Events Operations Manager

IRL Oxford is seeking an Events Operations Manager to act as the single point of operational accountability for the planning, preparation, coordination, and delivery of IRL events — from small weekly programmes through to complex, high-profile festivals, markets, and concerts.

This is a delivery-owning role, not a support role.

The Events Operations Manager is trusted to run the operational engine of IRL’s events: preparing everything required for events to happen smoothly, professionally, safely, and on schedule — while keeping the Founder informed, shielded from routine admin, and presented with clean, near-final decisions for approval.

The role combines:

• project ownership
• operational judgement
• event administration and contracting
• logistics and live delivery
• cross-functional coordination with Marketing \& Brand
• system-building and documentation

This is a hands-on, thinking, problem-solving role for someone who enjoys responsibility, complexity, and making real-world events work.

ROLE PURPOSE \& ACCOUNTABILITY

The Events Operations Manager exists to ensure that IRL Oxford’s events are:

• properly conceived
• operationally viable
• contractually prepared
• logistically sound
• clearly communicated
• professionally delivered

Single Point of Accountability

While events are prepared collaboratively, this role is the single point of operational accountability for each event.

This means:

• ensuring nothing critical is missed
• coordinating across functions
• resolving issues proactively
• escalating only when necessary

Others may contribute — this role owns the planning and preparations for a successful outcome.

AUTHORITY, DECISION-MAKING \& ESCALATION

Decision-Making Authority

The Events Operations Manager is empowered to:

• make day-to-day basic event-level operational decisions
• propose strategic and event-level budgeting and financial plans to the Founder for review/approval
• negotiate, if under the direction of the Founder, with venues, suppliers, performers, and partners
• adapt plans in response to real-world constraints
• be firm and decisive where delivery, safety, or quality is at risk

There is no formal hierarchy over other positions in this role. Authority comes from clear ownership and responsibility, not title.

Escalation \& Sign-Off

The following must be escalated to and approved by the Founder before being finalised or sent externally:

• contracts and formal agreements
• financial commitments
• partnerships or sponsorship terms
• material changes to event scope, risk, or cost
• conflicts or significant disagreements with vendors

The expectation is that this role prepares penultimate and final drafts, not just rough ideas.

EVENT OWNERSHIP LIFECYCLE

The Events Operations Manager owns events across the full lifecycle:

1. Event Conception \& Feasibility

• developing operational approaches for new event ideas
• assessing feasibility, risk, competitors, scheduling conflicts, complexity, and resource needs
• proposing novel concepts, event formats, schedules, and delivery plans
• identifying early constraints and dependencies

2. Planning, Timelines \& Project Control

• creating and maintaining event timelines, task lists, and run-sheets (on SharePoint and our workflow software)
• coordinating multiple events running in parallel
• tracking dependencies and deadlines
• actively chasing outstanding actions and information
• ensuring readiness well ahead of delivery

This role keeps events moving forward, not just documented.

3. Event Administration \& Contract Drafting (Delivery-Facing)

• drafting event-related contracts (by lightly editing pre-made IRL templates), including:
• venues
• suppliers
• performers and artists
• vendors
• partners and sponsors
• sourcing and managing correct contact details independently with all relevant parties
• negotiating terms in line with IRL’s interests, if at the direction of the Founder
• preparing clean drafts for Founder approval
• tracking confirmations and signatures
• posting events online on all platforms and ticketing sites

4. Workflow Ownership \& Internal Coordination

• setting up standard event templates on, and successfully implementing, our workflow software
• maintaining live project boards and planning tools on our workflow software
• ensuring clarity on who is doing what, and by when
• coordinating between the Founder, Marketing, and Finance
• consolidating questions and decisions before escalating
• protecting the Founder from fragmented operational noise
• maintaining clear, organised shared folders and live planning documents for each event

5. Logistics, Operations \& Live Delivery

• liaising with venues, suppliers, councils, and regulators
• coordinating equipment, layouts, infrastructure, and schedules
• preparing site plans, operations packs, and event-day documentation
• coordinating staffing, volunteers, freelancers, and subcontractors
• being present at designated events (designated by the Founder) to:
• oversee setup and breakdown
• welcome guests
• manage live coordination
• troubleshoot issues
• support crowd flow, signage, and safety

This role is practical and physical when needed.

6. Marketing, Brand, \& Creative Coordination

The Events Operations Manager works closely with the Marketing \& Brand Coordinator to ensure that events are marketed clearly, accurately, and to a high standard.

This includes:

• defining the event concept, structure, tone, and key information for marketing
• briefing Marketing \& Brand on:
• event format
• schedules
• logistics
• target audience
• turnout expectations
• key selling points and constraints
• reviewing marketing drafts for:
• factual accuracy
• alignment with operational reality
• clarity of communication
• ensuring that promotional materials, social media content, and descriptions reflect what the event will actually deliver
• acting as a final operational sense-check on marketing content before publication, escalating issues where necessary
• supporting and featuring in social media content creation and behind-the-scenes ideas

The Events Operations Manager is not primarily responsible for producing design or marketing assets. However, where the Marketing \& Brand Coordinator is unavailable, this role is responsible for ensuring continuity of essential event marketing by coordinating interim cover, using existing templates or materials where appropriate, and escalating risks or gaps to the Founder. In all cases, the Events Operations Manager remains responsible for ensuring that marketing output is well-briefed, coordinated, accurate, and operationally sound.

7. Sponsorships, Partners \& External Relationships

• coordinating and securing sponsors and partner deliverables
• ensuring agreed visibility and assets are delivered
• acting as IRL’s operational point of contact
• working with Admin / Ops to ensure invoicing and records are completed and our internal data-tracking is properly updated after each event

8. Risk, Compliance \& Public Interface

• identifying and flagging legal, safety, and reputational risks
• liaising directly with:
• councils
• licensing bodies
• regulators
• relevant authorities
• preparing applications, documentation, and compliance materials
• escalating substantive risks promptly and clearly

9. Documentation, SOPs \& Institutional Memory

A core responsibility of this role is to make IRL’s events repeatable and robust.

This includes:

• creating formal event manuals for each event type
• producing run-sheets, SOPs, and checklists
• documenting lessons learned and improvements
• building systems that reduce chaos and reliance on memory
• standardising operational workflow for end-to-end planning, marketing, and hosting

This is a key output needed early in the role.

STANDARDS \& EXPECTATIONS

• professionally tight execution
• deadlines met
• details covered
• calm under pressure
• good judgement exercised independently
• problems anticipated, not just reacted to

EXPERIENCE \& SKILLS

Required

• experience delivering events or live projects
• strong project coordination and organisational ability
• confidence working with external partners and authorities
• experience working closely with designers or marketing teams
• comfort operating autonomously and responsibly
• willingness to work evenings/weekends during events

Desirable

• experience with festivals, markets, concerts, or large public events
• familiarity with licensing and local authorities
• experience managing volunteers or freelancers
• comfort creating systems, manuals, and SOPs
• familiarity with the academic and social patterns of the University of Oxford, or Brookes University, or both

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This role protects IRL Oxford’s standards, reputation, and momentum.

It exists so that ambitious ideas become well-run, professional, memorable events.

The Employee acknowledges that:

• The role is dynamic and evolving
• Not all duties can be exhaustively listed
• Additional tasks and responsibilities may arise from time to time

The Employee agrees to perform such additional duties as are reasonably required, consistent with the nature of the role and their skills and experience.

Flexibility, responsiveness, initiative, and calm under pressure are essential elements of the position.

The duties set out in this Schedule are thus illustrative and not exhaustive and shall not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the Employee’s role.

Pay: £26,000.00-£28,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person