Academic programmes coordinator jobs

We are looking for a dynamic, values-led, strategic leader to drive our mission for migration justice and social work solidarity. The role entails oversight of the operations and strategy of the organisation, responsibility for financial management and fundraising, maintaining the health of the organisation and embedding anti-racist and anti-opressive values into every aspect of the organisation. 

Are you a commercially minded, senior leader with strong experience in operations, company management, partnership building and income generation?

VDT is seeking an experienced Head of Operations and Business Development to spearhead the implementation of our ambitious new Commercial Strategy, driving growth and expanding income streams.

This is a crucial, high-impact role for someone who thrives on operational excellence, has excellent management skills and a passion for strategy implementation. It is ideal for someone with strong experience in partnership building, negotiating contracts, lead generation and organisational development.

Working closely with the Chief Executive / Artistic Director, the role works collaboratively across the small staff team to deliver the company’s Business Plan, Funding Agreement, Mission and Values. You will identify opportunities, generate new leads and manage the company’s wide range of production, participation and continued professional development programmes. You will grow a new customer base for our online training and E-learning and develop income from within arts academic and social enterprise settings. You will track progress and ensure the company is run in line with best practice. 

You might not have worked in the arts or creative industries before. If you have experience as a Business Manager, Operations Director, Executive Director or Senior Producer within or outside of the cultural / charity sector, then you’ll have the core skills we are looking for.

Closing date for applications: Midday Tuesday 6 January 2026

Interview Date: Thursday 15 January 2026 (possible second interview 23 January 2026).

Are you a brilliant event coordinator? Do you have experience developing training events? Can you spot opportunities to inspire, educate and engage audiences?  

The SLA supports approximately 2000 members with advice, training and advocacy across the UK. The Training and Events Manager will form an essential part of the SLA team working to run a high quality, inspiring and engaging events and training to help us deliver on our mission to support members, so that more children and young people reach their full potential through the school library. You will lead on the organisation of our annual conference; develop and maintain a calendar of events and training for members and non-member audiences; and support the team with all event related administration and logistics.  Events at the SLA include member meet ups (in person and online), events in our branch network across 23 regions, professional development and training, and our SLA Awards ceremonies.

Your work will be at the forefront of our member offer, helping to build links with membership, support members, build relationships with key stakeholders and sponsors, delivering high-quality training and impactful events offer across the year. An agile and flexible thinker, you will be creative, with a flair for spotting opportunities for professional development, and have a keen eye for detail with an ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines. Using your project management experience, you will work with the CEO, SLA team colleagues and subject matter experts and facilitators to develop and deliver a high quality and competitive calendar of events and training. 

This is a full time role (37 hours per week) working remotely throughout the year and will require travel and occassional overnight stays. Find out more about the role including full job description and how to apply by downloading the job specification pack. 

Application deadline: 19th December 

Interviews: First round interview (online): 13th/14th January

Second round interview in person TBC: 20th/22nd January 

Applications without a covering letter will not be considered. No agencies please.   

Due to the volume of applications we cannot provide individual feedback. We really appreciate your interest. If you haven’t heard from us within four weeks of the deadline, it means we’ve moved forward with other candidates on this occasion. We encourage you to apply again in the future. Please note we may close recruitment early should the right candidate be identified. 

The essentials …

• Permanent, full-time
• £55,000 - £62,000 (depending on experience)
• 5 total direct reports (including 3 Leads; Training Courses, Venue Hire, & Energy Group Events, Senior Events Coordinator, and Events Marketing Executive)
• Hybrid working with 2-3 days a week at our London office

Who are we?

Founded in 1807, we are the oldest geological society in the world. Today, we are a world-leading communicator of Earth science – through publishing, library and information services, cutting-edge scientific conferences, education activities and outreach to the general public. We also provide impartial scientific information and evidence to support policy-making and public debate about the challenges facing humanity.

We have a membership (Fellowship) of c. 12,000, more than 2,000 of whom are based outside the UK. Approximately 3,000 are Chartered Geologists or Chartered Scientists - professionals who have demonstrated a high level of technical competence in their field and a commitment to professional ethics.

What you’ll be doing …

Our Head of Events (HoE) will bring leadership and strategic vision to the Society’s Events team encompassing scientific conferences, venue hire, and training courses, working to deliver the business plan and achieve targets for this active, income-generating department.

This role will be responsible for supporting the six-strong team in delivery of our busy events programme, working effectively with conference convenors, and providing exemplary support to our delegates, venue users, sponsors, and clients throughout the year. Working closely with the Director of Science & Engagement, our new HoE will work to develop robust and diverse income streams for the Society from our events as well as sponsorship and will oversee the expansion of our venue hire provision into new markets (e.g. weddings) in addition to seizing other opportunities for growth.

