Venue Sourcing Manager

FIRST; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

28 Days Annual Leave PLUS Bank

20 Days of Sick Pay each Year

Enhanced Parental Leave (Maternity & P

Wellness Stipend

Complimentary access to Headspace,

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Cycle to Work Scheme

Season Ticket Loan

Pension Scheme Enhancements

Discretionary Bonus Structure

Global Opportunities: With a presence

Job summary

FIRST is a global brand experience agency seeking a Venue Sourcing Manager in London to oversee site selection for meetings and events. You will review contracts, negotiate terms, and develop RFPs using Cvent, while ensuring client needs and event objectives are met with creative solutions.

The role requires 5+ years in venue sourcing or meeting planning, strong knowledge of Cvent and budgeting, and excellent negotiation and project management skills.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ of experience with a strong focus on venue sourcing and meeting planning, preferably within an agency and/or financial or consulting environment.
• Strong knowledge of Cvent eRFP and budgeting modules
• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Excel and PowerPoint
• Negotiating, risk management and contracting skills
• Advanced project management skills, including budget creation, management and reconciliation
• Experience with high level conference and meeting management

Responsibilities

• Provide site selection services for meetings and events
• Develop and submit RFPs via Cvent
• Use strong client communication skills in understanding business needs
• Quality control venue proposals to ensure venues meet event needs
• Review venue contracts and client addendums for accuracy and negotiate where applicable
• Negotiate space, rates, costs, concessions and contract terms
• Provide and track cost savings for the client
• Support with reporting and/or commission collection as required
• Collaborate with planners on proper pass off of event after sourcing/contract phase
• Ensure adherence to client standards of operation and risk guidelines
• Be proactive with ideas and creative solutions
• Maintain client systems (including Cvent) up to date for reporting
• Conduct site visits and assist onsite at events
• Attend industry events as necessary
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external clients and suppliers
• Help train new joiners and mentor junior team members

Skills

Negotiation

Budgeting

Contracting

Project management

Client communication

Stakeholder management

Vendor relations

Time management

Creativity

Problem solving

Tools

Cvent

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Building a Brand Starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilized three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specializing in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognized for excellence, recent honors include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

What You Would Get To Do

The Venue Sourcing Manager will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional service to clients through effective meetings management. This position is responsible for overseeing the venue sourcing process for various events. The role involves supporting clients with site selection services for meetings and events, reviewing venue contracts and client addendums for accuracy, negotiating terms where applicable, and developing and submitting RFPs (Request for Proposals) via Cvent. The Venue Sourcing Manager will ensure a seamless and successful venue sourcing process, meeting client needs and expectations.

Limited domestic travel required for site visits.

Your Contributions

• Provide site selection services for meetings and events
• Develop and submit RFPs (Request for Proposals) via Cvent
• Use strong client communication skills in understanding business needs and where flexibility can be exercised while still supporting event objectives
• Quality control venue proposals to ensure venues/meeting space are viable for Event needs; think creatively to find solutions, and propose recommendations to meet business needs
• Review venue contracts and client addendums for accuracy and negotiate where applicable
• Negotiate space, rates, costs, concessions and terms of contract agreements
• Provide and track cost savings for the client
• Support with reporting and/or commission collection as required
• Collaborate with planners on the team on proper pass off of event once sourcing/contract phase has concluded
• Work with the team to ensure adherence to the client’s standards of operation and policies; ensure compliance and risk guidelines are followed
• Be proactive with ideas and creative solutions
• Consolidate and keep information up to date in client systems, including Cvent, to fulfill client reporting requirements
• Conduct site visits and assist onsite at events as required
• Attend industry events during and after work hours as necessary
• Cultivate and maintain relationships external clients and suppliers
• Contribute to the creation and deepening of a knowledge bank of venues, hotels, destinations, and services that ensures the FIRST team are providing expert advice and recommendations to clients
• Help to train new joiners and/or mentor junior team members

What We Are Looking For

• 5+ years’ of experience with a strong focus on venue sourcing, and meeting planning, preferably within an agency and/or financial or consulting environment
• Strong knowledge of Cvent eRFP and budgeting modules
• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Excel and PowerPoint
• Negotiating, risk management and contracting skills
• Advanced project management skills, including budget creation, management and reconciliation
• Experience with high level conference and meeting management
• Ability to establish relationships and maintain a positive rapport with colleagues, clients, vendors, and suppliers
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Creative problem solver, resourceful, and a team player
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize heavy workloads and maintain attention to detail
• Highly organized with excellent time management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines

At FIRST, we believe that the passion, creativity, and commitment of our teams drive our success. That's why we offer a range of benefits and perks to support your personal and professional growth

• Private Medical Insurance with BUPA from day one
• 28 Days Annual Leave PLUS Bank Holidays
• 20 Days of Sick Pay each Year
• Enhanced Parental Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Wellness Stipend
• Complimentary access to Headspace, Rocket Lawyer & Maven
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season Ticket Loan
• Pension Scheme Enhancements
• Discretionary Bonus Structure
• Global Opportunities: With a presence in 7 countries worldwide, including headquarters in London, New York, and Singapore, you may have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different locations. #LI-TS1 #LI-Hybrid

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If any candidate feels that they are unable to meet the requirements of the role, please get in touch to discuss adjustments or other suitable roles.