Head Of Fundraising And Engagement

About the role

The Exchange is seeking an experienced, talented and driven Venue Hire Manager to maximise venue hire income for The Exchange with responsibility for all aspects of hire events.

Situated in the Thames-side town of Erith, The Exchange is dedicated to creating opportunities for people to come together and celebrate life, craft, and community. Ideally located on the border of London and Kent, The Exchange is a perfect venue to attract guests, offering them something unique and memorable in intimate and unique surroundings. This includes the newly renovated “Exchange Town Square” and the beautiful garden designed by award-winning garden designer Sarah Price.

Our aspiration is to develop a craft focused venue hire programme, where every detail has been carefully thought through, leading to unique and inspirational experiences – this will be the role of the new Venue Hire Manager.

Principle Duties:

• Venue Hire Management: Lead for all hire enquiries and bookings from initial conversations through to event delivery and after-care.
• Sales and Business Development: Proactively drive venue hire sales, convert enquiries, and reach budgeted targets, working to develop opportunities with current, returning, and prospective clients. To be conversant with the wider sector, benchmarking against competitor spaces, engaged with external networks and leading on venue hire promotion and marketing opportunities.
• Administration: lead and maintain all enquiries and bookings, communication with internal colleagues to optimise event delivery before, during and after, and develop and maintain accurate monitoring and evaluation reporting.
• Customer Service: provide exceptional service to all event hirers and suppliers with a professional, efficient, and welcoming attitude.

Responsibilities:

• Proactively research and reach-out to new business hire opportunities, exploring new creative opportunities to optimise use of the building and garden, regularly benchmarking The Exchange pricing and proposition.
• Promoting the location through a variety of marketing channels such as social media.
• Responsibility for all venue hires from enquiry to bookings to on-the-day and after care. This includes supervision and scheduling of duty managers, tending to any incidents or queries, liaising with catering services and supervising their requirements and logistics, building security.
• Negotiate and agree venue hire events including final contracts, invoicing, and scheduling.
• Ensure excellent communication with all colleagues to ensure smooth event procedures and positive client outcomes, including cleaning and organising the venue and facilities pre and post event.
• Develop and maintain systems for monitoring, analysis, and evaluation of hire events in context of budget targets and for improving customer service and repeat business.
• Establish best practice procedures and protocol for wide range of clients e.g. private, corporate, charity.
• Develop excellent supplier relationships e.g. event planners, caterers, local companies – to build and promote opportunities to hire spaces and develop a beneficial ‘approved suppliers’ list.
• Operating within rigorous H&S and security frameworks, including taking responsibility for opening and locking up, final building checks.

Personal specification:

Essential:

• Experience of developing pro-active sales leads, and up-selling additional opportunities utilising knowledge of marketing channels and techniques.
• Evidence of excellent customer service and experience of dealing with challenging and complex events.
• Motivated with an eye for detail and a desire to achieve high standards.
• Sound knowledge of security and safety measures and risk management strategies.
• Confident, calm approach to working within a high-pressured, busy environment balancing multiple demands.
• Excellent communication, listening, diplomacy and problem-solving skills.
• Evidence of positive and effective working with inter-departmental teams to achieve shared objectives.
• High level of written and verbal English communication skills.
• Strong negotiation skills both financial and verbal.
• Highly organised with initiative and strong time management efficiency.
• Ability to work flexible hours dependent on events bookings and the needs of the operation.
• The right to live and work in the United Kingdom.

Desirable:

• Working in an arts and culture / community / heritage venue environment.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 05 May

Interviews scheduled for: Wednesday 08 May