Business Assistant - Event Planner

About Aramco Europe

Aramco stands as one of the world's foremost integrated energy and chemical corporations. Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, Aramco Europe operates with multiple offices across the continent. For over six decades, the company has been instrumental in ensuring safe and dependable energy supply to global customers while advancing innovation through research breakthroughs. The company provides expert technology advisory and support services spanning established and emerging oil, gas, and energy sectors, as well as in finance, human resources, legal, public relations, and communications. Collaborations with top-tier industry suppliers fuel Aramco's global leadership in the energy and chemicals market.

Role Overview

The Event Planner will take charge of the full cycle planning, coordination, and execution of events designed for CH14 students located throughout the UK and Europe. Positioned within the Professional Development Unit, this role focuses on managing a multifaceted array of social, academic, and volunteering activities that promote student engagement, growth, and wellbeing during their academic journey.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive planning and delivery of varied events catering to CH14 students across different regions.
• Handle all logistics and on-site activities on event days to ensure smooth operations and exceptional experiences.
• Develop and send invitations and event-related communications promptly to student audiences.
• Maintain and update attendance records meticulously for all events.
• Own the event planning tracker, keeping it current through all stages of event development and execution.
• Initiate and suggest fresh event ideas and partnerships to enrich the event portfolio continually.

Vendor and Supplier Oversight

• Identify and assess vendors and suppliers to fulfill event needs effectively.
• Supervise vendor onboarding in strict alignment with organizational procurement policies.
• Negotiate with suppliers to obtain advantageous terms and cost efficiency.
• Participate in industry forums and trade exhibitions to support vendor discovery and stay abreast of event planning advancements.

Financial Management

• Generate and administer Purchase Orders (POs) in accordance with internal policies.
• Monitor and control event budgets ensuring expenditures align with authorized limits.
• Keep detailed financial documentation and deliver budgetary updates as needed.

Event Evaluation and Follow-Up

• Collect and coordinate post-event feedback from both students and stakeholders.
• Analyze data on participation and feedback to measure event success and find improvement opportunities.
• Maintain comprehensive post-event records contributing to ongoing optimization of the events program.
• Prepare weekly summaries highlighting upcoming and recently held events for internal team distribution.

Team Collaboration and Additional Duties

• Organize team-building activities such as birthdays and celebratory lunches to foster a collaborative workplace environment.
• In the absence of the Finance Advisor, oversee payments related to events, following company payment protocols and financial guidelines.
• Engage in various ad-hoc projects as assigned within the team.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities, enabling handling of multiple concurrent events.
• Strong negotiation skills and effective management of vendor relationships.
• Comprehensive knowledge of budgeting and procurement procedures.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, adept at connecting with diverse student populations.
• Proficiency in leveraging event management software and Microsoft Office applications.
• Self-motivated, detail-focused, capable of working autonomously and collaboratively as needed.

Educational Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum one year of pertinent professional experience in a related domain.
• Bachelor's degree preferred in disciplines such as Event Management, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or comparable fields.
• Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential.