Festival Operations Officer

Job title: Festival Operations Officer

Reporting to: Events & Festival Operations Manager

Responsible for: Temporary Festival Assistants

Based: Our Head Office is in London, but we have an agile working policy enabling people to work at another UK location up to 4 days per week. Requests for permanent remote working will be considered and we welcome applications from people based in other parts of the UK.

Travel to Liverpool will be required in the lead‑up and during the British Science Festival 2025.

Terms: Full‑time (35 hours per week). Requests for secondments will be considered.

Fixed‑term contract terminating on 19 September 2025.

Preferred start date: 26 March 2025.

Salary: £28,600 – £34,424 per annum (pro‑rata)

The British Science Association is looking to recruit a talented and organised Festival Operations Officer to help us plan and deliver the British Science Festival 2025.

The British Science Festival is Europe’s longest‑standing science festival which connects people with researchers from across the scientific spectrum. It offers an inspiring programme of free events to the public over five days, with talks, workshops and drop‑in events which span a diverse range of subjects that encompass science in the broadest sense.

It is hosted by a different university in the United Kingdom each year. The 2025 Festival will take place in Liverpool from 10‑14 September 2025 and will be co‑hosted by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool (UoL).

The Festival Operations Officer will manage logistics‑related communications with Festival event organisers, working in close collaboration with all staff and partners involved in the Festival. This role is a great opportunity for anyone looking to build their event and/or project management experience by working on a fast‑moving and high‑profile project. You should be willing to develop and coordinate key administrative tasks, as well as lead on principal areas within the Festival (such as accommodation arrangements and managing the temporary Festival Assistants).

The role will involve travel to Liverpool in the months leading up to the Festival. The Festival Operations Officer will be required to attend the Festival and remain on‑site in Liverpool for 2 weeks, from 3–16 September. During the event and in the days immediately before it, longer working hours can be expected (which will be reimbursed under the BSA’s TOIL policy) and you will need to undertake essential manual handling activities (such as lifting and moving items) to ensure that venues and equipment are set up as required for the Festival.

The main responsibilities will be to:

• Act as the main logistical point of contact for Festival event organisers/speakers;
• Support the Events & Festival Operations Manager in building and managing the Festival Masterplan;
• Recruit, train, and oversee the temporary Festival Assistants;
• Lead on Festival accommodation administration;
• Oversee the integrity of Festival‑related data;
• Coordinate the administration of the events’ Risk Assessment forms;
• Collate information on speaker, audience, staff, and goods transport (including parking facilities, supplier delivery details, etc.);
• Monitor the Festival Inbox along with members of the Engagement Team;
• Attend meetings and site visits in Liverpool in the run‑up to the Festival;
• Support the Festival on‑site event management and delivery as required;
• Other duties as reasonably required by the line manager.

The successful candidate will be expected to work independently, efficiently and accurately.

The post holder will be expected to liaise with colleagues across the organisation and its partners, but is likely to develop significant working relationships with the following people:

• Events & Festival Operations Manager;
• Engagement Manager;
• Engagement Officer;
• Head of Festivals;
• Communications Manager.

• At least six months’ experience in one or more roles that included project coordination, administration and maintaining relations with partners;
• Experience in events management;
• Experience in data management and data…