Sporting Events Officer - FTC

Alzheimer's Research UK; Great Abington; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Alzheimer's Research UK is seeking a Sporting Events Officer to drive the charity's sporting event income and manage relationships with third‑party events. You will work closely with the Sporting Events Manager to expand the event portfolio and deliver reliable supporter care across multiple channels.

You will help develop budgets, monitor activity, and provide robust reporting while staying up to date with fundraising regulations and best practices across the UK.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the events fundraising market, ideally sporting events.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding targets.
• Experience of fundraising in a sporting context (personal or professional).
• Experience with digital technologies and online communities.
• Use of CRM or database systems.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to manage a busy and varied workload.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Enthusiasm to inspire supporters and willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Support the SEM/SSEM in delivering the sporting events strategy and grow income.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of third‑party events and internal products.
• Account manage third‑party event suppliers and seek opportunities to expand the portfolio.
• Develop budgets and targets with the SEM, monitor progress and report outcomes.
• Provide excellent supporter service and nurture long‑term loyalty.
• Keep accurate fundraising records for internal and external reporting.
• Work across digital channels and manage online communities for supporters.

Skills

Event fundraising

Account management

Stakeholder comms

CRM systems

Digital fundraising

Organisational skills

Tools

CRM software

Job description

The Sporting Events Team at Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) is responsible for securing income from individuals and groups fundraising through sporting events, and effectively account managing relationships to maximise income.

The Sporting Events Officer role will play a significant part in contributing to a high-performing fundraising team. You will work closely with the Sporting Events Manager and Senior Sporting Events Manager to drive the continued growth of the charity’s sporting event fundraising income. You will also be required to show excellent organisation and relationship-building skills to support partnerships with third party events, internally developed products and related marketing providers, to drive towards agreed targets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Sporting Events Manager (SEM) / Senior Sporting Events Manager (SSEM) in delivering the Sporting Events strategy for ARUK to increase income within this stream.
• Support the SEM to develop and manage the portfolio of third-party sporting events and internally developed products for ARUK.
• Successful account management of third-party event suppliers as agreed with SEM/SSEM
• Seek opportunities to expand and improve event portfolio, keeping abreast of industry trends and competitor activity.
• To maximise income through developing and managing an agreed portfolio of events, focusing on supporter care processes and the retention of supporters. The role will include targets related to specific events.
• Work with SEM to develop budgets and targets for key areas of work.
• Provide excellent customer service to existing fundraising supporters (including maintaining a polite, enthusiastic manner with prompt responses to enquiries), to acknowledge support and increase long-term loyalty.
• Keeping an accurate record of fundraising outcomes, for reporting both internally and externally.
• Keep up to date with fundraising legislation and codes of practice to be able to provide relevant advice to fundraisers.
• To support the SEM in overseeing appropriate staff and volunteer representation at third party events. This will include attending events across the UK in person.
• Ensure volunteers and fundraisers have all necessary materials for fundraising initiatives.
• Work with supporters across several digital channels ensuring we are communicating with them in the channel most relevant to them. To include building and managing online social groups.

Event/Project Management

• To plan, manage and deliver successful events through relationship management of suppliers and logistics companies, in addition to volunteers.
• To work with the events team to organise pre-/post-event receptions as appropriate.
• To work in collaboration with the Digital and Communications departments to ensure that a programme of PR and communication is in place that promotes and supports the planned activities.
• To develop and deliver process enhancements with the SEM to allow the team to maintain high performance as the number of supporters grows.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Ensure that sporting event activity is monitored and evaluated, clearly communicating progress to SEM/SSEM.
• Utilise event analytics to highlight risks, success and inform marketing strategy.
• Manage relevant information on the charity’s database, keeping detailed, up-to-date records of activity and income.
• Track and record contact with third party event providers and fundraisers for reporting purposes

Other duties

• To work with the SEM in developing an event marketing strategy and ensuring its delivery.
• To liaise with venues and contractors regarding event requirements to ensure excellent service and a successful event.
• To act as the first point of contact in the Fundraising team for all enquiries relating to sporting events assigned to this post at any given time.
• To be flexible regarding working hours where requested (some evening and weekend work will be necessary to support events).
• Keep up to date with dementia news and research developments to communicate to supporters.
• Stay abreast of competitor activity.
• Any other ad hoc duties as directed by SEM/SSEM.

Knowledge, skills and experience needed:

• Knowledge of the events fundraising market, ideally sporting events
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding financial and non-financial targets
• Experience of fundraising in a sporting context (personal or professional)
• Experience of working with digital technologies and online communities
• Use of CRM or database systems
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• An ability to manage a busy and varied workload
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Contagious enthusiasm to inspire supporters
• Flexibility to work unsociable hours, including weekends and willingness to travel independently

Additional Information:

Ways of working:

As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Our Office:

Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD.

Please note that the salary for this role does not meet the minimum salary requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker. Visa sponsorship may therefore only be available to candidates who qualify as a "new entrant" to the Skilled Worker route, namely those who are under 26 years of age, switching from a UK Student visa or a Graduate visa held within the last two years, undertaking postdoctoral research, or working towards professional qualifications, registration or chartered status, or those who satisfy any other legal exception to the minimum salary requirements for sponsorship. Regrettably, if you do not satisfy any of the above criteria, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 22nd November 2026, with interviews being arrange once shortlisting has been completed. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, particularly from those in the global majority, those with disabilities, men and those from the LGBTQIA+ community. Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us at [e-mail].

About Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure. Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope.

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure.

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference.

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK