Event Operations Manager
2 days ago
London
OVERVIEW Smart Group Ltd’s flagship venue Evolution London is a purpose-built, semi-permanent event venue located on an exclusive site in the heart of Battersea Park. The venue is a 5500 sqm of versatile event space that has a potential capacity of up to 4000 people (depending on configuration) and offers a blank canvas setting for organisers to utilise the space in many different formats. Evolution London accommodates a variety of events each year which include exhibitions, conferences and company parties. Events at the venue are delivered by external organisers hiring the venue as well as Smart Group Ltd’s internal team. In addition to the event space the venue offers advanced in-house production (Encore), and in-house catering (Moving venue) options tailored to suit each client. The venues operation team are responsible for planning and delivering 80+ clients’ events ranging from awards dinners, exhibitions, fairs and conferences. The Event Operations Manager will manage and grow their portfolio of clients, from contracting stage all the way until post event management reporting. They will plan, coordinate and work alongside the Head of Event Operations at Evolution London. This role requires a candidate with excellent communication skills, a keen eye for detail, knowledge of catering and a passion for event planning. Our offices are located at Evolution London in Battersea and Smart Group Head Office in Deptford. WHAT THE ROLE REQUIRES: The Event Operations Manager will work closely with the Evolution venues team, Moving Venue – our exclusive catering company as well as the venue team including Encore, the onsite production and personnel teams to ensure client’s briefs are met as well as maintaining excellent client retention. The successful candidate will be a key member of the venue operations team, supporting the Head of Event Operations on day-to-day venue operations, as well as working with their own portfolio of client events. During the months of June & December, the venue operations team operate at Magazine London to which Smart Group place a summer and Christmas install. Within these months, we are responsible for the management of the venue and our clients who take tenancies during this timeframe. Your responsibility remains the same as the roles and responsibilities below, with support from a catering planner from Moving Venue. The events within the summer run are a mixture of brand activations, dinners, summer parties and exhibitions. No brief is the same! KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT • Work with new and existing clients on each element of the event planning and liaising with specific internal departments (catering, production, venue operations, site management), • Support the Head of Event Operations and Senior Operations Manager on the pre-event planning including but not limited to site visits, menu tastings, pre-production meetings, approval of event schedules, compiling H&S documentation, adhering to local council regulations, floor plans, on site management and delivery., • Ensuring all event administration including function sheets, event notification forms and health and safety forms are created for all events., • Creating proposals and reaching out to suppliers to obtain quotes., • Ensuring the client experience is a success from start to finish, maintaining excellent client relations and post-event feedback., • Organising debrief meetings with your clients with a view of retaining the event for the future., • Due to the nature of the role, the Event Operations Manager will be required to often work unsociable hours and attend events to support the on-site management teams. CATERING • Moving Venue is the onsite exclusive caterer, part of The Smart Group. This dual role will require elements of catering to be actioned to enable the Moving Venue operations team to be able to deliver a successful event., • Tastings – Arranging client tasting, as well as compiling client tasting notes and menu sheets. Booking in relevant linen, crockery and glassware upgrades with our exclusive suppliers., • Allergens – ensuring all events have allergen tent cards printed for all menus., • Beverage Pre Orders - keeping track of all beverage pre orders, sending updates to the catering operations team. Ensuring all beverage pre order links, are in line with the current wine list., • Menus- liaising with the Moving Venue sales team to keep all food and beverage menus updated with the correct offerings., • Crew Food- booking in the relevant client and personnel crew food., • Special diets- collating special diets received from clients and relaying onto the chef team. VENUE OPERATIONS • As part of the Evolution London events team, you will ensure that we continue to provide a high standard of venue facilities for our clients and events., • Review and action event / client feedback to continually improve the venue experience and encourage repeat business., • To gain good working knowledge of Evolution London you will need to ensure suppliers, internal and external are always complying with the venue rules., • To develop an understanding of health and safety regulations within the venue., • Review and action event / client feedback to continually improve the venue experience and encourage repeat business. SALES • As part of the planning process, there should be a focus on increasing revenue through upselling to clients wherever possible, • Where required, host clients at events to help grow new and existing client relationships, • Working alongside the sales team to complete supplier/competitor analysis, • Assisting with providing information for Weekly Sales Activity Reports and Monthly ‘What’s on Reports’ FINANCE • Responsible for ensuring event cost sheets and P&L’s are updated with accurate costs from suppliers., • Ensuring invoices are passed onto the relevant team members for reconciliation and finance approval., • Full responsibility of your event budget from contract stage to post event. WHAT YOU'LL BRING • Minimum of 3/4 years’ experience within events., • Proven track record of delivering successful events, within a venue background. Catering is preferred but not essential., • Commitment to quality and timely service delivery, with a proactive and positive “can do” attitude, • Strong organisational and multitasking skills with a flexible approach to the demands of the role, • A team player who understands the bigger picture and impact of decisions, • Ability to use initiative and be proactive in your role, • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability and confidence to manage stakeholder relationships, • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), • You enjoy responsibility and ownership of projects and processes WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? At Smart Group, we value our teams, and as part of our commitment to creating a positive work environment, we offer the following benefits: • Quarterly performance-related bonus, • Starting holiday allowance of 25 days (plus bank holidays), increasing with length of service, • Access to Medicash health plan, including dental, optical, 24/7 mental health support helpline, virtual wellbeing tools, • Exclusive restaurants and bar discounts via the CODE app, • Free on-site parking at Evolution London and Head Office, • Fresh, healthy breakfast and lunch served daily by our in-house chef (when working at Head Office), • Incentive trips for high performing employees, • Cycle to work scheme, • Recommend a friend scheme - earn up to £1,000 when recommending a friend to work with us, • Regular social events throughout the year, • Two complimentary event tickets per year and discounted tickets for friends and family, • Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave and Pay - subject to length of service, • Interest free travel loan, • One paid volunteer day each year We believe in celebrating success, supporting wellbeing, and creating a place where everyone can thrive.