Programme, Hospitality Action, providing 24/7 health and wellbeing support, including free counselling.
• Experience the flexibility and convenience of Wagestream, our financial wellbeing platform, granting you instant access to your pay when you need it.
• We value your hard work and recognise your achievements through our monthly colleague recognition programme, You Are De Vere, culminating in an exciting annual colleague recognition event.
• Join a supportive team that knows how to have fun with regular team appreciation events, including memorable Christmas and Summer parties.
• Gain peace of mind with our Company Life Assurance scheme, ensuring financial security for your loved ones.

De Vere Wokefield Estate set in 250 acres of rural Berkshire parkland is home to a historic Mansion House filled with traditional features and the contemporary Wokefield Place that offers state of the art facilities. It has 376 bedrooms and suites, 39 meeting rooms with large event space and a high tech dedicated conference building, an 18-hole PGA approved championship golf course and leisure club. Benedict's Bar, The 1560 Restaurant, The View Restaurant and our Summerhouse are some of our amazing food and beverage options at Wokefield Estate: there really is something for everyone.

Your commute: just outside Reading, we're 10 minutes from J11 of the M4, with fast and direct trains from London Paddington to Reading Train station.

At De Vere, we warmly welcome everyone and foster a sense of belonging, where each person is valued and appreciated. Join our team and become part of a passionate group of individuals who genuinely care about the experiences we create for our guests and colleagues.