Overall responsibilities / requirements …

Management & Leadership:

• Shape and lead the Events team to deliver top-quality leadership and coordination of our events programmes and customer service for both internal users and external clients
• Continue to support a commercial approach to income generation across the Events department, to support revenue growth and diversification across sectors
• Grow event sponsorship, proactively identifying sponsorship opportunities and supporting the team, convenors, and others to become more confident in developing sponsor relationships and securing sponsorship income.
• Grow and nurture relationships with Fellows and external partners
• Grow and nurture relationships with internal staff across other departments, particularly those jointly responsible for delivering upon the Society’s strategic aims
• Provide leadership and mentorship to the Events team, supporting ongoing professional development
• Act as the senior Events representative at internal committee meetings, providing expert input on event strategy, performance, and future plans.
• Manage external relationships with Events partners, including catering suppliers, AV technicians, and Security where appropriate
• Lead on the delivery of appropriate Health & Safety management alongside equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility actions across the Events team and throughout our programme of public facing events

Conference Delivery:

• Oversee the management and delivery of Society conferences, events, and lectures alongside our Energy Group Lead and Senior Events Coordinator, including offsite delivery where appropriate
• Oversee the planning and delivery of flagship conferences for audiences of approximately 500+ delegates, ensuring high-quality audience experience and strong financial performance.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a strategy for the branding and marketing of events from web, print and social media alongside our Events Marketing Executive
• Embed a commercial approach to conference development and delivery
• Lead the development of partnerships across the Events team, including the management and delivery of joint, flagship events such as the Energy Geoscience Conference (EGC) series in partnership with GESGB
• Work closely with the Senior Leadership Team, staff, and Council, to grow the offering of Society events, in London and beyond
• Worth the wider staff team to ensure that our Conference provision is aligned to the Society’s science strategy & supports ongoing professional development for our fellows and members

Training Courses Delivery:

• Provide strategic oversight of the Society’s developing Training Course programme alongside our Training Courses Lead and Training Courses Committee to ensure commercial sustainability, quality, and growth
• Support the promotion and upscaling of our Training Courses programme alongside our Events Marketing Executive
• Work with the wider staff team to ensure that our Training Course provision is aligned to the Society’s science strategy & supports ongoing professional development for our fellows and members

Venue Hire Oversight:

• Provide strategic leadership, working with the Venue Hire Lead to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to grow and diversify venue hire revenue, aligned with the organisation’s wider commercial objectives.
• Lead on the design, launch, and ongoing development of our new Weddings venue hire initiative in partnership with our Venue Hire Lead following the granting of our wedding license from Westminster City Council, ensuring strong market positioning and a high-quality client experience
• Work with the wider events team to improve booking and on-the-day service for internal and external venue-hire clients
• Oversee and continuously improve the end-to-end booking journey and on-the-day service for internal and external venue-hire clients, working closely with the wider events team to deliver a consistently high standard of service.
• Lead on the procurement and management of key suppliers (including catering and other event services), running competitive tenders and negotiating contracts that best support the quality, profitability and sustainability of our events programme.

What we’re looking for …

Candidates for the role of Head of Events will be required to demonstrate a range of skills, competencies, and abilities for the post, and the successful candidate will have demonstrable experience within an Events team as well as leadership experience. The individual will need to be able to build relationships with stakeholders and clients from a variety of sectors and will need to demonstrate a variety of skills.

Qualification & Experience …

Leadership & Management:

• Experience of successfully implementing and leading change
• A track record of successfully building and nurturing strong and productive relationships, internally and externally
• A team worker with proven experience of working collaboratively to realise organisational objectives
• An ability to influence and inspire people successfully at all levels.

Other Qualities:

• Demonstrable ability to prioritise multiple tasks and work to tight deadlines when required
• Familiarity with the current Microsoft Office suite, and use of CRM systems
• Tact, tenacity, and a willingness to work in partnership with others
• Positivity and enthusiasm for the role, and support for your team
• Exceptional interpersonal and people-management skills
• A commitment to personal development and learning

Essential Criteria:

• Successful delivery of conferences and events
• A track record of successful leadership and management
• Financial management, commercial awareness, including budgetary management
• Commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, and to the Society’s other core values as set out in our strategy
• Strong written and oral communication skills

Desirable Criteria:

• Venue management experience
• Successful delivery of academic and/or professional/B2B conferences
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements relevant to public events and venue hire (e.g., licensing, GDPR)
• Experience of working with trustees, committee members, volunteers, and other stakeholders
• Commercial experience in a relevant sector
• Experience of training courses and/or ongoing professional development in a commercial capacity

A bit about us …

The Geological Society is a registered charity and employs just under 60 staff at its offices in London and Bath. Our London office is situated in the beautiful London hotspot of Piccadilly in Burlington House, just next door to The Royal Academy.

