Guardian Careers – Infection Society

About the job

Healthcare Infection Society

Location: London (2 days a week – Monday and Wednesday) and from home – Hybrid | 37.5 hours per week |

Starting salary: £40-45K dependent on experience | 30 days annual leave plus time off in lieu for weekend work

Reporting to: Head of Membership and Professional Development

Line management of: Events and Engagement Coordinator

The Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) is a membership organisation whose objectives are to advance knowledge, foster scientific interest, and disseminate information about the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs).

We have an exciting new opportunity to join our enthusiastic, committed and engaged team of staff, committees and our 1,300 members who are experts in the prevention and control of HCAIs. Members are drawn largely from the medical profession and are predominantly consultant microbiologists and doctors enrolled on an infection specialty training programme. Nurses, clinical scientists, research scientists and others with a demonstrable professional interest in HCAIs are also a vital part of our membership network.

We connect academic and clinical researchers and healthcare professionals and aim to create opportunities and spaces for medical microbiologists, infectious disease physicians, clinical scientists and infection prevention and control specialists in healthcare settings to reduce the impact of nosocomial infections on patient care.

About Our Working Environment And Team

Our team of nine members of staff work to a hybrid model, spending two days per week (Monday and Wednesday) in our new headquarters in Bloomsbury, London, and the remainder of the working week from home. Our headquarters offer a fantastic working environment, and are within a 10 minute walking distance of King’s Cross St. Pancras. We work according to a flexible model with a generous annual leave allowance of 30 days per week and our working week finishes at 16:00 on Fridays.

Working with our members and volunteers is a pleasure, and each member of our staff team works closely with our committees and board of trustees. They comprise NHS consultants, trainees, nurses, clinical scientists and other professionals who are committed to excellence in infection prevention and control and patient care. Our working culture is collegiate, respectful and motivating.

We value our staff and offer generous travel and training support as well as employee perks and wellbeing packages.

About The Role

The Events and Marketing Manager will join a small dynamic HIS staff team to support the planning and delivery of the HIS events and training programme (both online and face-to-face) and take overall responsibility for the marketing and communications strategy and maintaining content of the HIS website and social media channels. The post-holder will also line manage the Events and Engagement Coordinator.

We are seeking an enthusiastic PhD level scientist who has excellent event, project management and communication skills and who is looking to develop their career in a role within a scientific/medical charity. You may be an individual who has a passion for science but who is looking to move out of an academic environment and into a tenured position where you will be able to demonstrate the value and impact of education and training.

You will work closely with our Professional Development Committee on developing and delivering training and educational programmes.

You will also work with other HIS team members on specific projects relating to our awards, education, training, communications and publishing activities.

Key aspects of this role include developing processes to effectively monitor, assess and communicate the impact, influence and contributions of all HIS events and activities.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

Event management

Support the Head of Membership and Professional Development in the planning and delivery of an agreed programme of events and training courses for HIS by establishing and maintaining effective SOPs and coordinating and delivering events. This will include:

• Working with the appointed Professional Conference Organisers to manage the biennial FIS/HIS international conference
• Planning and end to end management of the annual HIS Spring meeting and satellite Trainee training event
• Working with leads from the Professional Development Committee to plan programmes for DIPC Development Days, Trainee Education Days, Don’t Panic and the HIS webinar programme
• Work with the HIS team and Committees to identify prospective speakers and audiences for HIS events
• Creation and maintenance of HIS website content in relation to events promotion and booking
• Managing the delivery of the HIS Awards lectures
• Assuming responsibility for management and work of the HIS Professional development committee, optimising meetings including setting agendas, writing minutes, liaising with the Chair
• Evaluating and reporting on the success of HIS events and considering areas of improvement
• Venue and supplier contract negotiation and management
• Assuming responsibility for the income and expenditure budgets for HIS meetings and events, and ensuring accurate financial record keeping

Marketing and Communications

Develop, implement and assume overall responsibility for the Society’s marketing and communications strategy (including social media strategy) to support the promotion of a wide range of society activities including grants, awards, podcasts, webinars, events, guidelines and journals. Activities will include:

• Assuming overall responsibility for the his.org.uk website content and using the Umbraco content management system to make changes to the content and imagery of the website
• Carrying out regular website audits to ensure content is up to date and accurate
• Working with the website provider to organise website developments and troubleshoot problems Assuming overall responsibility for the social media strategy
• Monitoring Twitter accounts of relevant external organisations to keep abreast of activities within the sector
• Maintaining mailing lists and data in accordance with GDPR
• Working with other members of the Society’s team to develop content for the Society’s Annual Report
• Working with the other members of the Society’s team to develop cross-activity marketing

Other

• Carrying out from time to time and as directed, any other duties as required in addition to the above that will be both reasonable and within your capabilities
• Always ensuring that you take care of your health and safety and that of others by complying with health and safety obligations, particularly by reporting promptly any defects, risks or potential hazards

Person specification

Essential, Unless Otherwise Stated

Education and experience

• Degree level education or relevant proven work experience ideally in a scientific field
• A proven track record of managing and delivering successful multi-stream events
• Demonstrated experience of running online meetings and webinars in Zoom (or similar platform)
• Experience of managing social media channels and digital communication channels

Competencies

• Knowledge of working with CRM/customer database systems for membership and event management
• Numerate with budget management experience including forecasting, and planning
• Experience of event programme development
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – written and verbal
• Understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Task-driven self-starter, with good time management, attention to detail and the ability to manage own workload
• Technical IT skills: competent in the use of Microsoft Office suite, ability to understand logical processes
• Excellent attention to detail and organisation skills needed to manage projects effectively
• Ability to work effectively in a busy and dynamic environment
• Ability to develop effective and supportive working relationships, working flexibly and collaboratively
• Positive and open-minded
• A proven track record of delivering a high standard of customer service
• Excellent telephone manner
• Knowledge of compliance, specifically as it relates to data protection
• Proven track record of producing work accurately and to a high standard whilst under pressure, with emphasis on attention to detail whilst working to deadlines
• Ability to work as a key and supportive member of a flexible team
• Willingness to travel and stay away from home on occasion and overnight
• Willingness to work outside of office hours when event management duties dictate

What we can offer you as our Events and Marketing Manager

• Hybrid working
• 30 days holiday
• Additional holiday between Christmas and New Year
• Employee perks programme
• Generous pension scheme
• Generous training budget
• Flexible working
• Employee assistance programme
• Opportunity for overseas travel to scientific and medical conferences
• Finish at 16:00 on a Friday
• Team days

To apply

Although the final deadline for applications is 9am on Thursday 3 November 2023, applications will be assessed as they are received, and the application window may close at short notice. Candidates are encouraged to submit applications early.

Applicants are required to submit a CV and a covering letter of no more than two A4 pages in length addressing why they would like this post, and why they are perfect for this role to [email protected]

Please combine both documents in one PDF file.

Incomplete applications will not be selected for shortlisting. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Please note that the location for this role every Monday and Wednesday is at HIS headquarters. Please only apply for this role if you are willing to travel into London on these days.

Interviews will take place on 9 or 11 November via MS Teams.