Special Events Manager

Multi-award-winning Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal works in partnership with Aardman Animations to support Bristol Children’s Hospital and the region’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). We are seeking a talented individual to join our ambitious team and the successful candidate is expected to support the principles, values, and objectives of The Grand Appeal.

We’re looking for an individual who has previous experience in project management and organising and delivering high-profile events, to help execute our fourth character sculpture arts trail. Gromit Unleashed 3 follows three trailblazing and award-winning public art trails from Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, in partnership with Aardman, that have generated over £20 million to support Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital. 

The successful candidate will work closely with The Grand Appeal’s Senior Leadership Team to deliver key elements of the trail, including leading the installation and de-installation of the sculptures, artist liaison, managing the hugely popular public exhibition and providing high-level support for the highly anticipated auction. The candidate will be extremely organised with exceptional verbal and written interpersonal skills and will ensure every aspect of the project is planned effectively and runs smoothly.

Enthusiasm, initiative and energy are key attributes for this role.  With exceptional interpersonal skills, the candidate will enjoy engaging with members of the public and managing our volunteers who play a vital role throughout the whole project. They will be confident to engage with key stakeholders in the project. Responsible for troubleshooting, the candidate will have a positive can-do attitude, will be unflappable and able to solve problems quickly and efficiently.

It takes a team of people working tirelessly to ensure the success of our trail events, from building strong relationships with our project partners and incorporating innovative new technologies and creativity to delighting hundreds of thousands of visitors and raising millions of pounds at auction to support sick children and their families. This role will be pivotal in ensuring all our objectives and ambitions are realised, and that Gromit Unleashed 3 is our most successful trail yet. 

The Grand Appeal offers a dynamic, supportive, and rewarding workplace for its approx—40 staff. The foundation of our organisation is its strong team culture in which all staff play an important part. Our staff are talented, creative, ambitious and The Grand Appeal’s most important resource. 

The role will be based at The Grand Appeal HQ opposite the Bristol Children’s Hospital.

What we offer: 

• Generous holiday allowance  

• Healthcare plan (after probation)

• Pension scheme 

If this sounds like the right workplace for you, you have the required skills and experience, and you are looking for a new challenge, we would love to hear from you. 

Key tasks and responsibilities:

Logistics & Event Organisation

-          Responsibility for the smooth running of events during the trail including the trail launch, exhibition and auction

-          Liaise with third party stakeholders to deliver these events which include councils, private landowners, logistics companies, AV companies, Security

-          Co-ordinate invitations, ticketing, catering, printing

-          Ensure health and safety protocols are delivered

Administration & Project Management

-          Undertake all documentation for events such as risk assessments, method statements, planning documentation, environmental policies

-          Ensure projects are delivered on time and to budget

-          Overseeing painting and storage spaces

Our Supporters & Partners

-          Supervise volunteers and ensure they are thanked and feel valued

-          Communicate with artists during the trail

Other tasks

-          Keep abreast of governance requirements pursuant to all communications /marketing activity including but not limited to the Charities Act, Fundraising Regulator, Institute of Fundraising Code of Practice, Gambling Commission and General Data Protection Regulation.

-          Carry out other tasks and duties as required, to support colleagues across the organisation.

-          Prepared to travel to events and work outside of normal working hours. TOIL will be provided 

-          Full UK driving licence and access to a car

Experience required:

-          Four years’ experience delivering similar projects in a project management or events role

-          Proven senior stakeholder management and negotiation skills 

-          Excellent communication skills - written and oral - with the proven ability to develop relationships both internally and externally

-          Excellent organisational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritise 

Skills Required:

-          Ability to multitask

-          Exceptional attention to detail

-          Exceptional organisational and project management skills 

-          Ability to work under pressure

-          Excellent at trouble-shooting

-          Ability to manage conflicting demands whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail 

-          Self-motivated and able to use initiative 

-          An approach to mirror our values: supportive, professional, collaborative, creative and confident 

This role profile is not exhaustive and is subject to review in conjunction with the post holder and according to future changes/developments in the Charity. All job descriptions are non-contractual and give a sense of the broad scope of the role and so include a level of flexibility. Whilst they list some key tasks there will also always be tasks that arise, and which can be reasonably expected of the role.

The closing date for applications is 23:59 on Sunday 1 December 2024