As an employee conscious company, we invest in our staff by emphasising training, growth and progression in every role. We firmly believe in creating a positive workplace wellbeing culture and offer a range of benefits to our staff including:

• 25 days basic holiday entitlement you start, increasing up to 30 days with continued service (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Option to purchase up to 2 days extra holiday days per year
• Contributary pension scheme with 10% employer contribution
• Access to 24/7 online GP with mental health & wellbeing counselling
• Free premium Headspace account for you and 2 members of friends/family
• Discounts and recognitions scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Season Ticket Loan scheme
• Life Assurance and Income Protection schemes
• Free access to Royal Academy exhibitions
• Free Geological Society Fellow membership for qualified staff

The Society is committed to fostering an inclusive culture that promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a harmonious inclusive environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members visitors and staff are respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and the post-holder will be expected to adhere to and support the Society’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.

How to apply …

To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply' button above to be taken through to our recruitment page with full contact details.

As part of our inclusive recruitment initiative, we have introduced the concept of anonymous recruiting in order to evaluate applicants solely on their skills and experience. With this in mind, we encourage you to:

• Anonymise your application by stating only your initials in your CV (including your file name) and cover letter.
• State your initials only in the subject line when sending your application.
• Ensure that you have included your contact email and number, as well as dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable.

First round interviews will take place remotely. Please let us know if you will require any special provisions to be made should you be called for an interview. We regret that unsuccessful candidates will not be contacted.

All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We are currently unable to support visa applications.

#events #head of events #events mangement #events lead #membership #science

Purpose of the job 

 In UK Youth’s Impact department, we find, create and use evidence to respond to the needs and preferences of young people and the professionals who support them. We conduct research and evaluations to prove and improve the impact of youth work, and we co-design high-quality programmes and support offers that can be scaled. This new role will work across these areas, supporting research and evaluation projects with real implications for policy and practice. 

 Reporting to the Evaluation & Learning Manager, you will be responsible for supporting the delivery of a portfolio of research and evaluation projects. This will involve conducting research in-house and coordinating with external partners and the organisations we fund to build and share high-quality evidence. There will be opportunities to lead on fieldwork, data analysis, reporting and insight sharing with strategic guidance and hands-on support from other members of the team. 

 You will be organised, keen to develop your research skills and have a passion for working with data. You will support high profile research and evaluation projects, including the evaluation of the Adventures Away From Home Fund – a major, Government-funded outdoor learning programme. You can expect to support other projects, gathering and sharing insights from our network and young people and helping the team to work efficiently and effectively. 

Why work at UK Youth? 

We want all young people to be equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. Youth work can be life changing (and even life saving). Our strategy positions UK Youth to unlock youth work so that every young person in the UK can benefit. We work with a network that shares this ambition to build cross-sector understanding of youth work’s transformational potential, secure sufficient investment for sustainable provision, and help to embed effective solutions that will increase the quality as well as accessibility of youth work. Come and be part of this change. 

Responsibilities

• Evaluation and Learning

• Knowledge and Data Management

• Research and Horizon Scanning

Experience we're after

• Experience of managing datasets on digital platforms/software (quantitative and/or qualitative)

• Experience of leading or supporting quantitative and/or qualitative research and data analysis in any setting

• Experience of conducting literature reviews to analyse existing evidence on specific topics

• Experiencing of working across multiple projects and competing priorities and managing your time and tasks proactively

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: Tuesday 6th January 2026 at 09:00am

Provisional Interview Dates: 14th and 15th January 2026

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

Purpose

As a key member of our Senior Leadership Team, reporting directly to the CEO, you’ll drive innovation and oversee the delivery of high quality services that empower students to thrive. You will lead the membership facing services and staff including the Advice Service, Opportunities team and Student Voice team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development of our membership facing services (Advice Service, Opportunities ad Student Voice).
• Operationally manage team leaders and staff fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion and proactivity.
• Utilise data, research and feedback to identify student trends and introduce new interventions and initiatives.
• Oversee democratic processes, representation structures, and feedback mechanisms to amplify student perspectives and drive positive change.
• Developed policies and processes to enhance services and oversee an operational budget for the membership services.