Events Officer

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

38 days annual leave

Family leave schemes

Childcare services

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted bus travel

Season Ticket travel loans

Membership to social/sports clubs

Job summary

The Blavatnik School of Government at University of Oxford is seeking an experienced Events Officer to manage commercial venue hire and oversee external events in a premier Oxford space.

You will own the client journey from enquiry to booking, develop pricing and budgets, and build strong relationships to promote repeat business while upholding the School's high standards.

Qualifications

• Significant event management expertise and successful delivery of events.
• Experience in commercial venue hire, setting charging rates and client service.
• Knowledge of health and safety requirements and basic AV needs.

Responsibilities

• Own the School's venue hire activity from enquiry to booking, ensuring pricing and budgets are managed.
• Lead and support School events, coordinating colleagues, suppliers and operations.
• Build strong client relationships to drive repeat business and protect the School's reputation.
• Advise on event matters, manage risks and relevant protocols, and liaise with the wider University.
• Deputise for the Head of Events when required.

Skills

Event management

Venue hire

Client relations

Budgeting & pricing

Health & safety

AV knowledge

Microsoft Office

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Are you experienced in event management and looking for a new and exciting challenge? This is an opportunity to manage events and external hire within a spectacular space for one of the most vibrant departments of the University of Oxford, the Blavatnik School of Government. In doing so, you will help realise our vision of better government and public policy around the world. As Events Officer, you will take ownership of the School's commercial venue hire activity, delivering high-quality external events while developing a sustainable and profitable venue hire business. You will manage the client journey from enquiry to booking, oversee pricing, budgets and performance, and build strong client relationships that encourage repeat business and enhance the School's reputation as a venue. Alongside venue hire, you will support and lead School events, coordinating colleagues, suppliers and operational teams to deliver complex and concurrent activities smoothly. You will advise on event matters, manage risks and relevant protocols, build relationships across the wider University and externally, and deputise for the Head of Events when required.

You will bring significant event management expertise and a strong record of delivering successful events, together with experience of commercial venue hire, setting charging rates and providing excellent client service. You will understand established event management practice, including health and safety requirements, and have the technical confidence to specify basic event requirements such as AV facilities. An undergraduate degree, or equivalent professional experience, is also essential. You will be an effective and collaborative communicator who builds trusted relationships while working confidently both independently and as part of a team. Strong organisation, judgement and attention to detail will enable you to manage competing priorities, respond constructively to change and solve problems under pressure while handling sensitive information appropriately. You will be confident using Microsoft Office and other common software applications, able to absorb detailed information quickly, and available to work flexibly outside normal office hours and at weekends when events require it.

About the Blavatnik School of Government

Our vision is of a world better led, a world better served and a world better governed. We are a global school committed to improving the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide, through three routes: teaching current and future leaders; generating research with impact; and engaging with governments and practitioners.

What we offer

The School is a collaborative, friendly, and dynamic department based in an award-winning building in Oxford. We host regular events and talks with well-known guest speakers - all of which are open to staff. On the social side, we have a regular events calendar that are designed to appeal to all, including our Christmas and summer parties. As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees' wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days' annual leave
• Family leave schemes and a comprehensive range of childcare services
• Cycle loan scheme and discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs