JOB DESCRIPTION AND SELECTION CRITERIA
Conference and Events Administration Assistant
Department
Conference and Events
Salary
Salary Grade 4: £20,781 - £24,057 per annum depending on
qualifications and experience.
Hours
Full-time: 36.5 hours per week. At busy times some flexibility will
be required (e.g. working late/early with time off in lieu).
Contract type
Permanent following satisfactory completion of a probationary
period of 6 months.
Reporting to
Conference and Events Manager who has overall responsibility for
the College’s internal and external events and conference
bookings.
Close liaison
Conference & Events Manager (line manager); Fellows; PA to the
Fellows’; Heads of Department; students booking events; College
guests/visitors; external clients.
Additional
information
The post holder will be entitled to take a free lunch when on duty
and the kitchen is open.
Holiday entitlement will be 30 days including the College's closed
period of five days at Christmas, plus bank holidays. Due to
operational requirements, you may be required to work on any of
the bank holidays, for which time off in lieu will be provided.
Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (subject to eligibility).
Opportunity to join the Colleges’ health care scheme.
The College operates a staff bonus scheme and a bus pass
scheme.
Start Date
At the earliest opportunity.
Wadham College
Wadham is one of the largest of the colleges of the University of Oxford, with
approximately 450 undergraduates, 170 postgraduates, around 70 Fellows and over 100
staff. Founded in 1610, Wadham celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2010. It has an
annual turnover of some £8M and reserves in excess of £70M.
Wadham attracts undergraduate and postgraduate students from a wide range of
backgrounds thanks to its informal atmosphere, academic strength, historic environment
and the open-minded, progressive and socially aware attitude of its community.
The College’s Governing Body consists of the Warden and Fellows and is chaired by the
Warden. The current Warden is Lord Macdonald QC, who came to Wadham in
September 2012, and is one of the country’s top criminal lawyers and a former Director of
Public Prosecutions.
More information about Wadham College can be found at www.wadham.ox.ac.uk
Overview of the role
This post supports the Conference and Events Manager who is responsible for generating
income and managing the College’s internal and external events and conferences. The
post holder will respond to enquiries for booking College facilities, booking
accommodation, operate a deposit and invoicing system, show prospective clients around
the College’s facilities, maintain a database system, and provide general secretarial
support to the Conference and Events Manager.
This role involves a high level of liaison with people at all levels such as College Fellows,
support staff, students and clients as well as focusing on administrative tasks and data
inputting. The work of Administrative Assistant reflects the areas of the responsibility of the
Conference and Events Manager and focuses on the organisation of internal and external
College events.
Occasionally, the post holder will provide cover and support to the Fellow’s Secretary as
well as providing administrative and secretarial support to the Fellows’ of the College.
Responsibilities/duties
Customer and client liaison
1.
When requested, to show clients around the College’s facilities and ascertain their
exact requirements and follow through to final outcome of enquiry.
2.
To maintain and enhance the reputation and business profile of the College by
offering a first class customer service and, where possible, maximise revenue
through up-selling.
3.
To ensure conference organisers are full briefed on the Fire Evacuation process,
relevant Health and Safety procedures and other relevant information, as per College
procedures.
4.
To have a thorough knowledge of the College’s facilities at the main College site, on
Parks Road, and the Merifield complex, located in Summertown.
5.
Research markets to identify opportunities to bring new business to the College.
6.
To meet with conference organisers at regular intervals during their conference and
ensure everything is satisfactory.
7.
To contact clients for feedback at the end of the event to undertake post-event
evaluations.
8.
To attend regular meetings with the Conference & Events Manager and to attend and
participate in any other meetings or training as and when required.
9.
To maintain a high standard of appearance at all times during working hours and a
dress code appropriate for meeting with clients.
Administration
10. To maintain the Excel spreadsheets for events, including details of charges for each
event and where required producing invoices.
11. To set up formulas in Excel to produce monthly revenue figures.
12. To produce accurate quotes for sending to clients for approval and to use to raise
invoices.
13. To have an understanding of VAT processes including items that attracts VAT, when
VAT exemption is given, calculating VAT and extracting VAT where appropriate.
14. Book accommodation for Conference and College events as well as casual guest
accommodation and recording revenue of casual accommodation.
15. Ensure any special requirements/requests by customers are organised and that each
department is fully aware, e.g. dietary requirements.
16. To accurately maintain the database booking system and the Conference diary, and
liaise with each department on last minute requests.
17. Administer the deposit system, including calculating second deposits where
appropriate, and ensure that external clients pay on time; chasing payment when
necessary
18. To assist the Accounts Department with any queries they may have regarding event
charges.
19. Ensure all Health & Safely and Fire Regulations information is passed to clients who
book the Holywell Music Room and Moser Theatre and external stewards are booked
when required. Thoroughly check booking forms and follow through to end of event.
20. General secretarial duties including typing letters, menus, place-cards, seating plans
etc; filing; answering telephone and email; handling of mailings and sending out
information in response to enquiries; office stationery ordering; copying and
distributing information to staff under the direction of the Conference and Events
Manager.
21. When required, providing cover/support to the Fellows’ Secretary. This will include
general secretarial and administrative support for Fellows which will be wide-ranging
and varied and will include, for example, the typing of references; photocopying;
sending our invitations to events; fielding e-mails and dealing with post when Fellows
are away from the College.
22. Maintaining the Conference website.
23. Generally, this post requires flexibility within the office at busy times and a
commitment to generating business for the College.
24. Maintaining strict confidentiality at all times.
25. Any other task commensurate with the role.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
1.
Educated to GCSE level, or equivalent, including English and Maths A-C Grade.
2.
Experience of working in events management, or have some relevant experience in
the hospitality industry.
3.
Experience of administrative duties including data inputting and letter writing.
4.
Excellent organisational, administrative and negotiation skills.
5.
Excellent attention to detail
6.
As this role will involve contact with a wide range of people, first class interpersonal
skills are a prerequisite.
7.
Excellent oral and written English skills.
8.
Excellent IT skills, especially with Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, Excel)
and a willingness to learn new packages.
9.
Ability to type with speed and accuracy.
10.
Ability to prioritize tasks and work under pressure.
11.
A methodical and efficient approach to office procedures.
12.
Flexible and the ability to respond to varying workloads immediately.
13.
A team player who works well within a team, but also able to work independently.
14.
Self-motivated and pro-active.
15.
Commitment to providing excellent customer care and being customer focused.
16.
An interest in a career in events management.
Desirable
17.
Experience in a similar role in a College or educational sector.
18.
Knowledge of a computerised event management system. The College currently
uses the Kinetics software.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicants are asked to submit an application form, including the contact details of two
individuals willing to act as referees. One referee should be the applicant’s current or most
recent line manager or Head of Department.
Applicants should ensure that they outline the reasons for their interest (on the application
form or in a cover letter) and the qualities they feel would make them particularly suitable
for this position. Applications will be judged solely on the basis of how the applicant
demonstrates that they meet the selection criteria outlined above.
The deadline for applications is midday on Monday 20th October 2014. Shortlisted
applicants will be notified thereafter for interview. All applicants will receive a response as
soon as possible.
Wadham College Equality Statement
Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant, student or member of staff will be
discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil
partnership, pregnancy or parenthood, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
October 2014