Events & Hires Sales Coordinator

Deadline for applications: 9am, Wednesday 29th March
Reports to: Events & Hires Sales Manager
Location: Sage Gateshead
Working hours: 36 hours per week (Monday – Friday with some evening and weekend work required, subject to business needs)
Salary: SCP 24, £23,372 per annum

About Sage Gateshead
We are an international music centre based on the banks of the River Tyne. We are a unique venue where artists from across the world perform and audiences from a wide range of backgrounds come to hear, make, and enjoy all types of music.

We support local people to be creative, to develop a passion for music and put music at the heart of communities. Our artist development programme provides local artists with the opportunities they need to develop a career in music. We support young people to make music in our building and in the wider community through programmes such as In Harmony Newcastle Gateshead.

We believe our work makes life better for people in the North East. We’re building a creative, diverse, and passionate team and that’s where you come in…

About you 

Are you self-motivated, happy working in a team environment and flexible enough to adapt to a changing environment? If this sounds like you, here are some specific types of experience that will help you hit the ground running.

You must have proven experience of: 

• Excellent track record in customer service
• A strong understanding of the MICE industry

Knowledge/ understanding of: 

• Emerging trends in the MICE industry and wider events sector
• A passion for live events and exceeding customer expectations

Ability to: 

• Be highly organised
• Have a pragmatic and flexible approach to work, with the ability to prioritise and multi-task
• Comfortable in working closely with a range of clients, across multiple sectors and at different seniority levels
• Work under own initiative and as part of a team
• Communicate effectively

It also helps if you have:

• Event sales experience
• Experience in achieving targets
• An understanding of, or interest in, marketing strategies
• Demonstrable experience in admin of contracts and invoicing
• An understanding of sustainability best practice
• A passion for creative food and drink
• A commercial approach

If you’re not a perfect match for the job description and criteria, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are more interested in your determination, positivity, and willingness to get stuck in.

About the role of Events & Hires Sales Coordinator at Sage Gateshead 

Sage Gateshead is an amazing venue, and we offer the building for hire. Our Events and Hires team are responsible for this area of income and operational delivery, working with a huge range of clients whether it is an international association or household brand names. The team also support the use of the building by charitable organisations such as schools and amateur choirs.

As part of the team you could work on everything from a 20 person board meeting, to multi-day exclusive building hires for 800, dance festivals for 2,000 school children, live media broadcasts, trade expos and even location filming/photography.

We’ll need you to work with colleagues and stakeholders, utilising the uniqueness of the venue and high levels of in house expertise, to create memorable solutions to client briefs, tailored to their objectives and budgets.

The Sales Coordinator will work with clients from bidding to contracting including negotiations and site visits. The role will also support the sales manager and head of department to deliver marketing activity.

The post holder will work as part of the Events & Hires team to achieve the department’s income target, and the highest possible service standards, with a creative and innovative approach.

Your responsibilities: 

• Respond to new client enquiries, received via phone, walk-in or email.
• Compile client proposals and quotes and manage enquiries through to close of sale. Accurately record client details in the CRM system
• Maintain communications with existing and lapsed customers, with the support of the Sales Manager, to maximise earning opportunities and strengthen client relationships
• Conduct site visits with clients, stakeholders and colleagues
• Develop excellent working relationships with all clients and partners, owning your accounts with relevant support from the Sales Manager
• Work with the Sales Manager to support marketing activity planning and delivery including attending regional, national and international trade events
• Support in organising and hosting familiarisation visits
• Support with social media activity, developing content and implementing the social media strategy.
• Ensure an understanding of regional, national and international competitors, existing and potential clients, and emerging industry trends
• Assist in maintaining trade and media relationships
• Support the operations team on event delivery during periods of peak activity
• Maximise commercial income, including through secondary spending, where possible. Work as part of the team to achieve set sales and delivery targets
• Work with all clients to creatively deliver event ideation and proposals, with a pragmatic and imaginative approach
• Actively identify opportunities for repeat events and clients, working to secure this business through effective account management, supported by the Sales Manager as required
• Adhere to all relevant health, safety and safeguarding practices for all events, seeking guidance where needed
• Ensure that all invoicing and contracting is completed in accordance with set guidelines and timeframes
• Represent the events & hires function at internal events and meetings
• Adhere to all team protocols and processes to ensure the best Sage Gateshead experience for clients and delegates
• Deputise for the Sales Manager where required
• Always adhere to health and safety guidelines in the workplace
• Actively role model Sage Gateshead’s values

Our commitment to your development

At Sage Gateshead, we’re always learning. Through training and support, we’ll help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in your role. This may be through gaining a qualification, on-the-job training or learning within your team.

We provide you with training in areas such as health and safety and safeguarding when you start work, and you’ll receive annual refreshers.

Every staff member is on their own training and development journey. You’ll work closely with your manager to identify what your journey will look like at Sage Gateshead. If you have a specific interest or you would like to develop your skills in a certain area, we want to hear about it.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

At Sage Gateshead, we encourage a working environment that’s welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. Different backgrounds, views and experiences are valued so everyone can be themselves.

Our venue and programmes are for everyone, so we want to make sure this opportunity is available to everyone, no matter your background or the challenges you’ve faced.

For example, we would love to hear from you if you:

• Are D/deaf. Have a disability, learning difficulty or significant long -term health condition which affects your daily life
• Describe yourself as neurodiverse (this might include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autistic spectrum, and others)
• Grew up in a family receiving Universal Credit or state benefits
• Have ever lived in council or social housing or been on the housing register
• Have ever lived in sheltered accommodation or experienced homelessness
• Experienced being in care at any point in your life
• Have been a refugee or asylum seeker
• Are from the African, South, East and South–East Asian, Middle East, Latinx or North African diaspora, or have experienced racism
• These are some common examples of challenging circumstances but there may be others.  Everyone is welcome to apply.
• We do not discriminate because of race, colour, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or expression, age, disability or any other protected characteristic as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.

Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expect all of those that work with us to share this commitment. We operate a robust safeguarding framework and continuous assessment and development to support safer working practice across out workforce. Our roles are subject to a safer recruitment process which includes relevant background checks and the disclosure of criminal records, sanctions, and investigations where appropriate.

Our application process

Click here for more information and to apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Wednesday 29th March

Interview date: Thursday 6th April (please note that shortlisted applicants may be invited to interview before this date)

We understand that interviews can be a nerve-racking experience. We want you to feel comfortable so you can be yourself and shine!

If you have any questions about the role or the application process, please contact Lois, People Coordinator at recruitment@sagegateshead.com