Special Events Manager

This role will be responsible for the management of Orbis’s growing special events portfolio across the Fundraising and Communications directorate.

About Orbis UK

Orbis UK is an affiliate of Orbis International, an eye care charity that transforms lives through the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

Over 1.1 billion people live with vision loss in the world today. Yet for a staggering 90% of these people, visual impairment is treatable or could have been prevented.

At Orbis we work to change this injustice by providing treatment to thousands of people each year, training new generations of eye health-workers, and leading cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs that restore sight. Our vision is a world where communities strive together in the fight to save sight, and no‑one is needlessly blind.

Orbis UK (Orbis Charitable Trust) is a registered charity in the UK and raises income from funders across the UK, Europe and the Middle East, towards our global commitment to eliminate avoidable blindness. In 2024, the UK team raised £5.1m. These funds supported 18 projects across 8 countries. With these funds we delivered 9,908 training sessions for health workers, enabled 469,287 eye screenings, 37,378 treatments and delivered 2.5m doses of antibiotics to tackle trachoma.

Our ambition is to grow our income to £10 million per year within the next five years.

In addition to our long‑term country programmes, Orbis operates the Flying Eye Hospital, a state‑of‑the‑art ophthalmic teaching hospital on board a customised aircraft and Cybersight, our online telehealth platform with over 100,000 users and home to our artificial intelligence tool.

You can find out more about Orbis UK, our work and impact here. The role sits within the Fundraising & Communications Directorate which consists of three divisions:

• Relationships & Partnerships
• Public Giving & Communications
• Data & Insight

The Relationship & Partnerships division is responsible for delivering income from trusts & foundations, corporate partnerships, and major donors. The division is led by the Deputy Director of Relationships & Partnerships.

Our focus is to increase ROI and deliver growth through the acquisition of new high‑value, five‑to‑seven figure, multi‑year gifts from donors and partners.

About the Role

Title: Special Events ManagerDirectorate: Fundraising & CommunicationsReports to: Deputy Director, Relationships & PartnershipsLocation: Hybrid (2 days a week required in London, UK (Near Charing Cross))Contract: Full time – 37.5 hours per week, PermanentGrade: Professional Level 3Salary: £39,758 per annum

This role will be responsible for the management of Orbis’s growing special events portfolio across the Fundraising and Communications directorate. It will lead on the design and delivery of our special events, ensuring they provide opportunities for current and prospective supporters to engage and connect with Orbis and our work, ultimately leading to increased income and awareness. The role will be responsible for the consistency, quality and professionalism of our events, ensuring compliance with fundraising regulations and best practice, and organisational policies. The post holder will have responsibility for all events at Orbis including currently our flagship annual Visionaries reception for our major donors, trusts and corporate supporters, a high‑end golf day, the London Marathon, the Great Ethiopian Run, and others.

Overall Purpose of the Role

Main responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Orbis UK senior leaders to design a portfolio of events and activities that deliver our strategic objectives. This includes special events, engagement events, challenge events and overseas trips.
• To project manage the delivery of Orbis’s existing and prospective events, ensuring they provide the best possible experience for our supporters.
• To work alongside the Deputy Director of Relationships and Partnerships and other key internal stakeholders to ensure the balance of the special events portfolio reflects the objectives of the Fundraising and Communications directorate.
• To manage key internal relationships including senior colleagues and volunteers, and colleagues from Orbis’s international offices.
• To manage relationships with all external stakeholders, including suppliers, caterers, AV, photographers, etc.
• To closely monitor, track and report on budgeted expenditure for each event, ensuring the strongest possible R0I.
• To ensure that all events adhere to Orbis’s policies on the health and safety of guests, staff, colleagues from international offices, volunteers and any other third parties.
• To enhance and improve existing planning forms and templates, ensuring that all Orbis events utilise the same processes.
• To lead on internal briefings, collation of guest biographies and post‑event evaluations.
• To ensure that all event related information is accurately stored on Raisers Edge.

