The British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences - is seeking a Venue Sales Coordinator to join our commercial Hospitality team, providing key support in the sale and delivery of a range of commercial external events, including corporate function, private celebrations (weddings and landmark events) and filming/photography.  

You can find out more about the British Academy here, including our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement.

ROLE PURPOSE / OVERVIEW

The Venue Sales Coordinator will work in the vibrant Hospitality team and play an important role in the sale and delivery of a range of commercial events, as well as increasing the event spend per head through proactive upselling techniques.

With previous sales experience, you will be a confident and driven team member as well as a first-class communicator, who has the ability to build and develop relationships, manage expectations, meet deliverables and negotiate with clients and suppliers. A passion for events is desirable, as you’ll be working on a varied portfolio of enquiries and event delivery from daytime conferences and corporate Christmas parties to full wedding celebrations and blockbuster film shoots.

Whilst the post is predominantly reactive, there is the opportunity to work on proactive sales activities with the Venue Sales and Marketing Officer.

The post-holder will report to the Venue Business Development and Marketing Manager.

The Academy offers 34 days of annual leave plus Bank Holidays and other excellent benefits for this role, including paid overtime, a yearly suit allowance and an excellent pension scheme, all in one of the best locations in London.

OFFICE LOCATION - 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, St James Park, London, SW1Y 5AH

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Event sales

• Be the first point of contact for all incoming corporate and private enquiries, either by email, telephone or in person and respond to all enquiries in a timely and professional manner ensuring accurate information is added to the venues room booking system Priava.

• Deliver effective venue show rounds, providing visitors with a warm welcome on arrival and a positive first impression of the venue, following up promptly post visit with relevant information where required.

• Follow up with all leads in a timely manner to encourage conversion and to maintain an up to date pipeline for the Head of Venue Sales, Venue Business Development and Marketing Manager and Catering General Manager

• Account manage key regular bookers and accounts by establishing and maintaining positive relationships and communicating regularly with latest news and offers.

• Responsible for problem solving event enquiries while maintaining consistent sales levels.  

• When necessary, support the Venue Business Development and Marketing Manager and Venue Sales and Marketing Officer in proactive sales, client networking, promotional events, and industry exhibitions.

Event planning & delivery

• Produce, distribute, and file all contracts in a timely manner and ensure all agreed deadlines are met, this involves the negotiation of hire rates and terms and conditions of hire. 

• Plan and manage the events you have sold and provide on the day support for events as and where required. Event planning and delivery includes obtaining and inputting final event details into the booking system, ensuring room set ups and event requirements are correct on the day, attending planning meetings and conducting client greeting on the day. 

• Actively participate in weekly planning meetings covering all event bookings for the week ahead, communicating changes and delegating tasks to the in-house catering and AV teams, as well as the facilities department where necessary.  

• Manage the safe delivery of events in a Grade I listed building; ensuring all teams have accurate information in order to deliver events to the venue’s high standards and delegate tasks to other team members and suppliers as required.  

Operational Responsibilities

• Work closely with the facilities team and report any maintenance or health and safety issues

• When required, work as part of the Academy’s front of house team, ensuring that there is always someone on reception when the building is open. 

• Maintain current fire warden, first aid and mental health first aid training to be able to act in case of emergencies. 

• When needed, undertake opening and closing of the building - to assist with ‘front of house’ security, checking that doors and windows are locked at night and that the building is secure and safe during the day. 

• Other tasks and responsibilities that reasonably may be requested in relation to hospitality and facilities operations.  

Administration

• Provide administrative and operational support to the Head of Venue Sales, Business Development and Marketing Manager and the Sales and Front of House manager on strategic projects including, but not limited to, green initiatives, Equality/Diversity & Inclusion projects, data security and database management.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Internal

• Academy staff at all levels; in particular colleagues in IT/AV, Facilities and Front of House and our in-house catering partner

External

• Commercial clients, external event suppliers and industry partners

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (Grades A-C) or equivalent, including English and Maths

• Demonstrated experience of working within a sales, hospitality or events environment, ideally within an historic/heritage venue

• Fire Safety qualified (desirable)

• First Aid qualified (desirable)

• BTEC / NVQ or equivalent in Hospitality or Events Management (desirable)

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Works and communicates effectively.

• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of people, including internal teams (Catering and AV), agents, planners and location scouts.    

• Excellent communication and customer service skills  

• Diplomacy and discretion.

• A respectful and helpful manner and a ‘can do’ attitude.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Demonstrates and develops appropriate knowledge and skills.

• Fluency in both written and spoken English.

• IT literate – good knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word and Excel.

• Experience of using a room booking system or events database (desirable)

• Events Industry knowledge – including suppliers and event agencies (desirable)

• The ability to carry out some heavy lifting / manual tasks, when necessary.

PROACTIVITY AND PLANNING

Manages time and resources effectively in order to achieve own and organisational objectives.

• Excellent organisational and timekeeping skills.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

Ensures good decisions are made through a rational and methodical approach.

• Confidence to problem solve complex event enquiries and manage on the day changes to events

• To work alongside the event delivery teams in catering and AV and troubleshoot when problems occur during live events

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Must have the right to work in the UK

• The ability to work flexible hours with a variable schedule during the normal workday (8.00am – 7.15pm) including early starts, late finishes and weekends.

• Well presented - a smart appearance is required at all times; business attire allowance will be provided, and suitable smart work shoes are required.

BRITISH ACADEMY WORKPLACE VALUES

The Academy’s workplace values and supporting text are set out below. We share these core values with each other. They guide how we work together and with others. We demonstrate them through our behaviours.

COLLABORATION- We consistently work together to a common purpose, supporting each other, communicating openly and sharing knowledge. We are flexible and adaptable, receiving feedback constructively

CREATIVITY - We bring imagination and curiosity to our work, valuing learning, diverse thinking, and innovation. We are open-minded, receptive, and responsive, taking account of alternative perspectives

EMPATHY-We are understanding, sensitive, compassionate, and considerate, mindful of our own wellbeing alongside that of others

EXCELLENCE - We always do our best, without striving to be perfect, applying our expertise and experience to develop and grow

INTEGRITY - We are open and honest with each other, accepting personal responsibility and demonstrating loyalty. We are reliable and dependable, having belief that we will be transparent and clear

RESILIENCE - We are confident, bold, and tenacious, knowing when to listen as well as when to speak up. We respond positively to challenges and overcome problems

RESPECT - We are inclusive in our regard for each other, showing courtesy and appreciation. We treat people fairly and equally, welcoming everyone’s contribution and difference

APPLICATION PROCESS

We have a two-step approach to hiring, beginning with submitting an application through the Applied platform. This will be followed by a panel interview, which will incorporate a task.

Please note that you may be asked to reference any literature that you may refer to, as applications that are highly plagiarised and not your own work. e.g. ChatGPT, will be declined.

Interviews for these roles are currently scheduled for 26/27 July 2023 at the British Academy.