Join the Biennale Team

London Design Biennale is a global gathering of the world’s most ambitious and imaginative designers, curators and design institutions. The Biennale provides a prestigious, global stage for world-leading contemporary design and design-led innovation, creativity and research. Launched in 2016, and taking place every two years at Somerset House, London Design Biennale is now into advanced planning for its fourth edition June 1 – 25, 2023.
 
For 2023 London Design Biennale will again occupy the entirety of Somerset House with a spectacular international exhibition accompanied by a programme of events and activities, presenting projects from all over the world. The 2023 Theme ‘Remapping Collaborations’, chosen by Artistic Director Het Nieuwe Instituut, the Dutch national museum and institute for architecture, design and digital culture, headed by General and Artistic Director Aric Chen, challenges up to 50 countries and territories to respond with site-specific installations and presentations across the entirety of the site. 
 
Alongside Country, City and Territory installations, London Design Biennale will present Eureka! Innovation in Design, Research and Sustainability, in the Embankment Galleries, exhibiting research and innovation taking place in universities. 

We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace, so if you’re a suitably qualified applicant we encourage your application whatever your age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applicants we receive we will only be able to respond to successful applicants. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of your application, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

Current vacancies

• Full-time
• Salary: £ 34-38,000 per annum, based on experience
• Based in: Central London office
• Start-date: Immediate

THE ROLE

The Biennale team is looking for an experienced and dynamic External Relations and Events Manager, with a passion for supporting and growing networks, developing new and existing relationships with Embassies, Ministries, cultural institutions, universities and designers. This role is vital to the mission of the organisation, communicating the vision to participants and working with them from preliminary enquiry to opening night and beyond.

We are seeking an individual who understands the complexities of working in international, diplomatic and academic fields, and can dynamically activate all stages of the process from igniting interest to confirming contracts, from managing outreach to attending Embassy events, with a genuine interest in the role of design in society. Experience of event creation and and sales cultivation in the cultural sector is a key asset.

The successful candidate will be a crucial member of the Biennale core team, with opportunities to make a real contribution to a developing event which has grown exponentially over 5 years of existence.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cultivating and managing relationships with key stakeholders
• Creating and managing comprehensive address lists and communications in Salesforce
• Researching new partners within the international and academic design and design research community
• Administering Contracts
• Keeping participants to contracted timelines
• Creating reports, briefing documents and presentations
• Managing site and virtual visits with potential partners
• Team administration
• Assist on special projects as required
• Assisting the Director.

EVENTS

• Working with the LDB team to create the Public Programme of talks which takes place on site at Somerset House
• Working with the LDB team on inter-year events, such as LDB Summit
• Advising and facilitating hospitality and events at Somerset House, for Countries, Cities and Territories.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• 6 years’ minimum relevant experience within a relationship management role
• Proven experience of cultivation of new networks / contacts
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Demonstrable diplomatic skills and the confidence to deal with high-profile contacts
• Exceptional organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail
• Enthusiasm and tenacity to see tasks through to completion
• Database management experience (Salesforce)
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work well in a small team while being able to manage and prioritise your own workload
• Additional: Experience and/or interest in curating events and talks programmes.

APPLY

To apply, please send your CV and a separate one page covering letter detailing your relevant experience and how you meet the key requirements, with the subject EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS MANAGER to jobs@londondesignbiennale.com by 28 August 2022. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in the U.K.

• 11 Month contract, full Time
• Start Date: September 2022
• Salary range: £26,000 to £29,000 depending on experience

THE ROLE

The London Design Biennale now requires a Project Assistant with energy, enthusiasm and great organisational skills to join the team. Leading up to and during the event itself you will play a pivotal role in creating a world-class event at Somerset House, one of London’s most-visited attractions.

The Project Assistant will be part of the core Biennale team, and will contribute to business development, operations/ project management, and event management. They will have overall responsibility for team administration and will be liaising with exhibitors from all over the world.

The Project Assistant will assist in business development by researching and developing our client database –  keeping our CRM/ Salesforce databases up to date. They will assist in operations/ project management by working with our international participants to compile volumes of information on each national entry and eventually on installing the exhibition.

The Project Assistant will also assist the Director and the team on the organisation of the high-profile events which form part of the Biennale, include the Private View/ Medal Ceremony and Talks programme.

This role is perfect for someone keen to learn and develop skills across every element of creating a successful, high profile, international exhibition. All staff work on site in our Central London offices and frequently at Somerset House.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Be a main conduit of information between Biennale participants and the LDB team
• Manage overall administration for the Director and team, including agendas, minutes and diaries
• Assist the project team in locating outstanding information from exhibitors, monitoring submissions on an online dashboard, and helping exhibitors to stay on track with the exhibition timeline
• Sending out information to exhibitors as requested
• Compiling and organising large amounts of information into spreadsheets, and presenting to the project team when required
• Assist the project team in preparing site paperwork
• Monitor the general email account, providing basic information or passing on to relevant team member
• Assist the International Relations manager with research into cultural institutions, designers, and maintaining the Embassy database
• Organising contact management with our Salesforce system
• Creating invoices and monitoring receipt of payments
• Assist the team with compiling guest lists and monitoring RSVPs
• Be main point of contact for Public Programme speakers and Jury members, obtaining relevant information from them
• Be on site at the Biennale during exhibition build, opening dates, and de-rig, working on the exhibitor and contractor desk – being the first point of contact for all participants

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Two years minimum relevant experience in an exhibition or project assistant role
• Excellent and demonstrable organisational skills
• Experience in contact management / Salesforce
• Strong IT literacy, with a solid understanding of Microsoft office, great working knowledge of Excel
• A good researcher and writer
• Great team player, confident working as part of a small team
• A quick learner, with a passion for exhibitions and events
• Confident speaker, happy to pick up the phone and call stakeholders in order to obtain the required information
• An interest in delivering a high-profile event
• Proven ability to problem-solve with a calm and can-do attitude, within a high pressure environment with strict deadlines
• Ability to turn your hand to anything

DESIRABLE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Experience of delivering site-specific installations or exhibitions
• Experience with Salesforce
• Experience with Mailchimp or other newsletter programme
• Interest or background in design/ creative industries
• Working knowledge of health and safety/ build regulations
• CAD software
• Experience in a design company
• Experience in a sales/ business development role

APPLY

To apply, please send your CV and a one page covering letter with the subject PROJECTS ASSISTANT to: jobs@londondesignbiennale.com by 14 August, 2022. Please note that applicants must be eligible to work in the U.K.

Interviews will be held on 17/18 August 2022 – if not available please note on application alternative options.