Assistant Centre Manager - Oxford Innovation Space : Job Details

We are excited to be recruiting a full time Assistant Centre Manager to join our fantastic team at Grassroots, Oxford.

Put down roots at Oxford’s most exciting workspace for science and technology innovators. This full-time role is key in enhancing the operational performance, customer experience and the ultimate financial performance of the centre. You will also ensure the reception services are run to the highest quality. Oxford Innovation Space operates a network of innovation centres that provide flexible workspace including offices, laboratories and workshop facilities and business support services to companies throughout the UK.  Our clients are start-ups, high growth SMEs, investors and also public sector organisations that contract with us to deliver innovation centres and programmes to business. 

The successful candidate will support the Community Manager to create a successful innovation centre locally, regionally and nationally by selling and marketing the product offering whilst enhancing its reputation for excellence. You will support coworking members from doing the initial tour, signing them up, keeping the customer records up to date for audit purposes and have a strong customer service approach. You will also deliver a market leading service to the Innovation Centre community in facilities, support and collaborative connections.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Operational

• Assist with setting, monitoring and developing the standards of the building’s presentation, including cleanliness, health and safety and security. 
• With support from ‘Operations’ ensure compliance with statutory and mandatory obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act
• Maintain and deliver the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule in a timely manner
• Assist in Procurement and management of Contractors, Suppliers and Consumables
• Primary responsibility for implementing the agreed standard operating procedures and monitoring criteria with the centre team
• Maintain Centre Asset register & Contract Database
• Manage all maintenance of the centre and oversee the works through to completion
• Manage assets, stock and inventory and replenish consumables where required
• Assist in setting up, reporting and maintaining in-house IT systems
• Where applicable ensure that all information is dealt with in accordance with GDPR and Money Laundering Regulations
• Maintain records and documentation to comply with our Quality Management System ISO9001:2015 & ISO14001
• Contributing to developing a culture of quality service and customer care in all areas by encouraging open and honest feedback from the staff and tenants, assisting with regular tenant surveys and regular staff coaching
• Strong contribution to promoting and building the centre’s reputation for exceptional standards of customer care
• In the absence of the Centre Director/Manager, ensure that an appropriate competent employee is always on duty and able to deal with emergency procedures
• Undertake any additional tasks as proposed by the Centre Director/Manager

Financial

• Support the Centre Director/Manager with Financial Management Information to include invoicing customers and debt management
• Assist in budget planning and monitoring of expenditure and cost
• Assist in financial reporting and demonstrate an understanding of Profit and Loss
• Raise purchase orders
• Reconcile invoices and ensure compliance for audit

Sales and Marketing

• To support the Centre Director/Manager in promoting available space in the centre on pre-agreed commercial terms
• To assist in generating revenue from various products available in the centre
• Contribute to identifying additional revenue creating opportunities
• Maintain an awareness of Oxford Innovation Space’s range of services, projects and expertise and promote appropriately to partners and clients
• Strong contribution to developing a community of entrepreneurs within the centres
• Maintain an awareness and interest in the centre clients’ business performance and problems and signposting to help
• Assist in preparation for conferencing, events, meetings and catering for the centre
• Assist in ensuring that the centre is fully exposed to the market to maximize revenue opportunities
• Assist in preparation of marketing material and initiatives suitable for the centre

Experience:

• Experience in the operational running of an asset of the size, character and quality of the relevant centre 
• Previous experience in a letting office environment preferred
• Clearly identifiable management skills in order to manage a team within a service environment, ensuring overall performance is maximised
• Evidence of negotiation skills within previous roles

Personal Competencies:

• Attention to detail/completer finisher
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills
• Good communication skills, tactful and persuasive
• Highly self-motivated and proactive with a desire to contribute to the company more widely
• Client and customer services focussed
• Ability to work under pressure and multitask
• Motivate, lead and delegate tasks to team. 
• Team player and team leader
• IT literate

What’s in it for you?

• Salary of up to £30,000 per annum, depending on experience
• 25 days’ holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Flexible benefits package comprising:
  • Contributory pension
  • Ability to increase or decrease amount of annual leave
  • Ability to increase or decrease amount of life assurance cover
  • Private medical and dental insurance
  • Health screening
  • Bicycle purchase
  • Charitable Giving
• Friendly, informal and flexible working environment - so you can make the most of your home and your work life.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we would advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.