Event Operations Executive

William Reed Ltd; Gatwick; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave – 25 days + bank

Long service holiday rewards

Christmas office closure

Holiday purchase scheme

MeDay

Volunteering day

Hybrid and agile working

Enhanced pension contributions

Life assurance

Group Income Protection

Family-friendly policies

Health and wellbeing support

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and IN

Cycle to Work scheme

Electric Car scheme

Job summary

William Reed Ltd. in Gatwick is seeking an Operations Executive to manage exhibitors’ on-site delivery, liaise with venues and contractors, and ensure health & safety compliance. You’ll handle risk assessments, floor plans, and operational documentation for successful event experiences.

You will coordinate with exhibitors, contractors, and venues, maintaining records and delivering smooth build-up, live days, and breakdown. A strong communicator with attention to detail will thrive.

Qualifications

• Experience in events assistant, coordinator, administration or a related role would be beneficial.
• Experience delivering events on-site and coordinating with venues.
• Strong communication skills across teams and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a key point of contact for exhibitors and contractors, answering queries and providing guidance.
• Onboarding exhibitors and bringing stands into operational delivery with venue coordination.
• Maintaining exhibitor records and up-to-date technical floorplans.
• Supporting preparation of operational documentation including schedules and site plans.
• Assisting in risk assessments and health & safety documentation.
• Delivering onsite operations during build-up, events, and breakdown with troubleshooting.

Skills

Communication

Detail-oriented

Organisation

Exhibitions operations

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

As Operations Executive, you will play a key role in bringing our award-winnings exhibitions to life, delivering the smooth operations of our exhibitors’ presence at our events. You will liaise with exhibitors, contractors and the venue to bring exhibitors vision into an operational reality whilst maintaining full compliance with health & safety regulations.

Department: Event Operations

Location: Gatwick

You will manage key documentation, including exhibitor risk assessments, Health & Safety forms, and maintaining accurate and up-to-date technical floor plans.

Your impact will be instrumental in creating an exceptional experience for our exhibitors; one that delivers meaningful return on investment, builds lasting relationships, and drives their continued commitment year after year. In doing so, you’ll play a vital role in growing our events and shaping the food industry.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Acting as a key point of contact for exhibitors and contractors, answering queries and providing clear, timely guidance
• Onboarding exhibitors and bringing exhibitor stands into operational delivery, including liaising with the venue and relevant suppliers
• Maintaining accurate exhibitor records within internal systems, ensuring all documentation is complete and up to date
• Maintaining accurate and up-to-date technical floorplans
• Supporting the preparation of operational documentation including schedules, manuals and site plans
• Assisting in collating, reviewing and managing risk assessments and health & safety documentation
• Delivering onsite operations during event build-up, live event days and breakdown, including troubleshooting and smooth operational delivery

What You’ll Need

• Experience in events assistant, coordinator, administration or a related role would be beneficial
• Experience or understanding of delivering events on-site
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively within a team and with stakeholders at all levels
• Strong attention to detail, maintaining high standards of accuracy in all tasks
• Strong organisation and time management and able to handle multiple priorities simultaneously
• Fantastic problem‑solving ability to identify challenges and implement effective solutions
• An adaptable approach to respond effectively to changing priorities and requirementsProficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)

Benefits & Initiatives

• Generous annual leave – 25 days plus standard England and Wales bank holidays for full-time employees
• Long service holiday reward – Receive an extra day's annual leave for each year of service after six years, up to a maximum of 30 days plus bank holidays for full-time colleagues
• Christmas office closure – Enjoy additional paid leave between Christmas Day and New Year's Day to cover discretionary office closure days
• Holiday purchase scheme – Buy up to three additional days' annual leave each year and spread the cost over up to six months
• MeDay – Take an additional paid day off to celebrate your birthday, a cultural or religious event, or another occasion that is meaningful to you
• Volunteering day – One paid day each year to support a charity, community group or cause close to your heart
• Hybrid and agile working – Flexible ways of working to help you balance work and life commitments (role dependent)
• Enhanced pension contributions – Benefit from employer pension contributions above the statutory minimum
• Life assurance – Providing financial protection and peace of mind for you and your loved ones
• Group Income Protection – Financial support if you're unable to work due to long-term illness or injury
• Family-friendly policies – Enhanced pay entitlements to support you and your family during important life events
• Health and wellbeing support, including:
  • Healthcare cash plan
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
  • Virtual GP service
  • Health and wellbeing resources and tools
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Supported by employee-led networks, with a culture where everyone feels welcome and valued. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer
• Cycle to Work scheme – Save money and support a healthier commute
• Electric Car scheme – Access an affordable and sustainable way to drive an electric vehicle