Gray Dawes Travel is a multi-award winning, global travel management company with offices in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Australia and the United States. Established in 1865, we’re constantly growing by using technology and our passion for what we do to keep evolving.
Here at Gray Dawes Events, part of the wider Gray Dawes group, we are a growing team of Event experts with a laser focus on offering our clients high touch, unique first class experiences. We're not just there to deliver high quality events, innovative experiences all with the slickest execution, we're there as an extension of our clients’ own organisations – their out-of-house events department. We achieve this because of the depths we go to in understanding our clients, their culture, their brand values and business objectives. And we always deliver… better!
If this all sounds like something you want to be a part of then we'd like to hear from you. We offer a fantastic work environment, with all the benefits and perks you’d expect from a forward-thinking and people-focussed organisation. And we’re always on the lookout for skilled and motivated individuals to become part of the Gray Dawes family. Take a look at our latest vacancies and make that move!
Join Our Journey
We are looking to hire an experienced Event Manager to join our existing team. In this role you will be providing a creative and exceptional service to our clients on all elements of Event Management, including venue find, proposal writing, logistics and end to end event management, both in the UK and abroad.
You will be based from our Manchester office however hybrid working (3 days in the office, 2 days at home) available after you have successfully completed your probationary and training period unless you are visiting clients or at events.
What You’ll Do
- Manage a portfolio of events for a variety of audiences, including planning, execution and issue management.
- Manage the day-to-day logistics of numerous events from proposal to delivery and reconciliation.
- Discuss event ideas with clients and the team.
- Design, build and present client proposals.
- Upsell Gray Dawes services.
- Attend and manage events onsite when required.
- Delegate Management and registration.
- Work with suppliers to provide the very best service at competitive prices.
- Secure both repeat business and new business, whilst ensuring projects are as profitable as possible.
- Develop and conduct events in line with Health, Safety and Safeguarding guidelines, conducting any necessary risk assessments as required. Ensuring all relevant documentation received.
- Event debrief meetings and reporting.
- Budget management and reconciliation.
What we’re looking for
- Team player attributes; a hands on approach and unafraid to have your opinion heard.
- Confidence in multitasking across a number of projects with strong attention to detail.
- Project management.
- Ability to build strong relationships with our clients.
- Good supplier negotiation and ability to increase margins.
- Proven experience in event, design and activation projects.
- Experience of a variety of events, digital, hybrid and in person such as conferences, incentive trips, VIP hospitality experiences, employee engagement events, sales and training conferences.
- Strong communication, presentation and organisational skills.
- Strong problem solving and decision-making abilities.
- Business and commercial awareness.
What We Can Offer
We’re really proud of our culture at Gray Dawes, a family run business where we live and breathe our values and encourage our people to be their best selves, do the right thing, tell it like it is and be flexible. As we continue to grow, there will be career opportunities available for our people as well as the chance to be with us during this exciting period of change. Our benefits include;
· Competitive annual leave plus bank holidays
· Hybrid Working
· Private healthcare (currently under review)
· Group Life Cover
· EAP Scheme
· Pension Scheme
· Volunteering days with our chosen company charity
· Travel Discounts
· Shopping discounts
· Christmas Savings Scheme
· Season Ticket Loans
What Happens Next
Once we’ve received your details, our Hiring Managers will review your skills and experience to see if you’re a match. If we think we can move forward, we’ll get in touch with you directly to arrange an interview to find out more about you.
At Gray Dawes Travel we recognise we’re not just there to secure the best travel fares, the most innovative itineraries, the slickest online tools or the most experienced consultants. We’re there as an extension of our clients’ own organisations. We achieve this because of the depths we go to in understanding our clients; their culture, their values and their objectives. Only then can we deliver on a higher level, with our trademark emphasis on the personal touch. Only then can we delight with remarkable value, innovation and service. That’s what we call ‘better’. Being independently owned plays a huge role in the strategy of our business. Our owners, the Inchcape family, are integral to our success. They ensure that client centricity drives every operational decision we make. Our owner’s long-term vision and practices ensures that we are not having to employ opportunistic business practices in the hope of creating short term profits. Since our CEO Suzanne Horner joined Gray Dawes in 2011 we have experienced an unprecedented and impressive amount of growth in a relatively short amount of time. We have achieved this growth through the acquisition of twelve new businesses since 2015 combined with year on year organic growth. Through the years Gray Dawes has evolved from their original Colchester head-office, driving £27 million in revenue per year, to a business spanning multiple offices across the UK, Australia and the USA, with 250 staff, generating over £250 million a year. But our growth does not stop there, we are a highly ambitious business led by the example of our entrepreneurial CEO, and as a team we have our sights set high. We are all working towards the same goal, delivering them a more streamlined approach to business.
