Reporting to: Head of Sales and Marketing
Based at: RSA House
The Company
With 26 iconic locations across London, Venues by CH&CO is a highly specialised, focused operation with its finger firmly on the pulse in London and beyond. The team are fully immersed in the trends, news and activity of this niche sector. We are very much tuned into the world of venues and events. This is the world we and our clients inhabit, and we know it inside out. Now, more than ever our position is to be one of a specialist partner, harnessing our passion for our portfolio of venues and our knowledge of the sector.
Our venues are represented by eve, our online platform and central team, curating and creating extraordinary event experiences. We’re a dedicated group of venue experts who make it our business to know our clients’. Our address book is huge - with unique access to over 600 CH&CO Workplace clients across the UK and a database of 7,000 event bookers and growing. eve represents and works closely with venues operated exclusively by Venues by CH&CO.
The Client (the venue)
The RSA is the royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce, a charity committed to a future that works for everyone. A future where we can all participate in its creation. The RSA has been at the forefront of significant social impact for over 260 years. Their proven change process, rigorous research, innovative ideas platforms and diverse global community of over 30,000 problem-solvers, deliver solutions for lasting change.
The RSA is dependent on revenue from external events, fellowship subscriptions, sponsorship and donations in order to carry out this important work. The profits generated from hospitality business are fed back into the charity to fund the RSA’s programmes of work such as Education and Learning, Sustainability and The Future of Work.
In 2018, RSA House went through a nine-month partial redevelopment which included closure of four of the 11 spaces, including refreshing our fabulous and historic vaults. In 2019 we rebuilt the events business with a refreshed product including a new Coffee House with an all-day dining menu. In 2020, the venue proudly picked up three awards; Best Wedding Venue at the Hire Space Awards and Best Historic Venue and Silver for Best Venue Customer Service at the London Venue Awards. In 2020 seven event spaces were refurbished during the pandemic and the RSA has heavily invested in advanced digital technology and hybrid capabilities, to enhance the event experience and to ensure the venue has market leading facilities for the return to live events.
In 2021 RSA House won Most Versatile London Venue at the London Venue & Catering Awards and made the shortlist for Best Client Support During Covid-19 and Best London Venue Covid-19 Response.
What makes us different?
RSA House offers an eclectic mix of 11 unique and atmospheric events spaces including the Great Room , Benjamin Franklin, Durham Street Auditorium and Vaults, providing rooms for use for all types of events including conferences and meetings, product launches and press days, screenings, Christmas parties, fashion shows, gala dinners, corporate receptions, weddings and private celebrations and show cases. At weekends the building can be hired for exclusive use.
We are known for our outstanding customer service, versatile facilities and friendly approach which is what makes us stand out from the competition and keeps customer retention high.
Your impact
A key role within a team of 6; responsible for selling weddings and private events under the leadership of the Head of Sales, venue General Manager and Senior Event Sales Executive, with responsibility for selling and administrating to meet revenue targets.
Weddings and private events are a growing segment at the RSA, having previously accounted for 25% of the overall budget, the aim is to continue to grow the wedding and private event business to get back to this position. The role allows the successful candidate to maintain and strengthen the strong reputation of RSA House within this important market.
The role requires an understanding of marketing approaches and channels. Full responsibility for managing our supplier relationships, negotiating preferred agreements, and renewing all online listings and content as well as managing our social media platforms, is key. There are also opportunities to attend industry exhibitions, plan showcases with our sister venues and network within the events managed by the wider team.
This position is full-time 5 days out of 7 and flexibility is expected to meet with the business needs. This includes operational responsibilities for weddings on the day, working in conjunction with the operations team and/or hosting site visits and client meetings during evenings, weekends and possibly bank holidays.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Sales and Event Coordination
• Have excellent knowledge of venue capabilities, capacities, unique selling points and pricing
• Follow up on all enquiries within 4 hours and record in the system with follow up activities
• Timely preparation of quotations, contracts and function sheets
• Refer enquiries across our group of venues when appropriate
• Conduct show rounds and assist with familiarisation trips and menu tastings
• To accurately create contracts and raise invoices
• Meet and greet clients at events as agreed
• Represent venue at trade shows and exhibitions and support CH&CO family- led hospitality
• Record and share all client feedback and seek to resolve all client queries
• To maintain and develop relationships with existing and new clients with focus on wedding and private bookers including 3rd party agents/bloggers/vloggers
• To plan and host the annual showcase
Marketing
• To create objectives and creative plans to develop/grow the weddings business, alongside the Senior Sales Executive
• To keep all online listings up to date and manage subscription renewals
• Complete competitor analysis every 6 months
• To promote CH&CO partnership within the venue
• To update the weddings section of the RSA website
• To actively contribute to newsletter content.
• To manage the weddings social media channels and provide plans for content
• To research new, and attend, networking and promotional hospitality events.
• To communicate and research wedding industry trends in food, service and creative selling
• To draft applications for relevant wedding industry awards and attend related events
Relationship Management
• Focusing on establishing good working relationships with our clients and agents, dealing with their bookings from enquiry to event date
• Participate in events meetings with the operations teams
• To maintain and develop relationships with suppliers
Administration and Organisation
• Manage administration of event sheets for your own bookings as well as assisting the wider team when required. Communicate accurate event operational information to CH&CO and RSA operations
• Accurately raise invoices and take responsibility for receipt of payments
• Respond to e mail enquiries in a timely manner, ensuring your own and the shared inboxes are all up to date
• Maintain and update venue sales database; regularly increasing the quantity of contacts and improving quality
Health & Safety
• To keep up to date with all COSHH and HACCP procedures and methods
• To report any equipment and/or building fabric faults and any hygiene, health and safety hazard to the Compliance Director
Occasional Responsibilities:
• Personal development to expand knowledge of industry trends in food, food service and creative selling
• Attend relevant training courses and CH&CO meetings when necessary
• Support to the sales team when needed to handle corporate and internal booking enquiries and administration
The ideal candidate:
• Has a minimum of one years’ previous experience in wedding planning and event sales and marketing, preferably in a 5-star hotel or unique venue
• Is passionate about wedding sales and wedding planning
• Is extremely customer focused
• Is personable, friendly and approachable
• Has meticulous attention to detail
• Is proactive and self-motivated
• Is able to work well under pressure
• Is a team player
• Is enthusiastic and committed to the job and brings creative new ideas to the table
• Is passionate about food
• Has digital marketing and social media experience
• Has refined oral and written communication skills
• Has strong negotiation skills
• Has excellent organisation and time management skills
• Has excellent numeracy skills
• Is highly competent in use of MS Office and diary management system Rendezvous (or similar)
This job description and person specification is desired guideline but not exhaustive. You may be asked to perform other duties which are not detailed but are in line with the general purpose of your job role and we reserve the right to make changes to this job description as appropriate. Hours: 40 per week
If this sounds like you, then please send your CV and a cover letter to laura.pearce@rsa.org.uk explaining your suitability for the role, what made you apply for the role and what you would bring to the table. Please note that due to high level of applications received; only successful candidates will be contacted.
**All Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK**