Opportunities

Conference Manager for in-person, virtual and hybrid events

37 hours per week, based in Taunton, Somerset, with flexibility on home / office working

Reports to: Head of Conferences, Training and Education

Job Purpose: To be accountable for administration, promotion and delivery of our national, regional, virtual and hybrid events which currently include:

Practitioners’ Conference, Joint events with our sector partners, Management in Action Conference, the Regional Training Seminar programme, New Clerk events, Sector Summits, and SLCC’s flagship event, the National Conference. The Conference Manager is expected to share with the team any thoughts on topics or new initiatives to engage in, and to assist SLCC with being the lead in our sector with our virtual and hybrid offerings.

Specific Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• To work with the Head of Conferences, Training and Education ensuring a topical agenda is delivered for the National Conference, Practitioners’ Conference, Management in Action Conference, Regional events, Sector Summits and New Clerk Events
• Liaising with our venue finding agent to secure quality venues for the events which are being held in-person
• Liaise with our AV partners to discuss and facilitate our hybrid offering for our Management in Action and National Conferences
• Liaise with our colleagues at the partner organisations in relation to joint events held with them, ensuring the workload is split between the organisations, discussing content and delivery style
• Attending all in-person conferences and managing these events to ensure high levels of satisfaction are received
• Facilitate all virtual conferences, ensuring high levels of satisfaction are received
• Working with the Head of Marketing and Communications to ensure sufficient promotion of all events in our email newsletter and event specific mailings, ensuring all events are promoted within The Clerk magazine (Event pages)
• Liaise with branch representatives regarding content at each of the Regional Training Seminars, these may be delivered in-person or virtually depending on the situation and feedback from branches
• Liaise with potential presenters discussing the content of the required presentation, ensuing test sessions are held for all presenters ahead of a virtual delivery
• Liaise with our administration team to ensure room releases are done in adequate time to alleviate cancellation charges on our residential events
• Manage the events from conception and planning through to completion and conclusion
• Managing the event at the venue to include; venue liaison, speaker liaison, exhibitor liaison & delegate liaison
• Be responsible for resolving problems / issues onsite with the venue
• Maintain good working relationship with our exhibitors at our events
• Ensure all events meet target for generating a surplus for contributing towards the on-going development of SLCC
• Responsibility to achieve financial targets / delegate numbers at our events
• Ensuring the SLCC’s excellent reputation for delivery of training events and conferences is maintained, and delegate satisfaction exceeds their expectations
• Work closely with the Head of Conferences, Training and Education and other officers at a national level
• Undertake continuous professional development in identified areas
• Undertake duties and activities as may be reasonably requested of you as an Officer of SLCC

Person Specification

Required Skills:

• At least two years’ experience in event management
• Excellent communication skills
• Exceptional organisational skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to prioritise, work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines
• Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to produce financial and statistical reports
• Experience in marketing and promotion
• Experience in report writing
• Ability to work independently on own initiative and also to contribute as part of a team
• Willingness and ability to be flexible
• Ability to get on well with a wide variety of people

Desirable Skills:

• Experience of running virtual and hybrid events
• Knowledge of finance & budget procedures
• Experience of working within a conference / training environment
• An interest in issues relating to the local council sector

Education:

• Minimum of 5 GCSE’s to include English and Maths

Please send your covering letter and CV to Helen Quick, Head of Conferences, Training and Education, [email protected], by the closing date, Friday 28 January 2022.