Events Manager

Your role will be to further develop and deliver a range of events and initiatives that the Harlequins Foundation offers to its supporters to help us to raise the funds we need to deliver our programmes. As the charitable arm of the Club, we deliver a variety of programmes aimed at achieving improved outcomes for education and employability, wellbeing and inclusion. The role will play a key part in delivering high-profile fundraising events while building the Foundation’s engagement with different communities and supporter types, being instrumental in delivering campaigns and events to engage new audiences with the Foundation’s purpose.

As a proactive and enthusiastic person, you'll need to be adept at managing multiple projects and events concurrently. Working closely with the Head of Fundraising and Engagement and within a small Fundraising team, the successful applicant will be responsible for delivering events from Harlequins matchday activations to Foundation fundraising events.

You will develop key relationships within the Foundation and Club’s network of supporters, suppliers and delivery partners and manage a portfolio of events and activities for a range of supporter groups.

The successful candidate will be experienced in planning and delivering a variety of events, ideally within the charity sector with a focus on fundraising. An ability to provide exceptional experiences, catering to different audiences including both sports fans and high-net worth individuals as appropriate. Some weekend and evening working will be required as part of the role.

Key Responsibilites

• Support the development and delivery of a varied portfolio of events and fundraising activities to meet agreed objectives, all of which reflect the spirit of the Harlequins Foundation
• Deliver high quality supporter care and stewardship, ensuring a quality experience for supporters at all events that reflect the values and identity of the Foundation, and build long-term relationships with our supporters
• With support of the team where relevant, co-ordinate event logistics; including but not limited to sales, bookings and liaison with supporters and suppliers, material production, event marketing and promotion, set up, and delivery
• Maximise income from our portfolio of events and fundraising activations.
• Ensure relevant processes and policies are in place to deliver a successful, profitable events programme
• Oversee the management of fundraising systems and platforms to create the best possible experience for donors and participants
• Assist with all fundraising aspects of events including sourcing, recording and storing auction prizes and working with the team to manage auction fulfilment
• Regularly review the performance of events and fundraising campaigns, make recommendations for improvement, and support decision-making regarding fit of new opportunities for the Foundation
• Cultivate and maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders, including but not limited to Harlequin FC, their partners and sponsors, Quins Supporters Association (QUINSSA), Harlequins Players Association (HPA), event delivery partners and suppliers
• Represent the Foundation both internally and externally, acting as an ambassador for the Foundation and advocating for our work

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to degree level or demonstrable equivalent experience
• Exceptional events management and project management experience; managing a range of events and budgets in size, profile and scale
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills including budget and project management
• Experience of delivering fundraising events and activations that can engage supporters
• Ability to build excellent relationships especially with supporters, partners, ambassadors and suppliers
• Strong team player and project leadership, ensuring clear and regular communication with the team and stakeholders as appropriate
• Competent user of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and experience of CRM systems and project management tools
• Experience of working within the sports charity/sports sector
• Experience of working with high-net-worth individuals or celebrities would be an advantage

Skills, abilities, and knowledge

• Highly organised with excellent planning and coordination skills and a meticulous attention to detail
• Strong communications skills and decision-making capabilities.
• Understanding of events delivery, and sports/charity industry
• Strong financial literacy and proven budget management experience
• Demonstrates both creative and operational thinking and judgement
• A good knowledge of health and safety requirements around event delivery
• Able to think long-term and support the strategic development of the Foundation
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to differentiate your delivery to meet the needs of the audience
• Ability to keep calm under pressure and maintain a clear head, anticipating risks and solving problems
• Experience in managing a diverse workload with multiple deadlines, deliverables, and stakeholders and to be able to prioritise when needed
• Excellent negotiation skills with proven record of accomplishment
• Hands on, with the ability to lead from the front and support the delivery of our work
• A commitment to safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults
• An understanding of and a commitment to equal opportunities issues both in the workplace and the wider community

Applying for the role

To apply for the role, you must fill out an application form and send it along with a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

Applicants are strongly advised to read the person specification closely and ensure their cover letter demonstrates how they meet the criteria for the role. CV’s or emails expressing an interest in the position without completing the online application form will be disregarded, although you are welcome to include one with your application.

All applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage all applicants to apply as soon as possible.