Engagement and Events Executive

Engagement and Events Executive

Annual Salary - £27,263

Hours per week (full time/ Part time) – 35 hours

34 days’ annual leave (full-time equivalent)

Thank you for your interest in the position of Engagement and Events Executive at Kent Students’ Union Trading Ltd (KUTL), the commercial arm of Kent Students’ Union.

We are a vibrant, student-led organisation with an exciting future ahead. After a challenging few years, we are growing from strength to strength with renewed focus and energy, working to amplify the voice of our members and ensure they have a fantastic student experience. Our new strategy outlines our priorities for the next two years and drives everything we do.

Students are the reason Kent Students’ Union exists.
We support them throughout their university journey, and our dedicated staff and volunteers work to enhance every aspect of their experience—whether that’s helping with their studies, supporting the practicalities of life, or providing opportunities for fun and connection.

Kent Students’ Union operates a range of services for students at the Canterbury Campus of the University of Kent, including retail shops, a bar, a café, a nightclub, and a children’s nursery.

We are excited to be re-launching our Give it a Go programme, which offers one-off events and activities designed to help our diverse student body build connections and feel settled.

Give It A Go (GIAG) is a programme of events open to all students at the University of Kent with the aim to provide a variety of activities for a broad range of students to try out. These could be craft sessions, sports, trips off campus and much more, we want to help students make connections, encouraging belonging, try something new, meet new people and develop their skills.

We also want to enhance the events we deliver for university open days and offer holder days to showcase why students should choose Kent. As a result, we are seeking someone who is innovative, creative, and experienced in delivering events—someone who is proactive, able to work independently, and confident collaborating across departments.

The postholder will be part of a flexible and dynamic team and will be required to work weekends and evenings as necessary to support open days and other events. They must therefore be adaptable and flexible in their approach to working hours.

How to apply: Application and Selection Process and Timetable

Applications Close: Monday 26 January 2026, 12 noon.

Interviews: Tuesday 3 February 2026

Applications

To apply: Please submit your application on our recruitment portal on our website. Please note that we do not accept CV only applications.

Please ensure that you pay particular attention in your application to detailing how your experience meets the requirements of the person specification and why you are interested in the position. When applying, please match your skills and experience as closely as possible to the Person Specification. This will be assessed at application and at interview.

Further Information and Questions

If you require further information, please contact:

Name - Max Weston

Job Title -Commercial Events Manager

Job Specification

Operational Duties

• To oversee and co-ordinate our Give it a Go Programme, ensuring a variety of safe, inclusive and engaging events, trips and opportunities are delivered across the year. Day to day activities might include planning, setting up and delivering events through a small student staff team, liaising with our marketing department to promote the programme, monitoring attendance, seeking student feedback and completing risk assessments and ensuring the safety of attendees.
• To co-ordinate our presence at Arrivals Weekend and deliver a series of events as part of Welcome Week including supporting the delivery of Welcome Fair.
• To co-ordinate Kent Student Union’s presence at University Open Days and Offer Holder Days held on Saturdays, ensuring they are staffed, interactive and showcase Kent Students’ Union’s impact on the student experience to prospective students.
• To support the delivery of wider KSU events as and when required such as Summerball.
• This role involves regular manual handling tasks, including lifting, carrying, and moving items. Training, guidance, and appropriate equipment will be provided. Candidates must be able to perform these duties safely, with reasonable adjustments considered where applicable.

People Responsibilities

• To recruit and manage a small team of student staff to deliver the Give it a Go Programme.
• To co-ordinate the work and monitor the workloads of student staff, ensuring that staff levels are adequate and efficient.
• To undertake performance reviews of student staff, in line with Kent Students’ Union policy.
• To effectively lead, coach and mentor people to help achieve their own potential.
• To actively review, plan and evaluate individual training needs, encouraging a learning and development culture.

Financial Responsibilities

• To manage the budgets for, Give it a Go and Open days/Offer Holder Days , ensuring adherence to Kent Students’ Union’s financial procedures.
• To maintain financial controls and ensure that the Finance Department receives all relevant financial information promptly, in accordance with Kent Student Union’s financial procedures.

Expected Behaviours

• To attend training sessions, and appropriate meetings as and when required by Kent Students’ Union.
• To contribute to the positive image of Kent Students’ Union with students, the University, and the local community.
• To ensure systems are in place to reduce Kent Students’ Unions’ impact on the environment.
• To act as an ambassador for Kent Students’ Union and show loyalty to the organisation, abiding by the Union’s Constitution, policies, and procedures.
• To undertake other tasks and responsibilities compatible with the level and nature of the post as required by your manager from time to time to support the achievement of Kent Students’ Union’s strategic plan.
• It is expected that the post-holder will be in attendance for Open Days and Offer Holder Days held on Saturdays, some evening work is also expected. Whilst not essential, it would be of benefit if the post-holder had a driving licence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

GCSE English and Maths (grade C / 4 or above), or equivalent.

Experience

• Experience of managing people (paid staff or volunteers) to deliver outstanding results.
• Experience of financial management
• A track record of working with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and building effective relationships
• Experience of promoting and delivering a wide range of events

Knowledge

• A good knowledge of health and safety legislation and best practice in the management of health and safety including the completion of risk assessments.
• An understanding of the current issues affecting higher education institutions and students

Skills and Abilities

• Sound judgement and ability to handle competing priorities and a challenging workload in a pressurised environment
• Skilled and committed user of IT, enabling efficiencies and improved service using technology.
• Good verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to relate and communicate effectively with people at all levels.

Values & Behaviours

• An effective and highly capable individual who is punctual, friendly and has a positive attitude and takes pride in their own work.
• Evidence of commitment to continuing personal and professional development
• A firm commitment to equality of opportunity; an individual who values diversity, shows respect for all people and works well with people who have different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds
• A team player, who helps others to build a successful team, celebrates others’ successes and supports others to achieve individual and team goals

This job description does not form part of the contract of employment. Please see our website for a full job and person spec. When applying, please match your skills and experience as closely as possible to the Person Specification. This will be assessed at application and at interview.

Application and Selection Process and Timetable

Applications Close: Monday 26 January 2026, 12 noon.

Interviews: Tuesday 6 February 2026

Applications

To apply: Please submit your application on our recruitment portal on our website. Please note that we do not accept CV only applications.

Please ensure that you pay particular attention in your application to detailing how your experience meets the requirements of the person specification and why you are interested in the position. When applying, please match your skills and experience as closely as possible to the Person Specification. This will be assessed at application and at interview.