Space Bookings Administrator

Candidate Pack

About The Place

In the 1970s The Place became the first home for contemporary dance in the UK with London Contemporary Dance Theatre while London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS) welcomed Martha Graham and Jane Dudley into the faculty.

In the 1980s The Place supported the origins of some of the UK’s leading independent dance companies launching Resolution, the first UK season for emerging artists and designing and developing the first University validated dance degree in Europe.

In the 1990s The Place artist development programmes were nurtured and Richard Alston Dance Company became the resident company.

In the 2000s The Place Prize gave prominence to new choreography while LCDS co-founded the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama as a recognised Higher Education Institution of eight world-leading schools. Through LCDS we will pioneer new partnerships and programmes to ensure that we continue to offer the highest quality publically funded dance training in the UK while developing dance as an art form.

As the Place moves to celebrate its 50th Anniversary we continue in our mission to be the leading home for new dance. We do this by engaging with people who want to watch, participate in, learn about and create dance. Our vision is to create an environment that supports individuals to achieve their full dance potential, whether that’s dancing for fun, watching dance or becoming an artist who creates world-class dance experiences.

The diversity of The Place is central to our future. We know that there is shared understanding of ‘protected characteristics’ but we want to go beyond those singular definitions of difference to respond to the intersection of barriers and disadvantage in order to widen participation, engagement, training, performance, production and leadership in dance. In doing so we will be accepting of challenge and change.

Following a period of transition, we need to improve our infrastructure, develop systems and processes to enable greater artistic, financial and educational resilience and strengthen our creative, positive well-being culture.

We are now seeking to appoint a Space Bookings Administrator who will be responsible for the booking and administration of studio and meeting spaces at The Place. This is an exciting opportunity for an administrator with an interest in the arts and experience of booking systems, excellent organisational and diplomacy skills as well as attention to detail.

Job Description

Space Bookings Administrator

The Administration and Finance (A&F) department provides a central service for all of the activities housed at The Place. The department consists of eightoffice-based posts, one non office-based post and a team of receptionists. The department covers the areas of Finance, Facilities Management and Maintenance, Reception, Room Bookings, Human Resourcesand Information Technology.

Role of Space Bookings Administrator

The Administrator is primarily responsible for the booking and administration of studio and meeting spaces at The Place.Working closely with the Reception and Space Bookings Manager, the Administrator will assist in the planning of studio usage across the building and optimise space usage. The Administrator will alsolook at new ways to generate revenue, track the External Hire income stream, raise invoices and produce budget reports.

The post holder is supervised by the Reception and Space Bookings Manager, with support for the role being provided by the team of Receptionists.

Reporting to:Reception and Space Bookings Manager

Responsibilities of the Space Bookings Administrator

Internal Space Usage

Administrate a centralised space management service, processingroom bookings for internal departments
Allocate space to internal departments in line with agreed policies set through the Planning Meetings
Liaise with staff from all departments in order to clarify booking requirements including forward planning (we currently book a year ahead and revise details a term ahead)
Record accurately and efficiently the use of studio space to provide reportsfor overhead allocation
Monitor space usage within existing bookings and indicate potential problems with the provision of new bookings.
Liaise with staff from all departments on late alterations to internal bookings, including student rehearsal space
Attend Planningand/or Operations Meetings and report on implications of issues raised
Identify any potential space clashes and work to resolve them in conjunction with Reception and Space Bookings Manager
Liaise with Reception staff able to take space bookings and optimise current systems

Income Generation

Administrate a centralised space management service, processingroom bookings for external hires
Monitor the income of external hires by keeping accurate records and assist withfinancial forecasting, budgeting reports and income targets
Respond to current demand for external hires and assist with driving sales even further
Monitor pricing structure, have an up to date knowledge of other local studio and meeting space and advise on changes needed
Revise current payment terms to reflect the requirements from different customers
Raise and record invoices for external space bookings of studios and meeting/lecture rooms
Chase outstanding invoices and reconciling account records as appropriate
Liaise with Finance Officer on outstanding bad debts and agree on strategies for their collection
Identify any potential conflict of interest and work to resolve them in conjunction with Reception and Space Bookings Manager

Provide excellent customer service and maintain positive relationships with current and potential hirers by providing booking information and offering facilities tours
Revise and maintain the Terms and Conditions of hire for the studios and meeting/lecture rooms
Ensure that the information about studio bookings and external hirers is kept up to date on the website, noticeboards and web listings
Liaise with Reception staff able to take space bookings and optimise current systems

Space Management Software

Alongside the Reception and Space Bookings Manager, act as an expert resource for the operation of the space management software used by The Place (Artifax Event)
Compile manuals and guidelines for its operation by different categories of staff at The Place. Ensure that they have access to appropriate up to date knowledge and information
Liaise with Artifax Event on any problems or updates that need to be made
Assist with setting up systems that will improve customer experience and the effectiveness of room bookings in the organisation

Any other duties as required by Reception and Space Bookings Manager or Director of Finance and Resources.

