Function Assistant (Full-time)

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

Highcliffe Castle is an award winning wedding and function venue situated on the South Coast in Dorset. 

The successful candidates will support the Functions Manager to develop, deliver and promote the facilities & services at Highcliffe Castle in line with the Business Plan, Management Plan, Heritage Lottery Fund bid targets and action plan and the Council strategies and policies. 

The Castle is recruiting for two Function Assistants  - 1 full time post of 37 hours per week and 1 part time post of 22.5 hours per week. Please note this is the full time post application.  Flexibility is required to fit around the demands of the Castle and will involve frequent evening and weekend working.

Highcliffe Castle is owned and operated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and the post holder will be responsible to the Commercial Manager. 

For an informal chat about this post, please call Lara Merredew on 01202 093377.

The interview date will be Thursday 12 June 2025.

Main Responsibilities

•  Support the Functions Manager with developing and delivering functions and events within Highcliffe Castle and grounds 
•  Deliver show rounds for prospective customers and oversee functions and events at Highcliffe Castle as part of the team rota 
•  Assist with stock purchasing and control for functions and events facilities, including the bar 
•  Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers and agencies who support the delivery of functions and events within Highcliffe Castle 
•  Assist with training and supervising staff and external contractors supporting the delivery of functions and events 
•  Work closely with the commercial team to develop the functions and events offer and review pricing 
•  Assist with the collection and analysing of data to support the business to develop its service 
•  Assist with the management of communications and promotions including printed material, websites and social media. 
•  Assist with the setting and realising of income targets. 
•  Attend exhibitions and conferences relevant to developing and promoting the functions business within Highcliffe Castle 
•  Ensure all functions and events are in line with relevant Health & Safety requirements and documentation is maintained and updated 

The Ideal Candidate

• Organised and efficient with attention to detail. 
• High level of resilience and clam under pressure 
• Literacy and numeracy skills 
• Strategic thinker and effective decision maker 
• NVQ 3 or equivalent experience 
• Marketing & communications experience 
• Experience of delivering events and functions within an indoor setting and within public grounds and the complexities of these being used for various purposes 
• Experience of delivering creative solutions to a range of problems. 
• Experience of financial and administrative systems 
• Related Health & Safety knowledge and safe working practices. 
• IT skills in Word, Outlook and Power Point. 
• Complaint handing skills 

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package to colleagues. Find out more on our website

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We have been in a process of collective bargaining since 2019 and have positively worked forward to reach an agreed position with the unions for the new contractual offer. This has taken longer than we hoped and therefore we are having to consider all alternative avenues available to enable us to remove inequality in the organisation as a result of bringing together 3 councils. 

We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation, and all colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. We want to reassure everyone that whichever route is taken to reach the new terms and conditions, we can honour continuous service and there will not be any job reduction as a result of the implementation of Pay and Reward.  If you have any questions at all about this process, please feel free to raise this with the hiring manager.