JOB TITLE: Events and Operations Officer
CONTRACT: Full time
SALARY: £25,000 – £27,000
PURPOSE: To provide varied support to the Events Director and Chief Operating Officer. This is a key role in a fast developing and exciting organisation, with passionate people committed to protecting freedom of speech. The role involves various supporting tasks and active involvement in event planning and delivery as well as membership engagement.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 14th December 2021. We will be reviewing applications as they come in and may appoint someone before the deadline.
Who are we?
The Free Speech Union is a non-partisan, mass-membership public interest body. We stand up for the speech rights of our 8,000+ members. Our in-house legal counsel, working with our casework team, coordinates legal representation for members in difficulty. Our research arm publishes briefings on where free speech needs to be better protected. Our events arm organises events in pubs (“speakeasies”) and stages regular public debates.
We are also collaborating with the Battle of Ideas charity on the Free Speech Champions programme, an exciting new initiative which aims to educate young people, particularly university students, about the importance of free speech.
In the last six months, the FSU has expanded overseas, with affiliates in the US and New Zealand – further expansion is to come. We have an exciting journey ahead and we’re looking for more talented individuals to join our organisation.
The role
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Duties will include (but are not limited to):
Events
- Setting up zoom events for online speakeasies and supporting with technical issues.
- Preparing documents, ordering materials and sending out reminders for events.
- Mail merging email invites to members.
- Monitoring events inbox and responding to queries.
- Opportunities to be involved in fundraising.
- Assisting in other ad-hoc administrative matters as needed.
Operations
- Acting as administrator for Outlook365, SharePoint and annual leave accounts.
- Minute taking for in-person and online meetings.
- Booking meeting rooms, lunches for monthly meetings, travel and accommodation for all staff members.
- Checking receipts and processing expense forms.
- On-boarding new staff.
- Managing the recruitment.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
| Essential |
| Work experience in an admin role. |
| IT Proficient: Outlook 365, SharePoint, PowerPoint, Word, Teams. |
| Use initiative and take a pro-active approach. |
| Extremely well organised, calm, discreet and comfortable working with strong personalities. |
| Communicator – excellent standard of literacy and written communication skills for the purposes of communicating with members and third parties. |
| The ability to work flexible hours which will include occasional evenings and may include weekends. |
| Agreeable – good interpersonal skills with people at all levels. |
| Homeworking – has premises, equipment and systems to enable productive working from home. |
| Desirable |
| Experience with Zoom or Eventbrite. |
| Experience with WordPress. |
| Experience with SalesForce. |
| Experience with Mailgun. |
Applicants should send a CV and introductory letter to [email protected]. The FSU is actively recruiting for this role and may withdraw it at its discretion.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Benefits
- Employer pension contribution of eight per cent.
- The autonomy and flexibility of a remote-first business or a co-working space.
- Full access to our learning and development programme.
- 28 paid holidays per calendar year (pro rata) including public holidays (annual allotment increases with tenure).
- The chance to get together with the entire FSU team face-to-face, at our away days and events. *Depending on restrictions in place due to Covid-19.
Probationary Period
This post is subject to the requirements of a three-month probationary scheme for new staff only.
Review of this Job Description
This job description is intended as an outline of the general areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing needs of the organisation. To be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder.
The FSU values diversity. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage or Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex.