Events Assistant

Job title and reference: Events Assistant (CIG5.323)

Salary range: £26,754 pro rata per annum (£27,300 per annum pro rata after probation)

Hours of work: Part-time 28 hours per week

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is a unique attraction in south east London where world cultures and the natural world are brought together for everyone to enjoy. The Museum holds internationally important collections of anthropology and musical instruments, as well as a popular natural history gallery and Aquarium. The 16 acres of beautiful Gardens feature a tropical Butterfly House and offer stunning views across London. The Horniman is the holder of the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year 2022.

We are looking for an organised Events Assistant to support the planning and delivery of the Horniman’s public event and activity programme. You will research and develop new event strands as well as maintain the successful delivery of the current events programme, whether that be facilitating events yourself or working with delivery partners. The Horniman’s public events programme is varied and ever evolving. It includes regular weekly events such as outdoor messy play and family crafts, as well as large-scale events linked to exhibitions and collections for thousands of visitors, and festival seasons such as our 696 music programme.

You will have an interest in the Horniman, its values, visitors and collections, and experience of audience development and income generation within a cultural setting.

The closing date for completed applications is 10 am on Tuesday 9 May. Interviews will be held on Thursday 18 May.

The Horniman is an equal opportunities employer and we value and celebrate diversity. We want to better represent the communities in which we work but recognise that there is still much work to do in this area. We welcome and encourage all applicants and particularly encourage you to apply if you are from a community that is often disadvantaged by society or of minority background.

How to Apply

Click on “Apply Now” at the top or bottom of this page. When you apply you will be asked to upload a covering statement in Microsoft Word format (the document must be in .doc format and the maximum file size is 2 MB). Please also ensure that you have uploaded your CV as a separate document which you can do when you create an account or login.

Please provide an overview of no more than 2 pages describing your experience relevant to the role as outlined in the Job Description and Person Specification.

After the application closing date, please ensure you monitor your spam email folders for potential correspondence from us.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job title Events Assistant

Section Communications and Income Generation (CIG)

Reports to Events Programming Manager

Responsible for No responsibility for staff but some oversight of volunteers and freelancers required

Hours of work 28 hours per week, including evening and weekend working

Main purpose of the job

To support the Events Programming Manager in the delivery of a public events and activity programme that responds creatively to collections, exhibitions and themes, blends digital and on-site experiences, and prioritises audience diversification and income generation.

To organise a range of diverse and high-quality activities and events that run throughout the year, playing a key operational and administrative role. To provide excellent customer service to all participants in our public programmes.

The Reset Agenda

The Horniman’s Reset Agenda was developed in 2020 in response to global issues of social and environmental justice and the coronavirus pandemic. Its priorities are:

Section description

The Communications and Income Generation Directorate (CIG) is one of four Directorates at the Horniman and comprises commercial, communications, digital, events programming, fundraising, marketing, membership, ticketing and visitor experience functions.

Main responsibilities

Public facing duties including the facilitation of events (40%)

• Organise regular weekly and holiday programming for families including art and craft, object-based learning, outdoor learning and storytelling activities, as directed by the Events Programming Manager
• Organise adult focussed programming including workshops, events, late openings, talks and programming related to collections and exhibitions, as directed by the Events Programming Manager
• Supervise freelance staff, visiting performers, casual staff and volunteers, modelling excellent customer service and raising any issues with the Events Programming Manager
• Liaise with internal colleagues and external practitioners to source high-quality learning print and digital content for families and adults with wide-ranging backgrounds and ages, for onsite and online delivery, supporting the Events Programming Manager to create the public offer
• Help families and adults connect with the Horniman by integrating object-based learning in the programme, liaising closely with colleagues in the Schools and Engagement teams.

Operations and administration support for the public events programme (30%)

• Participate in the planning and delivery of all operational aspects of the on-site events and activity programme and adapt operational support to ensure its smooth running
• Support the Events Programming Manager to book and rota staff and freelancers; and by training, monitoring and allocating work for departmental volunteers.
• Maintain a risk register for the Events team, and contribute to risk management protocols for the public programme
• Carry out data entry of participation figures for Horniman-wide public programming and produce reports as needed, liaising with the Ticketing & CRM Coordinator as required
• Update the event booking and box office systems for public programme events and activities
• Support the Events Programming Manager in analysis of data to identify event participation trends, and the Marketing & Communications Manager with audience evaluation.

Support for the wider engagement and events programmes (20%)

• Provide operational support for the wider engagement and commercial events programmes including filming, photography and venue hire
• Actively participate in the care and development of the Handling Collection, ensuring the proper documentation, storage and use of objects.

Communication, advocacy and marketing (10%)

• Communicate effectively across departments to ensure that relevant staff are aware of the public events programme
• Create and maintain online and on-site communication for the public events programme and contribute to audience-focused marketing and communications campaigns Champion the value of the public events programme internally and externally.

General responsibilities

• Act in a professional manner and uphold the Horniman’s Code of Conduct
• Follow and promote safe systems of work and observe health and safety regulations
• Any other duties that may be required to ensure the success of the programme

Job activities may vary and evolve over time to meet business needs.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Minimum Shortlisting Criteria

Knowledge and experience

• Substantial experience of engaging families and/or adults in a cultural setting (E)
• A demonstrable knowledge of how public programmes operate (E)

Personal Attributes

• Able to carry out light manual handling tasks, including the movement of chairs, tables and equipment (E)
• Willingness to work flexibly to achieve corporate objectives (E)

Additional Shortlisting Criteria

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written communication skills and an eye for detail (E)
• Confidence engaging with the public and presenting learning content to a diverse audience (E)

Further Selection Criteria

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to communicate effectively with a broad range of groups and colleagues (E)
• Design and illustration skills (D)
• Able to work successfully as part of a team and on own initiative (E)

Personal Attributes

• Commitment to own learning and professional development (D)
• An appreciation for the diverse nature of visitor groups and the need to be sensitive to different needs, interests and beliefs (E)
• An interest in family and adult learning and how it can be applied in a museum setting (E)
• An empathy with the Horniman mission and an interest in its exhibitions, activities and events (E)
• Computer literate, confident using Microsoft programmes, including data entry into Excel (E)
• Excellent organisational skills and able to prioritise workload in order to meet deadlines (E)
• Commitment to equality and diversity, particularly in relation to enabling access to museum collections (E)

Circumstances

• Evening and weekend working will be required for this post. Some bank holiday working will be required.
• An Enhanced DBS check is required for this post.