Job statement – Events Officer

Job title: Events Officer

Reports to: Manager, Science Communication

Directly supervises: None

Pay band: 1

Job scope

Working with the Head of Science Communication, the Manager, Science Communication
and the other Events Officers, to administer and help develop the following aspects of the
Society’s events programme:

• scientific discussion meetings;

• medals, awards and associated lectures;
• public lectures and debates;
• summer science exhibition (including regional versions) and soirées;
• media/communications skills training courses;
• web-based events diary and mailing lists and;
• other events or activities which may arise from time to time.

The work associated with the above activities will be divided between all the Events
Officers, with each Events Officer taking particular responsibility for an aspect of the
Sections work. This role will have particular responsibility for the Royal Society Academie
des sciences Microsoft Award and the Royal Society Pfizer Award. Responsibilities within
this team may change from time to time.

The Events Officer will also be expected to contribute to other projects outside their remit
to aid the Section’s activities as a whole.

Main features and key tasks

The work of the Events Officer will include:

i) taking responsibility for the delivery of the part of the events programme defined in
‘job scope’ above in order to reach agreed goals and deadlines. This will include all
aspects of events management, from conception to completion;

ii) monitoring the budgets for projects under his/her control to ensure projects are run
within agreed budgets; feeding this information into the overall budget for the team;

iii) ensuring that needs of the target audiences (both internal and external) are met as
efficiently as possible, including the devising and implementing of marketing strategies
as required;

iv) working with designers, both internal and external, to produce marketing materials for
projects;
v) ensuring appropriate evaluation methods are employed for all projects and producing
output/outcome reports as required; feeding this information back into the marketing
strategies as appropriate;

vi) drafting a range of written materials for speakers and organisers of meetings, and for
internal reporting;

vii) liaising with internal and external service providers, eg catering facilities, building
services, design companies, external venues, and a variety of Society contacts
including Fellows of the Society, other scientists etc.

viii) administering the nomination process for the Society’s medals and awards, including
updating the necessary documentation, processing nominations and compiling
committee papers;

ix) making all arrangements for the meetings of relevant committees, including selection
of meeting dates, room bookings, etc, and the drafting and distribution meeting
agenda, papers and minutes;

x) in conjunction with the Council & Fellowship office, making necessary arrangements for
the medals to be awarded at the Society’s Anniversary Day;

xi) implementing, in consultation with the Head of Section and Assistant Manager,
methods of working to ensure efficiency and efficacy;

xii) participating in the setting of plans, objectives and time scales and identifying for the
Manager and Assistant Manager when these need to be updated/changed;

xiii) ensuring Society operational and financial procedures are met for all activities within
his/her remit;

xiv) administering other projects designed to implement the Society’s policies and
objectives;

xv) sharing experience and ideas with others in the Section and Society and contributing
broadly to the smooth running, quality management approach of the Society.

KAJ 29 October 2009

Person specification: Events Officer, SCS
Education / qualifications / knowledge / interests
♦ Graduate calibre with suitable administrative or office experience Essential
♦ Excellent knowledge of office systems and procedures Essential
♦ An interest in events management Essential
♦ An interest in science, mathematics, technology and its broader social Highly
significance desirable

Skills
♦ Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written) Essential
♦ Good presentation skills Essential
♦ Good project management skills Essential
♦ Good organisational skills Essential
♦ Excellent computer skills (including Microsoft Office, databases and a Essential
thorough understanding of the world wide web)
♦ Good problem-solving skills Essential

Experience
♦ Experience of working in a team environment Essential
♦ Experience of project management Highly
desirable
♦ Experience of identifying and targeting a variety of audiences Highly
desirable
♦ Experience of writing for a variety of audiences Desirable
♦ Experience of producing promotional material for a variety of media Desirable
(including web)
♦ Experience of events management Highly
desirable
♦ Experience of managing a budget Desirable
♦ Experience of project evaluation Desirable
♦ Experience of managing contractors working on outsourced projects Desirable
♦ Experience of establishing & maintaining a network of contacts Desirable
♦ Experience of setting up committee meetings and preparing agenda & Desirable
minutes

Abilities
♦ Able to meet deadlines under pressure, often balancing conflicting Essential
priorities
♦ Able to communicate effectively with and work closely with other Essential
individuals and organisations
♦ Able to plan, prioritise and work with minimum supervision Essential
♦ Able to work on a range of activities simultaneously Essential
♦ Able to generate ideas and translate them into working practice Essential

Personal characteristics
♦ Creative thinker Essential
♦ Scrupulously discreet when dealing with confidential issues Essential
♦ Maintains a professional and confident approach when dealing with a Essential
variety of people

Circumstances
♦ Able to work in a non smoking environment Essential
♦ Able to be flexible about working hours, including working evenings on Essential
occasion