Events Coordinator
(Part-time/ 24 hours/ preferably flexible - Utrecht, the Netherlands)

The role

To further strengthen the rapid growth of our company, we are looking for you: An organizer with great time management skills, resourceful and flexible and function very well while working on multiple projects and under pressure, a service oriented multi-tasker who likes to work in an international environment

In this role your most important job is to support the Aqua-Spark team in organizing logistics around our key annual events for investors, our portfolio companies as well as broader industry events. You will be the first point of contact for the locations like restaurants, event locations, travel agents and guests.
As our event manager you will help organize our signature events. This includes internal and external communications around these events and event themes together with our (social) media partners.
This includes finding and securing venues, planning and managing our events’ calendar, negotiating quotes and agreements with vendors, assisting with event marketing, monitoring timeframes and budgets, networking, and delivering on event brief objectives. In addition, you will be responsible for the daily office affairs in general at the office in Utrecht.

Your creativity, organizational skills will assist Aqua-Spark in amplifying brand visibility, enhancing client and employee relations, and improve our organization’s growth through events that effectively communicate business strategy and brand personality.  You report directly to the Chief Executive officer (CEO).

Responsibilities

As the Events Coordinator you;

• Take the lead in ensuring logistics of our key annual events (dinners/ conferences) for investors, our portfolio companies as well as broader industry events.
• Manage and coordinate suppliers and all events logistics (for example communication with agencies regarding brochures, catering, travel, guest speakers, hotels) – while making sure insurance, legal, health and safety obligations are followed;
• Built relationships with companies (for example our social media partners, restaurants/locations/event organizers) to ensure optimal hospitality and visibility;
• Liaising with internal contacts and external contacts and stakeholders;
• Provide internal communication support to ensure the Aqua-Spark team is adequately prepared and well informed for an event;
• Making sure the Aqua-Spark office is ready for meetings/events, welcoming to team members and guests;
• Brainstorm and implement event plans and concepts that support Aqua-Spark’s strategy and mission;
• Analyze event KPI performance, event registrations, event attendance & visitor registrations, scores on event surveys, mentions on social media, active communication with visitors;
• Keep track of the budget spent in line with planning;
• Find innovative and effective solutions to build our brand through events;
• Fulfill the needs of the Aqua-Spark organization, investors and stakeholders as far as possible through attractive events;
• Set targets and priorities effectively, plans necessary actions and focus on essential details to realize success;
• Engage people and resources at the right time and place with the right instructions;
• You are responsible for the daily office affairs at our office in Utrecht, including organizing office social activities (eg around team members birthdays) and ensuring kitchen is fully stocked.

What do you need to be successful in  this position at Aqua-Spark?

We are searching for an enthusiastic event manager with a positive and enthusiastic can-do attitude to assist Aqua-Spark in planning & hosting events that enhance our organization’s image, improve investors loyalty and enhance our portfolio’s experience. You have a Bachelor’s degree in event management, public relations, communications or hospitality and 3+ years of experience in a similar position, preferably with a sustainable, environmental and/or social focus, for example in impact investing or business development.
In addition you:

• Work very well independently as well as in a team;
• International travel & cross-cultural collaboration is required;
• Creative thinker, flexible and open-minded, hands-on approach to problem solving;
• Ability to adapt to a fast moving and non­traditional working environment as well as having a service oriented mentality;
• Alignment with Aqua-Spark values and interested toward key components of the Aqua-Spark approach;
• Must be proficient in Apple, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook); familiarity with databases; excellent IT/computer skills in general.

Furthermore you have:

• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a high degree of professionalism in English (required) and preferably Dutch.
• Able to interact with people at various levels within the business, whilst also highlighting issues arising quickly and appropriately to stakeholders

Remuneration

You will have a genuinely impactful role within a great entrepreneurial and global, sustainable organization that is growing fast. In addition we offer the ideal candidate:

• Flexible working hours and partially working from home are an option.
• An excellent salary package including participation profit sharing.
• Working in an international organisation that values inclusiveness and diversity. Excellent introduction, quick integration and opportunities for professional development.
• You’ll find yourself working in a challenging international environment collaborating within a growing and great team of professionals!

About Aqua-Spark

Aqua-Spark is a global investment fund that makes investments in sustainable aquaculture businesses that generate investment returns, whilst creating positive social and environmental impact (Forbes’, Impact 50). The fund is building an ecosystem of small to medium-sized enterprises across the global aquaculture value chain, to make the entire value chain of food more sustainable, healthier and more accessible for all. All of this with our great team, from our beautiful office in the city center of Utrecht! The Aqua-Spark team is fast-growing, diverse, international, hardworking, tight-knit, with a clear focus on our mission.

At Aqua-Spark, we believe that meeting the growing demand for fish products while simultaneously sustaining our environment requires a radical transformation. We are contributing to this transformation by investing in those companies in the aquaculture value chain that demonstrate a shared vision of a sustainable future, and which are working together to solve the challenges outlined. Our portfolio of mission aligned companies will serve as an example of a truly sustainable commercial aquaculture industry that scales to meet growing demand. To motivate wider industry adoption, we work with supply chain participants to strengthen each other’s commitment to a more sustainable industry, collaborating to test and adopt new practices and technologies. To support industry adoption we believe in sharing what we have learned and what excites us.

For more information or if you would like to apply directly, please get in touch with Marjolein Jetten (HR) marjolein@aqua-spark.nl and Sophie van Dongen (HR) at sophie@aqua-spark.nl. We look forward to receiving your application!