Other responsibilities:

• Keep up to date on fundraising trends and donor developments.
• Develop your knowledge of Orbis International and other affiliates, how our programmes are improving eye health and of other eye care charities working in similar regions to Orbis.
• Comply with all Orbis policies and procedures, including our Ethical Fundraising policy and procedure, privacy policy and other relevant data protection policies.
• Ensure that fundraising activities, systems and behaviours are compliant with regulatory and sectoral Codes of Practice.
• The role will require occasional evening and weekend work as per the needs of the events, including possible international travel. All evening and weekend work accrues TOIL that be claimed in agreement with line managers.
• The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not exhaustive. You may be required to undertake additional reasonable duties as necessary to meet the needs of the organisation.

Person Specification

• Proven experience of end‑to‑end delivery of high quality private events (receptions, dinners, etc) for a high‑value audience, as well as public facing and/or mainstream challenge events.
• Experience of managing internal and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration and support.
• Experience of setting, working to and holding colleagues to account on internal deadlines.
• Experience of setting, managing and delivering to agreed budgets.
• Experience of scoping and designing new events that create unique opportunities for supporters to engage with an organisation’s work.
• Experience of maintaining composure in the face of on‑the‑night challenges and last‑minute changes.
• Experience in multitasking while adhering to deadlines and keeping key stakeholders informed of progress.
• Strong computer skills, including familiarity with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and ideally Raiser’s Edge (or other similar CRM system).
• Experience of working in a high value fundraising team, liaising with colleagues to understand the needs of their portfolios and to design and delivery events accordingly.
• Experience of working alongside senior staff, trustees and other high‑value volunteers.
• An up‑to‑date knowledge of the key trends and developments in fundraising events, compliance, safeguarding, and general charity law.
• Experience of using Raisers Edge or a similar CRM.

Personal attributes:

• You enjoy building relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and colleagues and are always professional in your interactions.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• You are ambitious, resilient, focussed and comfortable with the responsibility of successful delivery.
• Strong sense of curiosity, supported by excellent questioning skills and critical thinking.
• A creative mindset that is able to scan the sector, assess internal and external opportunities and make recommendations for new ways of working and new events.
• A willingness to deliver, evaluate, learn and improve.
• Able to work collaboratively and be a supportive and effective team member.
• Able to display initiative and manage own workload.
• Willing to take responsibility for identifying own training/development opportunities.
• A high level of cultural sensitivity.
• A demonstrable affinity with the values and work of Orbis.

Benefits of Working for Orbis UK

• Competitive Salary benchmarked annually
• Minimum 25 days holiday pro‑rated increasing with length of service
• Life Assurance Policy (4 x salary)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• E‑learning Courses
• Social Activities
• Flexitime
• Free Sight test

Plus, following successful completing of your probation:

• Matched employer pension contribution up to a maximum of 10% of basic salary
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Contribution to cost of new prescription glasses
• Possibility of an overseas project visit after 3 years’ service

Application

Closing Date: Monday 30th March

All applicants will need to provide proof of their legal right to live and work in the UK.

Orbis UK is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from any suitably qualified persons. We operate an anonymised recruitment procedure so that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of age, gender reassignment, being married or in a civil partnership, being pregnant or on maternity leave, disability, race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. This aims to ensure all applicants are assessed solely on the strength of their application and not be affected by unconscious bias or confirmation bias.

Orbis UK acknowledges and recognises the disadvantages and barriers people from underrepresented and socially diverse groups face in the workforce. Orbis UK is committed to addressing this issue and we strongly encourage those from underrepresented and socially diverse groups (Black and Ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ and candidates with disabilities) to apply.

Safeguarding: Orbis UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and criminal records checks. Orbis UK is also a member of the Inter‑Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS).

Application is via curriculum vitae and covering letter, detailing why you believe you are suitable for the position, referring to your experience and qualification. Please apply via email to hrandrecruitment@orbis.org.uk .

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