Interim Events & Engagement Manager

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

Events and Engagement Manager

Pay Band: 7

Salary: Starting £30,839 (+ £3,300 market allowance if based in London)

Contract Type: Fixed term contract until 31/12/2024 (maternity cover)

Location: UK; London

Role Type: Advisory, Policy and Expertise

Requirements: Candidates must have the pre-existing (permanent) right to work in location.

Mobility / relocation / visa sponsoring support will not be provided.

Benefits Include, But Are Not Limited To

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme
• An unrivalled opportunity for you to get to use all the experience you’ve built up working in and / or leading global organisations to support us in building trust across the world!

Closing date: Sunday 21st January, 11:59pm UK time.

Role Context

Marketing and Communications at the British Council is a strategic function which drives awareness, understanding and engagement with us across our diverse audiences. We use insight, knowledge and analysis of our market and our customers to engage them with our work and our products and services in the most impactful and effective way. We lead the development of our brand and use our expertise to tell inspiring stories to enhance our global reputation, build lifelong relationships, engage our staff and demonstrate our impact.

Role Purpose

To support the Senior Events and Engagement Manager to develop, implement and embed an events and engagement strategy for the British Council, and manage events planning and delivery. The Events and Engagement Manager is responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of specific events for the British Council, ensuring everything is aligned to our Brand guidelines. They will also advise colleagues more widely, supporting them to carry out events across the British Council’s global network.

Main Accountabilities

Strategy & Planning

• Support the development of an events strategy to ensure a co-ordinated strategic calendar of events globally.
• Ensure that events maintain the overall reputation of the British Council and enhance its profile.
• Ensure that messages are consistent and support the overall brand and business strategy.
• Elevate any events risks and issues to ensure they are effectively managed and mitigated.
• Monitor the effectiveness of events and identify improvement opportunities.
• Monitor trends in event management and ensure that best practice is applied.
• Support on engagement with the local community and future partnerships with organisations as part of the strategy around the British Council’s headquarters.
• Supports the management of the exhibition space in the Stratford office, including planning and running of events there.

Consultancy, analysis and problem-solving

• Support the provision of expert advice on event planning, management, and delivery.
• Ensure that event management communications risks and issues are effectively managed and mitigated.
• Build an in-depth understanding of the operational context, opportunities and challenges, and of how those relate to wider issues in the UK, to ensure the development of new strategies and campaign ideas that will deliver business objectives.
• Consult closely with internal stakeholders and other partners to understand current and future business needs and plans work activities accordingly to ensure the services and advice they provide meets those demands.

Subject/Sector expertise

• Provide expert professional advice, support and challenge to internal customers and other stakeholders to support the development of high quality, effective and continuously improving business practices within their area of functional expertise.
• Proactively pursue an annual cycle of formally recognised Continuing Professional Development to maintain and deepen their professional expertise.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of training and guidance of other professionals in the field.
• Identify and make recommendations for improvements to ways of working that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the corporate functional discipline, as well as the operational effectiveness of their internal customers.

Commercial and financial management

• Use agreed corporate systems and processes, plans, and manages the assigned budget.
• Conduct monthly and year-end reporting expenditure and contributes learnings from this process to support the Head of Media and External Communications in improving financial planning, management, and performance within their area.

Relationship and stakeholder management

• Proactively build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal peers and stakeholders to ensure integrated, joined up and future-proofed working.
• Promote and champion best practice event management through the Marketing Community of Practice.

Leadership and management

• Plan and prioritise own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to annual time horizon.
• Determine work plans and coordinates input from others to meet specific objective.

Role Specific Knowledge And Experience

• Experience of working in managing high profile and complex events.
• Deep understanding of event management strategy, planning and delivery including the opportunities and challenges presented by new technologies.
• Demonstrable experience in managing and mitigating significant event management risk and issues.

Additional Information

Many of our events are in London and it is expected that the post holder would be able to travel for these as needed. There may be occasional early morning, evening, and weekend event work.

You must have the right to live and work in the UK.

Closing date: Sunday 21st January, 11:59pm UK time.

Interviews will be held beginning of February, preferably face-to-face in the Stratford office.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email [email protected]

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our careers website. Our ‘ASK HR’ email is only to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.