Groups Coordinator

**Groups Co-ordinator (part-time)**

**The English Language Centre, Chester (ELC Chester) is a school that teaches English to international students. We have been operating from premises in central Chester for 47 years. We are now part of an educational charity, the English Language Centre, with sister schools in Brighton and Eastbourne.**

**Many of the students who come to us are individuals, but we also work with groups of students, both adults and children, who generally come for short periods.**

**The Groups Coordinator is responsible for all aspects of managing and leading our work in this area. This would include liaising with overseas partners, quoting for a group, putting together the programme and activities with assistance from colleagues, managing the booking and passing information on to relevant colleagues in the school, managing the group and any group leaders during their stay in the school, and following up after the group leaves.**

**The main tasks are as follows**:
**Managing and generating Educational Tour Operators’ (ETO) and Group organisers’ enquiries**
- To respond to ETO enquiries concerning a group visit to get a precise idea of the requirements of the group, ensuring all communication is timely, comprehensive and positive.
- To discuss these requirements with the ETO making recommendations for the type of programme that best fits (and ensuring that there are no reasons why we might not wish to accept this group)
- On the basis of the above agreed outline to prepare a quotation and sample study programme
- To confirm the group and to send booking confirmations, invoice and any other required group documentation to the ETO/group organiser. To allocate places to the group with a clear cut off date for the acceptance of the quotation, in discussion with relevant parties
- To record and maintain relevant information in the group folders, on the group planner and on CLASS.
- In discussion with the CEO, the AMM, the Principal and colleagues in other ELC schools to build the

ETO group data base, and employing strategies to activate members on that data base

**Liaising with the ETO and ELC Chester staff from the time of the confirmed booking until the arrival of the group in Chester**
- When all aspects of the booking have been agreed and on receipt of student names, the GC will pass the booking (complete rooming list, updated booking confirmation, group checklist) on to the AMM and team who will process the booking making all the necessary arrangements for accommodation and transfers etc. The Administrative team will, in due course, relay all this information to the GC who will pass on to the ETO.
- Having confirmed the group’s programme requirements with the ETO, the GC will either book or liaise with the SAO to finalise and book the social programme and ensure the social programme is practicable and delivered according to budget.
- When the timetable is confirmed, the GC will inform the Principal so appropriate staff can be contracted for the work.
- The GC will also hand over relevant booking details (programme, group checklist and any other details relating to academic course content) to the AMT, which is responsible for all academic matters during the group stay in Chester
- The GC will ensure that group leader notes have been sent in a timely fashion and that all documentation is kept up to date, including the groups planner.
- For groups containing under 18-year olds, the GC will work with all parties to ensure that safeguarding has been fully considered in the planning of the programme, and in particular if the group is planning to undertake any other activities during their stay that are not delivered by the school.
- For groups containing under 18-year olds, the GC will co-ordinate with the ETO to ensure that parental agreement forms, and group leader declarations and police certificates of good conduct/ documents confirming police checks by ETOs or schools have been received.
- The GC would normally remain the first point of contact for the ETO for all matters related to the content and delivery of the programme.
- Throughout the year, the GC will hold regular meetings with colleagues in the AMT and elsewhere (as appropriate) to review progress and developments with groups.
- THE GC will liaise with the Finance team in Brighton to ensure payment has been made by the ETO or group organiser, and that other invoices requiring payment (e.g. social activities) are approved and sent to the Finance team for payment.

**Dealing with the Group during their stay in Chester**
- The GC meets the group leader(s) at the beginning of the stay, assisting the admin team where required with meeting the group on arrival in Chester. In the school, the GC will brief them and gain initial feedback.
- The GC will ensure that all students understand the rules of the school and their programme as part of their induction, and in particular will be the key safeguarding contact for groups contai