Job Description

Better Bankside is at an exciting moment in its evolution and growth and is seeking a proactive and self-motivated individual to become our Business Support Officer to provide a vital support service for our members and team.

The Business Support Officer will act as an ambassador for BB, providing a professional and friendly welcome as the first point of contact for members and the public. A key member of the team, the postholder will ensure the smooth running of the office through efficient administrative, technical and digital support.

The Business Support Officer will have full responsibility for managing our event venue, the Bankside Space and will be involved with the running of our arch spaces on the Low Line. The postholder will enjoy a varied workload, working closely with the BB team to assist with the delivery of our diverse portfolio of projects, services and events.

BB will support the right person to develop their skills, which could include pursuing relevant national or professional qualifications (such as through the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Institute of Administrative Management or similar).

Some of the responsibilities include:

Front of house

• Handing phone enquiries, acting as the first point of contact, taking a proactive role in prioritising, responding and/or passing on to colleagues.
• Monitor email enquiries via the info@ inbox and identifying opportunities to maximise contact with new and existing members, arranging meetings if required.
• Assist with in-person and virtual Better Bankside events, managing Eventbrite RSVPs, vetting members, sending reminder emails, setting up video call links, tracking sign ups and attendance, and dealing with waitlist and cancellations.
• Facilitate requests for BB employee services such as the Buzz local discount card, Brompton bike hire and our new active travel hub.
• Help coordinate monthly ‘Dr Bike’ cycle servicing sessions for members.
• Provide support in managing BB’s arch spaces on the Low Line.

Bankside Space

• Managing all aspects of the Bankside Space venue including responding to enquiries, ordering catering, handling feedback and the entire booking process.
• Ensuring that hirers are briefed on Covid safety measures in the venue.
• Full budget responsibility for the Bankside Space venue. This includes issuing venue invoices, sending out reminder notices, meeting targets for income and occupancy, completing annual and five-year Business Plans and end of year reports.
• Actively marketing the Bankside Space to events managers and potential hirers.

Office coordination

• General office support including data entry, mail-outs, ordering stationery, taking deliveries, greeting visitors, inventory of supplies and ensuring the office is well-managed.
• Managing e-news sign ups.
• Maintain and update member data from levy reports on a day-to-day basis, using the organisation’s SugarCRM database. This includes sector profiling membership.
• Supporting team in uploading content to the Better Bankside website.
• Coordination of Senior Management Team diaries as and when required.
• Deputise for the Office Manager when required, ensuring the organisation’s phone, IT and internet facilities are functioning at all times and troubleshooting if issues occur

Governance and team meetings

• Supporting BB’s governance including circulating papers, taking minutes, setting up scrutiny panels and supporting the Office Manager to organise the company AGM.
• Providing support for staff team meetings: set up room, organise catering, circulate papers, take and produce meeting minutes.
• Scheduling and coordinating team social events.

Person specification

This position is a great opportunity for someone who is proactive, pragmatic, organised and tech savvy. The role requires a positive attitude and a flexible approach: to be wiling and able to take on a wide range of tasks.

Skills and experience

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills, with minimum one year experience of working in an administrative, office support or venue coordination function
• Confident, friendly and professional communication skills
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Able to confidently develop positive and productive working relationships
• The ability to work well under pressure
• A strong team player who will embody the BB culture
• Able to work independently under own initiative
• Confident user of MS Office software packages: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
• Knowledge of using websites including social media platforms (Desirable)
• Demonstrate an understanding of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) (Desirable)
• Experience of providing administrative support to meetings (including preparing agendas, taking minutes) (Desirable)
• Experience of monitoring budgets (Desirable)
• Events coordination (Desirable)
• Data entry and database management (Desirable)
• Experience of working within a membership organisation (Desirable)

About Better Bankside

Vision Powered by the people of Bankside, Better Bankside will be an agent of change, leading innovative economic, environmental and social action to advance one of the world’s great neighbourhoods, bringing benefits to business and Banksiders.

Mission We will improve everyone’s experience of the neighbourhood by co-creating our programme with Banksiders, responding inventively to urban challenges, and celebrating the differences that define Bankside as London’s Other Side.

Better Bankside was one of the first Business Improvement Districts (BID) in the UK and was formally established in 2005. We are a partnership of local businesses, working closely with other community stakeholders to co-create a programme of projects and services that benefits the whole Bankside neighbourhood. Our core purpose is to support local businesses and make a positive impact in our community.

As a BID, we are funded by a mandatory levy on businesses within a defined boundary. BIDs are established through a ballot process, and every five years must return to their members to secure a majority vote in favour of their continuation. Our last ballot took place in November 2019, achieving overwhelming support from the business community, with 92% voting for another five years of Better Bankside.

Better Bankside is an organisation where you can make a real impact; and where you can expect to get involved in a wide-ranging programme of work. We are a small team of fifteen in the Bankside office, plus our wardens and street cleaning teams. The way we work with our members through our governance structure provides an extended network of regular collaborators and contributors.

Working arrangements

Better Bankside offers a flexible working policy. Mandatory core hours are 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday, with the ability to flex two hours to suit personal needs. Some evening and weekend work may be required in accordance with the needs of the post. Due to the nature of the role, it is expected the post holder will be based in the office for majority of the time, however there may be flexibility to work from home for certain tasks. Throughout the pandemic, Government advice has been adhered to with home working supported for those able to do so, and measures put in place to ensure the Better Bankside workplace is Covid secure.

How to apply

At Better Bankside, we celebrate diversity and promote equality and inclusion amongst our staff. We welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background. This will be a blind recruitment process. To apply, please send:

- Your CV in a word document describing your relevant educational, extra-curricular and employment experience

- Completed Work Sample question sheet instead of a covering letter

- Completed Better Bankside equal opportunities monitoring form 

Closing date for applications: Monday 26th July 12pm.

Interviews (via zoom) on 5th August

Start date: Immediate

Incomplete applications will not be considered. We regret that owing to the high level of response expected we will not be able to contact applicants that are not shortlisted for interview. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the right to work in the UK.