Operations Executive

Salary - £29,000
Location - Hybrid working – 2 days in the office and 3 days working from home.
Working Hours - 37 Hours Monday - Friday
We are currently recruiting for a
Fundraising Operations Executive - Private Sites and events Venue booker.
You will be responsible for supporting the logistics and administration of the F2F Fundraising programme and planning and organising our calendar of F2F, (face to face), fundraising events and private site venues.

This is a key role in supporting the delivery of the strategic objective of growing and diversifying our calendar of events, venues, private site and experiential Fundraising to reach a wider and diverse audience of supporters[DEL: . :DEL]

Key Accountabilities:

• Work in the F2F, (face to face), Fundraising Operations team and closely with the regional F2F Fundraising teams to research, identify and book F2F fundraising opportunities across England and Wales.
• Build relationships with external contacts and providers and fill our annual events calendar with existing and new F2F Fundraising venues, events and interesting cause to audience matched opportunities for F2F private site and event fundraising from Garden centres, farmers markets, music and food festivals, exhibitions to any dynamic and creative privately owned space that will bring our cause to the right audience.
• The role will include admin, making phone calls, holding and attending virtual and in-person meetings, negotiating cost and payment terms with suppliers, populating spreadsheets and rotas, venue booking admin, invoicing and communicating booking information to Fundraisers.
• Regularly speaking to F2F Fundraisers to plan their venues and events one month in advance and bigger events and expos 6 months in advance.
• Develop, manage and maintain positive relationships and account management with venues and suppliers across the UK using a creative and consistent approach.
• Using social media platforms to scope and source local venue opportunities.
• Research, negotiate and source quotes from our creative partners to ensure best price for the design and production of exhibition panels, stretched fabric wraps and shell scheme branded exhibition materials that fit in with the theme of the events attended (this can include Gazebo's, roller banners, pull-up banners and wraps for pop-up counters).
• Record, review and build a central suite of knowledge and data concerning local fundraising venues that includes results, site logistics and costs/ROI.
• Raising Purchase Orders, invoicing and managing budgets.
• Displaying the Trust values and behaviours at all times.
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust's policies and values.

Qualifications and Attainments

• Experience of booking venues and events where sales, marketing or fundraising teams are generating income.

Work experience

• Experience in face-to-face fundraising is desirable but not essential
• Significant experience and knowledge of booking F2F fundraising venues across the UK
• Admin experience
• Some experience of project management / coordination of multiple events programme.
• Some knowledge of the codes of best practice set out by the Fundraising Regulator & Institute of Fundraising.

Essential Skills and knowledge

• Excellent planner with organisation skills with an eye for detail
• Confident communicator who builds rapport easily with internal & external people
• Significant experience and knowledge of booking F2F fundraising venues across the UK
• Excellent Negotiator and customer service skills
• Good collaboration and multi team player
• Self-motivated who can deliver deadlines and work effectively on their own and enjoys working alone as well as with their team
• Ability to effectively manage a varied and evolving workload and work with a variety of stakeholders
• Hybrid working – mixture of local hub/office and home – flexibility available.
• Geographical understanding of the UK
• Solutions focused approach and ability to work with setbacks and last minute changes
• Enthusiasm for keeping our local waterways attractive and safe for all to enjoy now and in the future.
• Competent in the use of Microsoft excel, Word and Outlook and Power-Bi
• Confident in learning about using new software (CRM database and Acquisition platform)
• Drivers license is desirable.
• Ability to make independent business strategic decisions.
• Ability to cost control and identify cost savings and negotiate on price.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What we offer:
In addition to your salary £29,000, we also offer a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements. These include:

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.