Events & Strategic Partnership Manager

We've a great opportunity to join our Corporate Communications & Sustainability Team within in our Nestlé Professional (NP) category in the UK&I. We're looking for an Events & Strategic Partnerships Manager to develop, execute and deliver the Nestlé Professional Toque d'Or Competition. In this role you will, drive positive impact for young individuals and communities through executing an inspiring and meaningful experience, enhancing our reputation in Youth Employment and Sustainability within the Hospitality Industry. You'll also be a champion for sustainability messaging and communications within Nestlé Professional, ensuring the delivery of relevant and consistent external communications for NP & its brands, and thereby be a positive force in the shift towards a sustainable and healthy food system. Nestle Professional Toque d'Or is a prestigious culinary competition that aims to recognize and celebrate the talent and skill of young chefs and hospitality professionals. It provides a platform for aspiring individuals to showcase their abilities, learn from industry experts, and network with leading professionals in the field. The competition encompasses various challenges, including back of house cooking, front of house service, and teamwork, and offers participants the opportunity to gain valuable experience and exposure in the culinary world. Nestlé Professional ("NP") is our Business to Business food service arm, which specialises in the Out of Home solutions market. NP operates successfully in an enormous marketplace, and is an ambitious growth driver for Nestlé. The team's aim is to inspire growth in our partners, by providing branded, creative solutions that help our customers develop their business, ultimately driving footfall and increasing their profit. A day in the life of … You will strategically develop the annual plan for the Toque d'Or competition, with a focus on enhancing our reputation in Youth Employment and Sustainability within the Hospitality Industry through targeted communication strategies. Ensuring robust delivery of the end-to-end management of the competition, whilst engaging with diverse internal and external stakeholders, and driving continuous improvement. You'll take responsibility of full budget and costings for the Toque d'Or competition, strategically planning competition expenditures and implementing cost-saving measures. You will;

• Cultivate partnerships with key industry partners and NP customers, offering them a platform to showcase their initiatives and operations through the different stages of the competition, fostering robust stakeholder relationships.
• Devise a robust recruitment plan to attract colleges to the competition, with ambitious KPIs for registrations of Back and Front of House students as well as managing PR, CRM, and Social Media plans.
• Source judges who inspire competitors, are respected within the industry, and align with our sustainability principles, driving awareness and positive PR for the competition.
• Plan and execute an Awards event to showcase the competition and provide a high-profile networking opportunity for the NP commercial team with customers and industry partners.
• Organize an exciting insight trip as part of the winners' prizes, delivering an exclusive "money can't buy" experience and further knowledge in the international hospitality industry.
• Develop grant proposals to fund prizes for colleges, proposing fair distribution methods to attract more colleges to enter the competition and benefit from it.
• Manage the events agency and oversee the entire on-site operation of the competition, including various suppliers, judges, students, lecturers, and guests.
• Engage with the Legal and Health & Safety teams to ensure competition compliance with company rules, drafting T&Cs and Risk Assessments
• Collaborate with UK&I hospitality college lecturers to drive competition registrations and ensure their motivation to guide students through all stages of the competition.
• Engage with lecturers to develop competition challenges that align with students' skills and provide knowledge beyond the college curriculum.
• Facilitate networking opportunities for past competitors, supporting their career development beyond the competition.
• Budget/cost responsibility for Toque d'Or competition, We are committed to equal opportunity for all and we may collect relevant data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process. Be yourself, everyone else is taken!
  
  The successful candidate will bring with them solid experience in Events & Partnership management and PR within a fast-paced matrix organisation, and hospitality experience. It goes without saying you will have exceptional communication skills with lots of energy and passion for delivery.
You will have had experience of external and internal communications, collaborating with others using a variety of channels to communicate with different audiences. You will be passionate, energetic and keep up to date with food & drink sustainability, innovation and engaging brand experiences. We expect you to have:
• Hospitality experience, beneficial in both Back and Front of House
• Events planning and production experience
• Digital Marketing experience, including CRM, Website, Social Media and Influencer Marketing
• PR experience, managing PR agencies and media partnerships
• Worked for an organisation with leading brands and a strong commercial mindset
• Strong project management with ability to manage various internal and external stakeholders
• 3rd Party Management
  
  Competitive Salary + potential bonus + fantastic benefits inc pension/ 25 days holiday + additional 12 days flex days, flexible working, and private health cover., What can we offer in return? Great benefits you'd expect from a business the size of Nestlé - in the shape of a competitive salary and benefits package, bonus scheme, flexible working scheme, 25 days holiday plus statutory holidays plus flex leave, pension scheme and a real focus on personal development and growth.