Job Introduction
Event Planner
Location: RAF London, Hendon
Salary: £15,200 per annum (£30,400 FTE)
Contract: Part-Time, Permanent, 20 hours per week plus paid overtime if required
What can we offer you:
- A collaborative and inclusive culture, where your ideas are valued, and creativity is encouraged.
- 20 days annual leave (full time equivalent - excluding bank holidays and national holiday days)
- Free staff meals whilst at work.
- Access to Compass Group company perks & benefits.
- Perks for Works discounts and promotions
- Access to training, mentoring and development, with support from our wider Restaurant Associates and Compass Group UK networks.
- On-site F&B discounts.
- No shortage of delicious food
About the Role:
We’re seeking a proactive, detailed focused Event Planner to take the lead in coordinating all aspects of conference and event bookings for the venue, for both external and internal customers. The role will include conducting show rounds of our newly acquired venue, RAF London, based in Hendon, to support conversion through to meeting customers to establish final details whilst ensuring every customer receives a high standard of service from start to finish. Proactively upselling and always aiming to exceed customer needs and expectations. You will be responsible for ensuring all event orders and supporting documents are detailed and accurately produced before handing over to the operations team as well as ensuring that invoices are raised, and payments received in line with company payment terms. You will be proactive in gaining and responding to customer feedback and developing the C&E offer to generate new business. Consistent in ensuring the highest standards of accurate and timely customer, client and management information is available. You will work closely with the Business Development Manager and General Manager to ensure venue sales targets are achieved and that customer satisfaction is consistently exceeded.
Responsibilities:
- Conducting reactive sales activities including responding to voice and email enquiries from initial to final details for events.
- Co-ordinating events across all market segments for both external and internal customers.
- Utilising CRM system (Delphi) during the planning phase to ensure all details are always recorded and reflective of customers’ requirements
- Producing accurate and detailed event orders. Handing over and liaising with operations team for successful delivery of event; leading weekly BEO meeting
- Achieving agreed performance and upselling sales targets
- Conducting venue show rounds and post contract planning meetings (face to face and teams)
- Ensuring all sales revenue is accurately recorded in Delphi and post event sales are updated
- Attending weekly sales forecast calls and sales review meetings, when required
- Responsible for generating and sending accurate full pre-payment invoices to the customer. Following correct procedures to ensure all invoices are paid within agreed timescales.
- Conducting post-event calls to obtain feedback and optimise repeat business opportunities. Ensuring feedback is acted upon to ensure continuous improvements
- Sharing new and repeat business leads with Sales Manager
- Liaising with the client onsite teams to ensure a harmonised approach
- Attending venue showcase events and FAM Trips, as required
- Supporting innovative campaigns for the sales and marketing plan
- Always being aware of sales activity/initiatives of our competitors
- Maintaining accurate, up-to-date reports and information
- Maintaining the Delphi FDC booking system compliance benchmark and other key metrics
- Building and maintaining working relationships with local event partners
- Supporting with creation of new packages and enhancements to develop the venues C&E offering
- Administration duties as requested, and ad hoc tasks as required.
- Demonstrating a “can do” approach
- Coordination of all Conference and Event bookings including weddings
- Contribution to the achievement of the C&E sales budget
- Reactive sales activities for the venue including internal client bookings
- Ensuring all invoices are generated, distributed and paid in line with T&Cs
- Accurate sales reports/forecasts and achievement of venue performance standards
- To perform ad hoc tasks to ensure the success of C&E business at the venue
About You:
- Have experience in event coordination/planning
- Have excellent communication and customer service skills
- Demonstrate a thorough approach to work and show great attention to detail
- Be able to establish positive working relationships and communicate effectively
- Be able to develop partnerships with industry contacts
- Show initiative, drive and ambition to deliver and be a confident decision maker
- Self-motivated and ability to maintain focus in the achievement of sales targets and customer satisfaction measures
- Good understanding of database management and be competent in Microsoft
- Be an effective team player
- Previous experience within hospitality sales & event planning
- Experienced in achieving KPIs
- Good understanding and working knowledge of CRM systems (ideally salesforce Delphi) & Microsoft 365
- Excellent communication skills
About Us:
Restaurant Associates is a leading premium hospitality provider with an ethos drawn from our history of fine and high-quality dining in London and New York.
Within our venues team, we provide catering and hospitality services to some of the most iconic visitor attractions and destinations in the UK including the Imperial War Museum London, Glyndebourne Opera House, Knebworth House, Design Museum, Whipsnade Zoo and many more. Within these amazing venues we operate a host of bespoke cafés and restaurants, as well as delivering private events ranging from small meetings to large-scale ground events of up to 1000 people. You can find a full list of our venues on our website.
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, diverse, fun, and dynamic place to work with opportunities to collaborate with a wide range of teams plus a commitment to putting our people first. Restaurant Associates is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a business, we are committed to sustainability led practices and are proud to have achieved 3 stars with the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Programme.
Job Reference: com/0903/44197001/52794928/BU #RA Venues