Assistant Event Manager – VIP (Trafford)

Job Introduction

Selfridges has always been much more than a shop. We’re a social space where everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging, a creative playground where culture and commerce collide, and an experimental hub where you can discover the most innovative and sustainable ideas in retail. We’re here to help make the world brighter. And you can be an important part of this. We’ll talk more about the role below, but before we get to that, let’s share with you the good stuff…  

Rewards and benefits 

Life at Selfridges is dynamic, exciting, and always evolving. As well as working with some of the most cutting-edge, iconic and boundary-pushing brands, designers and creatives, we also offer our team members opportunities to help make a positive difference through our network of communities, both within and outside Selfridges. Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• Annual travel pass and cycle-to-work schemes  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme 

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Role Responsibility

As an Assistant Event Manager – VIP, you’ll develop and produce a programme of exclusive market leading events, projects, and customer engagement strategies for our VIP customers with a specific focus on our Trafford Centre Store. Each experience will ensure our customers receive the most personal level of service, extraordinary experiences and tailored communications across all touchpoints.

You will work on multiple, simultaneous, complex projects, whilst managing various stakeholders and interacting with teams across the business. The role will work closely with both the regional and central events teams to deliver events and experiences retaining our existing elite customers and acquiring new VIP customers.

You won’t be afraid to push the boundaries, ensuring that Selfridges remains a leader in VIP experiences. You will be an excellent communicator who will keep everyone up to speed and will bring teams and stakeholders on the journey with you along the way.

• Support the VIP Event Manager to curate, develop & deliver strategic communications, events, and experiences for our VIP Customers, delivered against key business priorities
• Work as part of a team to produce, project manage and deliver VIP events and activities to an exceptionally high standard within our Trafford Centre Store and across our wider locations where relevant
• Researching, creating and producing projects that strategically drive engagement with our VIP customers whilst acting as a strong and influential ‘voice’ across both the Events Team and the Retail Team ensuring that project needs are articulated and understood, and objectives are met.
• Collaborate with multiple teams to push objectives for VIP and Personal Shopping in the Trafford Centre
• Attend and be a considered voice within project meetings and communicate effectively with project stakeholders in Customer, Communications, Creative, Buying, Finance, Legal and Retail Operations Teams
• Creating VIP event communications and supporting in newsletter creation and delivery
• Costing and project budgeting, raising, and tracking PO’s and invoices and reconciling budgets
• Communication of projects to all key stakeholders, creating documents including Project Packs to Critical paths and Briefing Documents with agendas and timelines
• Develop and maintain a robust network of strong working relationships across the business and externally including partners and suppliers
• Develop and maintain regular meetings coordinating between VIP and events teams to ensure streamlined communication and workflow
• Negotiating with vendors and creating contracts and agreements with in-house legal team
• Tracking and documentation of VIP events including RSVPs, attendance, feedback, successes, and learnings
• Ensure that all reporting is up to date for internal stake holders including post event wash-ups
• Work closely with the Personal Shopping and clientelling teams to develop targeted invites that are in line with event objectives and based off customer data analysis
• Work closely with the wider VIP and insights teams to ensure objectives are aligned and processes in store are followed efficiently
• Support team on research and presenting materials for projects
• Ensure all events meet Health and Safety and Security standards
• Ensure all events meet data security and GDPR standards
• Brief in Graphics and Creative in a timely manner for events collateral and builds
• Supporting and deliver events on live days and build up with physical set up, staff management, hosting and production
• Client liaison for duration of projects

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience (2+ years) working in Events / Programming & Communications (preferably fashion / cultural sector)
• Excellent Event Management experience
• Event Production, planning and project management skills are essential for this role
• Strong organisational skills, being able to manage multiple projects at the same time
• Has the ability to work under pressure calmly and effectively, and to tight deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills – proven record of creating relationships across the business
• Excellent presentation, pitching skills
• Creative flair and a commitment to quality programming
• Is comfortable working across multiple teams
• Possess strong financial acumen with budget tracking and reporting experience
• Advanced Excel, power point
• Previous experience working within luxury (retail, fashion and beauty) events/experiences
• Ability to work in a fast pace environment
• Strategic thinker, with the ability to prioritise
• Used to taking initiative – a proactive self-starter
• Excellent ability to build strong working relationships across a diverse range of functions
• Personable, with the ability to influence and gain the trust of people at all levels
• Able to communicate clearly, articulately, and persuasively
• Able to problem solve and be reactive when required, providing innovative and creative solutions
• Has interest in fashion, art, and culture
• Has experience working with UHNW individuals

About the Company

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges