COURSES ORGANISER
2 year fixed contract
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) is the oldest pressure group devoted
to the care of historic buildings. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales and much of its work is carried out by its members voluntarily. To find out
more about the SPAB please refer to our website at www.spab.org.uk.
We are now looking for someone whose primary role will be to organise and run the SPAB’s
various training courses. However, they will also be required to undertake a share of general
office duties. Please note: this is an administrative, not a teaching post.
Job title:
Courses Organiser
Responsible to:
Education and Training Team Leader
Salary:
£21,750 p.a. reviewed annually, plus contributory pension scheme.
Hours of work:
40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9.30am until 5.30pm, including one
hour for lunch. Occasional unsocial hours working may be necessary (e.g.
to attend evening or weekend events) for which time off in lieu will be
given.
Location:
This post will be based at the office of the SPAB, 37 Spital Square,
London E1 6DY, although there will be occasional visits or meetings off
site.
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JOB DESCRIPTION
Assisting in the planning, organisation and promotion of SPAB courses
The job involves helping to plan, organise and promote an annual programme of courses
including the London-based week long ‘repair course’ for architects and other professionals
which is held twice a year; day and half-day technical courses; CPD afternoons; the annual
London weekend homeowners course; regional weekend homeowners courses; and bespoke
courses for other organisations.
Although the Courses Organiser is responsible to the Education and Training Team Leader, he or
she will also be expected to help organise and promote the training courses and events developed
by the Advice Team.
Responsibilities will include:
Planning courses:
 Working with staff in the Education and Training Team and Advice Team to plan the
annual programme of courses and events.
 Working with the Press Officer to devise and deliver an effective marketing strategy for
all SPAB courses and events.
Organising courses:
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Identifying and booking suitable course venues, including visiting potential venues to
check facilities if necessary.
Arranging catering for courses and liaising with venue staff to make all the necessary
practical arrangements.
Arranging or carrying out risk assessments prior to courses and compiling any necessary
health and safety related information.
Arranging insurance for courses if required.
Arranging the course programme and inviting speakers/demonstrators.
Booking accommodation for speakers and demonstrators when required.
Taking and processing course bookings and sending out confirmation letters and joining
instructions.
Collating speakers’ notes and background information in order to produce delegates’
packs for courses.
Arranging extra assistance to help at courses if required (volunteers or SPAB staff).
Attending courses as and when required to help register delegates, sell publications and
undertake other general duties. (This may involve working around three or four weekends
a year, for which time off in lieu will be given.)
Sending thank you letters and expenses claim forms to speakers.
Liaising with the Finance Manager to ensure that speakers’ expenses and other costs are
reimbursed promptly.
Maintaining records of course income and expenditure, delegate numbers, feedback from
delegates, details of speakers and demonstrators and their lecture topics etc.
Promotion of courses:
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Producing booking forms/ fliers for courses for use in the SPAB’s Cornerstone magazine,
in membership packs and on the website and for general circulation.
Ensuring the relevant pages on the SPAB website contain full and up-to-date information
on all SPAB courses and events. Making sure that the events pages on the website are
engaging and visually interesting.
Working with the Press Officer to publicise and market all SPAB courses.
Working with the New Media Officer to promote SPAB events using social media
networks such as Facebook.
Maintaining existing contacts with other heritage organisations and relevant bodies and
sending out information about SPAB courses and events to them on a regular basis.
Building up new contacts with heritage organisations and relevant bodies for the purposes
of marketing SPAB events.
Seeking out new and appropriate means to advertise and promote courses.
Other general responsibilities:
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Providing administrative support for other staff in the Education and Training Team as
required.
Providing administrative support for the Philip Webb Award.
Taking minutes at Education Committee meetings and distributing agenda papers and
minutes to Education Committee members.
Responding to email and telephone enquiries about SPAB courses, careers in
conservation, other course providers etc.
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Responding to initial approaches from other organisations with regard to organising
bespoke courses.
General reception and administrative help
Although the majority of the post holder’s time will be devoted to the tasks listed above, he or
she will be required to share some general clerical and administrative duties including:
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General reception work, including answering telephone enquiries from the general public
and welcoming visitors to the building.
General office duties including opening the post and answering general email enquiries.
Helping with SPAB activities such as the evening lecture series, Open House London, the
AGM etc.
THE CANDIDATE
The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following:
Essential skills/
knowledge/abilities
 Experience of working in a busy office environment
 Strong administration skills
 A high standard of literacy and numeracy
 Excellent written and oral communications skills
 Experience of using Microsoft Windows applications, e.g. Word,
Access, Excel and Publisher
 The ability to plan and prioritise the workload and to work to
deadlines
 The ability to function successfully as a member of a team
Desirable skills/
knowledge/abilities
 An ability to produce engaging promotional materials such as
information leaflets and posters
 Experience in marketing or promotion
 Experience of creating and maintaining lively and engaging
webpages and an understanding of how to use social media e.g.
Facebook as to promote events and activities
 An interest in historic buildings (NB no previous knowledge or
experience is necessary)
Essential personal
qualities
 You must be highly efficient, responsible, energetic, capable and
reliable
 You must be calm under pressure, patient and practical
 You must demonstrate commonsense, resourcefulness, initiative and
the capacity to get on with a very wide range of people
The SPAB maintains a small but informal office, with a high level of commitment to the
conservation of old buildings, and any new staff member needs to be enthusiastic and willing to
fit in quickly. The office atmosphere is informal and is not suited to anyone with a narrow view
of their duties or an unwillingness to get their hands dirty, metaphorically and sometimes
literally. At busy times, all staff are required to ‘muck in’.
We are looking for a candidate who will be able to start soon. Interviews will be held shortly after
the closing date.
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TERMS & CONDITIONS
The job is full time and a fixed two year post, based on a five day week from 9.30am to 5.30pm
or equivalent. Some evening and weekend work is required, as the successful applicant will be
required to attend some of the SPAB’s courses and events. Time off in lieu will be given. As
well as statutory holidays there will be 4 weeks (20 days) annual holiday. Additionally the office
normally closes between Christmas and New Year.
The job is based at the SPAB’s eighteenth century headquarters in Spitalfields, a five storey
former silk merchant’s house. It is a few minutes walk from Liverpool Street Station in the City
of London.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates must complete an application form.
CLOSING DATE:
Friday 27th May 2011