Person Specification

Essential / Desirable
Knowledge/ Experience /

Minimum one year’s professional office experience preferably in the arts

Knowledge of dance classes and studio requirements

Experience of taking some sort of bookings (e.g. rooms, restaurants, tickets) and the administration of this

Awareness of other venues that offer studios/room hire and the type of clientele using these services
Experience of monitoring space bookings/usage and space booking software (we use Artifax Event)
Experience using finance software (we use Unit 4), raising invoices and monitoring payments

Skills /

Strong administration skills including email correspondence, report writing and record keeping
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Ability to deal with people using tact and diplomacy
Excellent IT skills (MS Office and bookings software)
Numerate, with ability to keep accurate financial records

Proven business and negotiation skills

Attributes/personal characteristics /

Excellent organisation skills, ability to prioritise workload and high level of attention to detail
Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure
Resourceful, able to take initiative andproblem-solve with a positive attitude
Good team worker, flexible and able to work with a wide range of people
Discreet and able to deal appropriately with confidential information

Other /

Commitment to The Place, its aims and its ethos
Interest in the arts

Interest in Contemporary Dance

Salary, hours of work and benefits

Salary

The salary for this role will be £21,000 per annum rising to £21,500 on completion of the six month probationary period.

Salaries are reviewed in April each year when any cost of living increases are made. No salary changes are made until the post holder has completed a six month probationary period.

Contract Terms

This is an open ended, full time permanent contract. The probationary period is six months.

Hours

This is a full time position of 40 hours per week including a paid lunch hour each day. Hours are recorded annually to reflect fluctuations in workload. Some evening and weekend work will be required. No overtime is paid, however any extra hours worked e.g. whilst on tour, will be recorded and time off in lieu given to compensate this. Your working hours will be agreed with your line manager.

Benefits

All employees will be automatically enrolled in our pension scheme after three months service. This has a variety of contribution levels for both employee and employer. Other benefits include interest-free season ticket loan (after three months), theatre ticket allowance, free access (subject to availability) to The Place evening classes and subsidised café and bar prices. We operate a salary sacrifice scheme for the purchase of bicycles and childcare vouchers. We run a weekly subsidised staff yoga class and a staff choir.

Holiday

As a full time post, the holiday accrued is 25 days per year. This includes 5 days to be taken to as directed by the organisation in order to cover building shut downs e.g. between Christmas and New Year. The annual leave allocation runs from January to December each year.

How to Apply

Completed applications (comprising of completed application form and an equal opportunities monitoring forms) (no CV’s)should be returned (preferably by email) by:

12 noon Thursday 26th April

Email:

Laura Naldrett

Human Resources and Administration Manager

The Place

17 Dukes Road

London

WC1H 9PY

Please ensure any attached sheets have your name and the post you are applying for clearly stated.

The Place is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Monitoring information is collected and processed separately to applications, if you do not wish to disclose this information please return a blank monitoring form.

Interviews will be held onThursday 3rd May 2018at The Place.

The Place is an equal opportunities employer and we are keen to ensure everyone applying for employment has an equal experience when attending an interview. Should you have any queries about, or wish to make us aware of, any support required to attend an interview or to work at The Place or would like this pack in alternative format please contact Laura Naldrett, HR and Administration Manager who will be happy to discuss this with you in confidence on 020 7121 1002 or email:

We apologise that we are unable to respond to every application individually. If you have not heard from us by one month after the closing date please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Thank you for your interest in The Place.

April 2018

Dear Candidate,

Re: Application for post as advertised on the website

In accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy I attach a form for you to complete and return to help us in monitoring our recruitment. Please would you complete and return the monitoring form along with the job application form, at the email address below, by the required closing date.

HR and Administration Manager

The Place

17 Duke’s Road

London WC1H 9PY

Yours faithfully,

Laura Naldrett

HR and Administration Manager

Please copy this section into your application email indicating where you saw this position advertised.

Position: Space Bookings Administrator (April 2018)

Website (name): ______Other: ______

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

The Place (Contemporary Dance Trust) is committed to a policy of equality of opportunity in its employment and personnel practices. It aims to ensure that every employee or job applicant receives equitable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, marital status, race, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity status and sexual orientation as per the Equality Act (2010).

The Place wishes to monitor the effectiveness of this policy and to prevent any job applicant being disqualified by conditions and requirements which cannot be shown to be justified.

The completion of this form is optional, if there is any information you would prefer not to provide please leave that section, or the whole form blank should you so wish. Any information you do provide will remain confidential to HR and will not be disclosed to those who are shortlisting and appointing to the vacant position.

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Your answer should take into account the definition of disability given in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which is: “A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial or long term adverse effect on the (person’s) ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.

Thank you for completing this questionnaire.