Mass Participation Event Manager

Job Title: Mass Participation Event Manager

Location: Hybrid, minimum 1 day per week in our London Bridge office

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time role based on a 32-hour working week across four days

Reporting to: Head of Fundraising (Community & Events)

Salary: £35,000 - £37,000 per annum

About Spinal Research

Every two hours, someone in the UK becomes paralysed. Globally, more than 15 million people live with paralysis. At Spinal Research, our vision is a world where paralysis can be cured. We fund groundbreaking research to deliver life-changing treatments for people with spinal cord injuries. By backing the brightest minds and fostering innovation, we are driving progress towards what could be the medical breakthrough of the 21st century: curing paralysis. We will not stop until that future is achieved.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Events team in a newly created management role, building on four years of significant growth and success across our mass participation programme.

As Mass Participation Event Manager, you will play a key role in shaping the future direction of the programme while driving continued growth in income, participation and supporter engagement. You will have responsibility for the development, performance and delivery of the mass participation portfolio, working closely with the Head of Fundraising (Community & Events) to grow income, participation and engagement.

Alongside this overall responsibility, you will have direct ownership of your own area of the portfolio, including the Great North Run, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Cape Town Marathon and our wider challenges programme. You will manage these events from recruitment and participant onboarding through to fundraising, event-day delivery and post-event stewardship, while supporting the Head of Fundraising (C&E) with our flagship London Marathon.

You will also line manage the Events Junior Officer, who will have direct responsibility for their own allocated events. You will provide leadership, direction and support to ensure their events are delivered successfully and contribute to the wider mass participation goals.

This is a senior, hands-on role. You will be expected to lead the development of the overall programme while remaining directly involved in the day-to-day delivery of your own events. This includes recruiting and stewarding participants, developing campaigns, managing budgets and suppliers, speaking directly with supporters and being hands-on at events.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Growth: Grow the mass participation portfolio, increasing income, participation and engagement through insight-led planning.

Supporter Recruitment & Stewardship: Lead recruitment campaigns and deliver excellent supporter journeys from sign-up to post-event stewardship.

Event & Portfolio Management: Manage allocated events end to end, including budgets, logistics, suppliers, event-day delivery and major event support.

Team Management: Line manage the Events Junior Officer, providing direction, support and oversight across their events.

Systems, Insights & Reporting: Use CRM and performance data to monitor KPIs, report on progress and inform future activity.

Collaboration: Work across the Community & Events team and wider organisation to deliver a strong, aligned mass participation programme.

About you

Proven experience growing mass participation fundraising, with a track record of increasing income, participation and supporter engagement.

A track record of increasing income, participation and supporter engagement.

Experience leading recruitment campaigns and managing supporter journeys.

Confident managing event budgets, suppliers, CRM systems and performance data.

A strong communicator who builds great relationships with supporters, colleagues and partners.

Highly organised, proactive and able to manage multiple priorities.

Experience leading, supporting or developing others.

Comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.

Why Join Us?

• Full-time role based on a 32-hour working week across four days, with Fridays as a non-working day.
• 8% pension contribution.
• Flexible, hybrid working environment split between home and our London Bridge office.
• Opportunity to play a key role in a growing fundraising programme.
• Join a supportive, values-driven team built around commitment, integrity, collaboration and innovation.

Occasional evening or weekend working may be required to meet organisational needs, with time off in lieu provided.

Ready to help us deliver life-changing impact?
Apply now to join Spinal Research and play a key role in our mission to cure paralysis.

Spinal Research is a Disability Confident Committed employer and welcomes applications from all candidates. We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive and accessible and will provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process where required.