Deadline: Monday 3 November at 5pm

English PEN is looking for a confident professional with a successful track record in events management to join its team

• Full-time, permanent position
• Salary: £26,000-29,000
• 25 days annual leave; opportunity to join company pension plan after three months
• Located at: Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road London EC1R 3GA
• Reports to: Deputy Director, English PEN

English PEN promotes the freedom to write and the freedom to read. The founding centre of a worldwide writers’ organisation, established in 1921, it is supported by an active membership of leading writers and literary professionals, with an elected board.

Over the past five years English PEN has tripled in size and impact, with successful campaigns promoting the freedom to read and write in the UK and around the world, as well as new programmes working with prisoners, refugees and other socially excluded groups. Our programme to support great literature in English translation has also expanded and we run public events, debates and fundraisers around the year, and award prizes to British and international writers, most recently the 2014 PEN Pinter award to Salman Rushdie.

We are now looking for a confident and highly organised Events and Development Manager, with at least three years’ relevant experience, to take lead responsibility in commissioning and curating an annual programme of events, designed to appeal to both current and prospective members of PEN and to a diverse general public. These include the high-profile fundraising annual PEN Quiz and management of the programme of literary events for the PEN Literary Salon at London Book Fair. He/she will also work closely with the Deputy Director in developing a prospect management system for identifying, researching, building and helping to manage relationships with potential members and other individual and corporate donors, and will line-manage the English PEN intern and volunteers.

The programme of events should aim to develop PEN’s reach and audience, engage PEN’s current membership, raise funds and recruit new members for the future as well as increase English PEN’s profile in the news media. The role includes managing the logistics behind each event to ensure smooth running; evaluating the impact and effectiveness of each event and communicating the results both internally and externally with stakeholders.

The Events and Development Manager will create all relevant promotional material for development activity, working closely with the Deputy Director to make sure it meets a high standard of excellence in keeping with English PEN’s brand identity and values; help English PEN increase its income stream through supporting the Deputy Director to develop a prospect management system for identifying, researching, contacting and helping to recruit new members and other non-statutory funders; represent English PEN positively and be an ambassador for the work of English PEN at all times in dealings with members, prospects and the general public.

Professional Competencies

1. University degree
2. At least three years’ experience of managing high-profile events
3. Project management experience and expertise in delivering complex projects
4. Expert communications skills, both written and verbally
5. Familiarity with digital technology and keen to explore its potential through new social media
6. Experience of managing communications to members, friends’ organisations or other kinds of subscriber database
7. Able to work as part of a team and with a wide range of partners
8. Passionate about arts and culture, particularly literature, and about building audiences in this area
9. Calm and professional under pressure
10. Proven interest in English PEN’s wider work for literature and free speech

Personal Competencies

1. Has two-way discussions with others, shares information, actively responds to suggestions
2. Takes responsibility for own work within the overall goal set, shows flexibility and a positive attitude
3. Takes timely decisions, seeks ideas from others regardless of hierarchy
4. Shows appreciation, loyalty, fairness and respect for all colleagues
5. Focuses on own/team contribution to achieving English PEN’s business plan and strategy
6. Sets, implements tracks and reports against appropriate performance and development objectives

Candidates must have permission to live and work in the UK.

To apply please send a CV and covering letter, stating your suitability for the role, to vacancies@englishpen.org by 5pm on Monday 3 November 2014.

Please write ‘Events and Development Manager Application’ in the subject line of the email.

First interviews will be held on 17 and 21 November. Second interviews will be held on 28 November.

Strictly no agencies please.