Job Description

Location

Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, Ealing Green, London W5 5EQ

Reporting to

Senior Event Manager

Hours of work

Full-time (35 hours/week)
As the role will involve supervising some events this will include some work on evenings and at weekends. Overtime will not usually be paid but time off in lieu will be awarded once agreed and signed off with your line manager.

Salary

£34k–£37k depending on experience

Role

Efficient and dynamic Event Manager required to support the private hire business at our Grade II listed heritage site at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, West London W5. This involves managing with a can-do attitude a variety of internal and external; functions, events, weddings, film shoots and conferences — along with the day-to-day management of private hire enquiries. You will be working alongside the Senior Event Manager, Venue Hire Sales Executive and Event Coordinator.

Key Accountabilities

Venue Sales and Bookings

• With the Senior Event Manager, build the private hire business and achieve annual sales targets and develop the events offer considering market and sector trends.
• To coordinate and deliver a full range of private hire events at the Manor, Gallery, and related Pitzhanger spaces, including private functions, weddings, performances, lectures, photo shoots, and location shoots, ensuring seamless execution as bookings come in.
• To have a particular focus on high-end events for HNWs, and corporate events, conferences and away days, full hire weddings and filming.
• To answer all venue hire inquiries swiftly and professionally in line with agreed procedures and maximise sales opportunities at all times.
• To arrange and conduct show-rounds of PMGT’s venues, ensuring PMGT’s event experiences are promoted to the highest standard.
• To actively maintain a high level of administrative practices throughout all venue hire and event activity, ensuring meticulous detail throughout each step.
• To listen and respond to the client’s needs.
• To build up and cultivate a database of clients.
• To manage the competing needs of booking the space versus retaining public access to the Manor and its surrounding grounds in opening hours, discussing with PMGT and agreeing any cases of early closure and potential inconvenience.
• To create imaginative, unique events within budgets that enhance the Manor’s reputation as a first-class venue.
• To work closely with the Communications team to generate and maintain excellent, on-brand and consistent event photography, social media presence, web listings and other promotional materials.

Event Management

• To manage all logistics of PMGT’s events, including venue hire, venue staffing and (if appropriate) liaison with the approved caterer for catering arrangements, photography, room dressing, AV set up and other.
• To effectively manage the expectations and requirements of the customer (internal or external) to ensure that the event is successful and that the client’s expectations are exceeded.
• To ensure that a clear and effective communication channel is kept between the event manager, Visitor Experience team and other members of the PMGT team to guarantee the smooth delivery of all events
• To manage the client’s and suppliers’ understanding of heritage constraints of events in a Grade I listed historic site, to have overall responsibility for this on the day and ensure all staff are appropriately briefed of the constraints and this is effectively supervised on the day.
• To always ensure the health and safety standards for events are maintained across all locations and oversee risk management.
• If any damage occurs to the site, to deal with it appropriately including notifying PMGT, seeking compensation, notifying insurers and managing the repair schedule as appropriate. To take responsibility for the upkeep of the Manor prep room and its stock and inventories.
• To support weekly events operations meetings with PMGT staff to coordinate activities, and be diplomatic and fair with prioritisation of the diary and needs of all teams in regard to events.
• To recruit and train up a team of freelance event staff to assist with delivering events at Pitzhanger and manage their performance.
• To line manage the Event Coordinator.

Finance and Admin

• To budget and execute profitable events to budget, working to target margins.
• To be responsible for contracting clients at the appropriate time in advance and ensuring timely payment of deposits and final settlement.
• To develop and maintain a list of approved suppliers and oversee supplier relationships and commission fees.
• To develop all supporting materials e.g. contracts, T&Cs, price lists, etc and streamline and improve all events admin processes and documents on an ongoing basis.
• To take the initiative, in consultation with the Head of Finance, to negotiate on standard terms in order to secure appropriate bookings.

Other

• To work as a team member of PMGT at all times.
• To be flexible to adapt to the changing needs of the organisation and the role as the Trust team grows.
• Actively to support the values and vision of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery.
• To carry out such other duties as may reasonably be requested by the Head of Commercial/the Director and are compatible with the post of Event Manager.
• To maintain high levels of discretion and confidentiality at all times.

Person Specification

• First-class planning, project management and communication skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work towards financial targets, delivering high-quality outcomes within tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, adept at building relationships with a wide range of people.
• Independent and highly organised in managing a complex workload and meeting numerous deadlines.
• Polite assertiveness to ensure that all contractors, suppliers, clients etc comply with the historic guidelines set for the heritage rooms.
• Passionate about heritage, arts, and culture, with an understanding of Pitzhanger’s unique position within the sector

Experience

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience managing events, preferably within a heritage context.
• Strong IT literacy – as a minimum: Word, Excel, Outlook, CRM system.
• Customer service experience.
• Experience of running Corporate Events.
• Experience of communicating with a wide range of stakeholders, preferably including fundraisers, Trustees, performers/artists and sponsors.
• Experience of running fundraising events.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Opportunity to work in one of London’s most historic and unique venues.
• A creative and supportive work environment.
• Discounts for the Gallery cafe, shop and Pitzhanger public events.
• 5% pension contribution.