Job Description

Job Scope:
The Royal Society's mission is to recognise, promote and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. To support its mission the Society hosts and organises a number of scientific, policy and other meetings and public events at its head office location at Carlton House Terrace in central London. The Society also operates a conferencing business managed by the Head of Conferencing which allows third parties to book events at the Royal Society.
The Conference Administrator is a member of the conferencing team and their role is to support the Conferencing team in booking and co-ordinating external and internal events, booking bedrooms for Fellows who wish to stay at the Royal Society and administrative support such as the issuing of contracts or invoices. The conference administrator will also support the Head of Conferencing by providing additional support to the team as required.
Reports to: Head of Conferencing
Line manages: N/A
Location: The Royal Society, Carlton House Terrace
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week
Pay band: B
Salary: 25,000 - 27,500 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date for applications: Midnight Sunday 28th September 2025
Interviews will be held: 8/9 October 2025 Responsibilities:
Sales

• Take bedroom bookings for Fellows, Research Fellows, Award and Medal Recipients and Fellows of sister societies of the Royal Society.
• Ensure standards of service are per Standard Operating Procedures and Service Level Agreements.
• Process smaller catering/event bookings

Administration

• Ensure that all back up correspondence for external/ internal bookings including bedroom bookings is accurately kept by maintaining a separate, up-to-date paper file for each event containing all correspondence
• Ensure that all external enquiries are logged for future development
• To assist in the contracts administrative process: chasing for contracts, sending counter-signed contracts to clients where requested, preparing the client's files.
• Ensure that the event checklists for each booking are up to date and that end of the month filing is up to date
• To provide administrative support to the team

Support

• To cover some conferencing duties during planned and unplanned absences
• Maintenance of the KxCalendar for External Events and Bedroom bookings
• To deal with and communicate with clients, to provide support as and when required to customers on the premises
• Be familiar with the health and safety of the premises including fire procedures

Financial

• Prepare contracts for external clients, including bedroom invoices, for dissemination to the relevant parties, ensuring that the relevant administrative processes are being followed.
• Check deposit payments and update the conference management system
• Prepare final invoices for external customers and bedroom users
• Check for payments and update the KX conferencing booking system
• Ensure all reporting is completed for the month end/ year end
• Manage the credit control and work/ liaise with finance team
• Update the debtors list

Key Knowledge and Skills Required:
Education / qualifications / knowledge / interests
A levels or equivalent vocational qualification
Essential
Passion for or interest in science
Desirable
Experience
Experience in a customer service and/or sales environment
Essential
Skills
Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written)
Essential
Excellent attention to detail
Essential
Strong organisational skills
Essential
Excellent customer service skills
Essential
Computer literate and knowledge of Microsoft office
Knowledge of conferencing booking system
Essential
Highly desirable
Abilities
Able to understand, work and adhere to high standards
Highly Desirable
Able to work alone or as part of a team
Essential
Personal qualities
Genuine and approachable with a friendly personality
Essential
Willingness to help others
Essential
Positive attitude
Essential
Circumstances
Able to work in a non-smoking environment
Essential
Able to be flexible about working hours, including working evenings and weekends on occasion
Essential
Competencies:
Self-management
Enthusiastic and positive attitude
Reliable and consistent
Output is accurate and of high quality
Punctual and meets deadlines
Confident of own abilities
Knows personal values, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and limits
Gains insight and learns from mistakes
'Let's go' of an issue and knows when to move on
Is open and non-defensive when faced with criticism
Ensures actions are consistent with words and messages
Working with others
Willing to cooperate and share knowledge within the team, Shares all relevant, critical and useful information
Willing to help others in times of need
Listens to and acts upon feedback from senior colleagues and willingly learns from others
Able to give simple presentations to sectional colleagues
Understands that one's own actions and behaviours will influence how others perceive and engage with the Society
Offers their assistance if they have the capacity, without the need to be asked.
Actively seeks opportunities for gaining feedback from others
Presents with confidence within own section and area of remit.
Communicates confidently, asks questions and checks for understanding.
Values the input of others, balances that with a sense of purpose to get the job done
Possesses self-awareness and senses situations prior to acting or communicating.
Resource management
Is aware of and works within budgetary and resource constraints
Organises own workload prioritising according to business need
Is flexible and adapts to changing circumstances and priorities
Looks for ways to improve quality or results
Meets the standards of quality expected of their roll
Maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines
Does work right first time, corrects own errors and regularly produces accurate, thorough, professional work.
Is able to multitask and manage urgency in a calm and practical manner.
performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change
Undertakes additional responsibilities and responds to situations as they arise with minimal fuss and supervision.
Critical thinking
Thinks tasks, queries and problems through and considers what they need to know
Uses relevant information when providing a service, solving a problem or dealing with a query
Is open to new ideas and willing to try them
Makes decisions within well-defined guidelines
Uses initiative to select most appropriate solution to straightforward problems
Analyses both successes and failures for clues to improvement
Prepares for problems or opportunities in advance
Distinguishes the main issues from side issues
Proposes various solutions or options for consideration defining the pros and cons of each
Adaptability
Adapts to changes in workload without letting standards slip
Listens to and accommodates the alternative views of others
Takes on new challenges when asked to do so
Is receptive and accommodating when asked to take on new projects outside of their usual job specification.
Remains open-minded and changes opinions on the basis of new information
Performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change and with minimal disruption or fuss
Managing people and relationships
Values and appreciates the importance of feedback
Shares responsibility for the performance and workload of the team where appropriate
Handles requests promptly and politely
Respects opinions and deals appropriately with complaints
Works to improve the performance of oneself and others by pursuing opportunities for continuous learning.
Constructively helps others in their development.
Exhibits a "can-do, will-do" approach and inspires peers to excel.
Asks questions and probes to understand stated and underlying needs, issues, concerns and problems
Addresses concerns and problems fairly, empathetically, decisively and promptly, maintaining a diplomatic and professional manner
Manages expectations and keeps everyone concerned up-to-date on progress
Raises concerns and recommends potential solutions for those processes that negatively impact on relationships, customer service or the fair treatment of customers.

Skills Required