VIP Engagement Assistant

Clarion Events Ltd; London Borough of Wandsworth; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday + bank holidays

End of year wellbeing shutdown

Extra leave day for celebrations

Summer Hours on Fridays (3pm)

Health insurance

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme

Cycle to work

Free on-site gym

Employee wellbeing resources

Season ticket loan

Job summary

Clarion Events is seeking a German-speaking VIP Engagement Assistant to support the delivery of DSEI Germany 2027. You will coordinate VIP engagement activity, connect senior government and military stakeholders with exhibitors, and ensure high-quality, productive visits during the event.

You will develop tailored visit programmes, manage communications, maintain records in the delegate system, and work closely with internal teams to meet project goals in a dynamic, international events

Qualifications

• Can communicate to a professional standard in both English and German
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Professional and confident stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to build rapport and establish trusted working relationships
• Strong customer service mindset
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously with prioritisation
• Calm, composed, and reliable under pressure, able to adapt to changing circumstances
• Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to work
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing positively to a team environment
• Resilient, adaptable, and solution-focused
• A positive, enthusiastic and professional attitude
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Responsibilities

• Support the operational delivery of VIP engagement activity for DSEI Germany 2027.
• Pro-active communication with VIP delegations and internal stakeholders, building and maintaining strong working relationships
• Use of our delegate management system to create tailored VIP visit programmes and meeting schedules.
• Match exhibitor capabilities and solutions with VIP areas of interest and operational requirements.
• Respond to stakeholder enquiries in a professional, timely, and client-focused manner.
• Maintain accurate records within the delegate management system.
• Monitor programme progress and provide updates to the wider team.
• Represent Clarion and the DSEI Germany brand professionally at all times.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, processes and customer experience as part of continuous improvement process.
• Operate confidently during busy pre-event and onsite periods, managing competing priorities while maintaining high standards of accuracy and service.
• Escalate issues appropriately and contribute positively to a collaborative team environment.
• Ensure all stakeholder and customer data is handled in accordance with relevant data protection requirements.

Skills

Bilingual English/German

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Written and verbal communication

Stakeholder engagement

Relationship building

Customer service mindset

Multitasking

Calm under pressure

Problem solving

Independent working

Adaptability

Positive attitude

Microsoft Office

Job description

At Clarion, our people are at the absolute heart of what we do. We’re proud that our core values of PASSION, CARE, IMAGINATION, and TRUST define the way we carry out our work across all of our teams.

If you share our values and want to be a part of a successful, dynamic, and creative global business then we want to hear from you.

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a German speaker to join the VIP Engagement team supporting the delivery of DSEI Germany 2027, Germany’s major new defence and security event.

We are recruiting a VIP Engagement Assistant to support the delivery of DSEI Germany’s inaugural VIP engagement programme. Working as part of a dedicated team, successful candidates will help connect senior government and military stakeholders with exhibitors, ensuring VIP visitors receive a high-quality and productive event experience at DSEI Germany.

This role sits within our Programming function and will play a key role in coordinating VIP engagement activity, managing stakeholder communications, facilitating valuable introductions, and supporting the delivery of tailored visit programmes.

The position offers a unique opportunity to develop experience within the international events industry and defence sector whilst working with senior decision-makers from across government, military, and industry communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the operational delivery of VIP engagement activity for DSEI Germany 2027.
• Pro-active communication with VIP delegations and internal stakeholders, building and maintaining strong working relationships
• Use of our delegate management system to create tailored VIP visit programmes and meeting schedules.
• Match exhibitor capabilities and solutions with VIP areas of interest and operational requirements.
• Respond to stakeholder enquiries in a professional, timely, and client-focused manner.
• Maintain accurate records within the delegate management system.
• Monitor programme progress and provide updates to the wider team.
• Represent Clarion and the DSEI Germany brand professionally at all times.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, processes and customer experience as part of continuous improvement process.
• Operate confidently during busy pre-event and onsite periods, managing competing priorities while maintaining high standards of accuracy and service.
• Escalate issues appropriately and contribute positively to a collaborative team environment.
• Ensure all stakeholder and customer data is handled in accordance with relevant data protection requirements.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will be highly organised, proactive, and comfortable working within a fast-paced environment. You will possess excellent interpersonal skills and enjoy building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

You will be confident communicating with senior individuals, capable of managing multiple priorities, and committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Experience within events, customer service, stakeholder engagement, coordination, hospitality, or administration would be advantageous, although candidates from other professional backgrounds with transferable skills are encouraged to apply.

Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours

Essential

• Can communicate to a professional standard in both English and German
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Professional and confident stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to build rapport and establish trusted working relationships
• Strong customer service mindset
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously with prioritisation
• Calm, composed, and reliable under pressure, able to adapt to changing circumstances
• Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to work
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing positively to a team environmentResilient, adaptable, and solution-focused
• A positive, enthusiastic and professional attitude
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Desirable

• Previous experience in event delivery, exhibitions, hospitality, customer engagement or stakeholder management
• Experience working with senior-level stakeholders
• Knowledge of the defence and security sector
• Understanding of military or government organisational structures

About Clarion Events

Clarion Events is one of the world’s leading event organisers, producing and delivering innovative and market‑leading events since 1947. (https://clarionevents.com/welcome)

Clarion Events embrace diversity and equal opportunities in all that we do. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Clarion is private equity backed and owned by Blackstone. Blackstone is one of the world’s leading global investment funds, investing capital for the long term in order to build successful, resilient businesses. (https://www.blackstone.com/)

Our purpose is to deliver exceptional customer outcomes and experiences, by making every connection count.

Our vision is we want every one of our products to be a market leader in customer satisfaction and delight.

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• End of year wellbeing shutdown (closed for the last week of the year)
• Employees on a permanent or fixed-term contract are gifted an extra day of leave that can be used for a celebration of your choosing, e.g. birthday, Eid, Diwali, etc.
• Summer Hours in August (3pm finish on Fridays)
• Helping Our World (HOW) Days – one paid day per quarter to carry out charity work
• Pension Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Health Cash Plan
• Wellbeing Library (MYNDUP)
• Mentoring Programme
• Season Ticket Loan
• Cycle to Work Schemes
• Free on-site gym and shower facilities
• Free eyesight tests
• Free flu vaccination – offered on site once a year for all employees

Our Values

PASSION

We deliver all our events with passion for people, the environment and businesses. We form connections with those who are just as passionate about what they do as we are. We always strive to exceed expectations and celebrate success. We love what we do, and it shows.

CARE

We care about our people and our products and work tirelessly to achieve lasting connections and satisfaction for ourselves, our customers and the businesses they support. We really get people - everyone is welcome.

IMAGINATION

Everything is possible. We constantly challenge the status quo and create amazing experiences and opportunities. We take huge satisfaction in solving problems. As open-minded and fun-loving people, the sky is our limit.

TRUST

We trust our skills, people and partners to deliver extraordinary events our customers have come to rely on. We support everyone around us and always learn through our experiences. We are honest and straight forward. You can always rely on us.

Equal Opportunities

We encourage employees to be open and confident and recognise that every member of the team makes a vital contribution.

Clarion embraces equality, diversity and inclusion and seeks to promote these principles in all of our business activities.

When recruiting new employees or providing opportunities for promotion, we will:

• Recruit, develop and retain the most talented people, regardless of background, and make the best use of their talents;
• Ensure that no person is unlawfully discriminated against;
• Select the best person for the role based on their skills, qualifications and abilities.

This statement sets out our commitment to equal opportunities and to preventing discrimination in the workplace.