Events Operations Officer (Major Events)

Why Southwark?

Joining us means stepping into the vibrant heart of one of London’s leading destinations for major events. Southwark is home to world-class cultural hubs, iconic riverside attractions along the Thames, and a thriving programme of festivals and community celebrations that draw visitors from across the capital and beyond.

From the buzz of Bankside and the South Bank’s cultural institutions, to the historic charm of Borough, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, to the energy of Peckham and Elephant & Castle, Southwark offers a unique, diverse backdrop for delivering high-impact events. Our parks, open spaces, and waterfront locations provide exceptional settings for everything from large-scale public events to grassroots community activities.

Southwark is incredibly diverse its many languages, cultures, and communities shaping the character of our borough. This vibrancy is reflected in our workforce. With excellent transport links and easy access across London and the South East, Southwark is an exciting, well-connected place to build your events career.

We are proud to be an inclusive organisation. Through Southwark Stands Together and our Workforce Race Equality Standards, we actively challenge inequalities and discrimination, ensuring Southwark is a place where colleagues and communities can thrive.

What You'll Be Doing

• Supporting the procurement, planning, coordination and delivery of major outdoor events across the borough, ensuring full compliance with council policies, licensing requirements, health and safety standards and industry best practice.

• Acting as a key point of contact for event organisers, contractors, partners and internal stakeholders, providing clear guidance and ensuring smooth event delivery.

• Leading on public consultation processes for major events, ensuring community voices are heard and considered.

• Monitoring event performance, gather and analyse feedback, and support continuous improvement across the events programme.

• Tracking and monitoring payments, reporting progress against forecasts and supporting effective financial management.

• Contribute to the ongoing development and innovation of the Events Service, helping to grow and enhance Southwark’s major events offer.

• Representing the Service and the council at external network meetings and play an active role in the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) process.

What We're Looking For

We’re looking for someone who lives and breathes outdoor events and understands the value they bring to Southwark’s communities.

You’ll bring:

• Operational and technical experience delivering large-scale outdoor or commercial events, ideally in busy urban environments.

• Confidence navigating licensing, health and safety, and working with partners such as the Police, LAS, TfL and SAG members.

• Strong stakeholder and client-management skills, able to collaborate with organisers, residents and internal teams while representing Southwark’s interests.

• A solutions-focused approach, staying calm under pressure and seeing things through.

• Commercial awareness, with experience in contract management, negotiation, budgeting and income generation.

• Enthusiasm for service improvement and innovation, helping to grow Southwark’s events programme in line with our vision for a fair, green and safe borough.

If you’re practical, proactive and excited about shaping high-quality events that benefit communities across Southwark, we’d love to hear from you.

Additional Information

Fixed-term contract - 30 months

Closing date: Monday 2nd February 2026

Interviews: 18th & 20th February 2026

*Please note, we reserve the right to close applications prior to the closing date indicated above - please apply as soon as possible - we look forward to receiving your application.

Please note: If you have applied for this role within the last three months, your previous application would have already been considered as part of our recruitment process. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept repeat applications during this period, and any new application submitted within this timeframe will not be progressed.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

Attachments

• Click here to view the Job description and Person specification