We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. 

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

Our Campus Life and Student Living department is responsible for essential services that significantly impact the student experience.  

Campus Life is all about the various services that enhance the overall student experience, including sports, recreational facilities and community engagement. Whereas our Student Living teams ensure the safety, comfort and compliance of the University's residential estates. 

Whichever team you become a part of; student experience is our focus! 

Commercial Conferencing and Events Team

The Commercial Conferencing and Events team forms part of Campus Life at the University of Derby. Dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the facilities and services that enable students, staff and visitors to thrive in a safe, welcoming and inspiring environment. The Commercial Conferencing and Events team is responsible for promoting and delivering commercial venue hire across the University's diverse portfolio of venues in Derby and Chesterfield, supporting conferences, meetings, training events, exhibitions, and filming activities. 

With a range of modern, flexible spaces accommodating from small meetings to large-scale events for up to 250 delegates, the team works closely with clients to provide tailored event solutions, exceptional customer service and seamless event delivery. Working alongside colleagues across colleges and departments, the team plays a key role in generating commercial income while showcasing the University's outstanding facilities.

About the Role

This placement provides a valuable opportunity for a University of Derby student to gain practical, hands-on experience within a busy, fast-moving Conferencing and Events function in a large, dynamic organisation.

The role will support the end-to-end delivery of events, including pre-event preparation and administration, on-the-day coordination, and post-event follow-up activities. Working closely with the wider team, the student will assist with managing enquiries, supporting event logistics, maintaining clear customer communication, and helping to ensure the effective delivery of meetings, training sessions, and events. This experience will enable the development of key skills in event coordination, customer service, administration, and commercial operations.

Overall, the placement will provide meaningful exposure to a professional conference and events environment, build a strong foundation of transferable skills, and enhance future employability in conferencing, events, and related service-focused roles.

Anticipated interview date: Wednesday 9th September 2026

Please note, this role is only available to University of Derby second year undergraduate students who start their academic year in September.

Students who are studying on a Student Visa will NOT be eligible to apply for this post unless a placement year is a mandatory stipulation of the course.

This role is a fixed term contract for 12 months.

About You

This opportunity is open to second year students currently studying at the University of Derby who can provide evidence of their student status. The successful candidate will have experience working in a busy, customer-facing environment, such as reception, hospitality, events, or front-of-house services, demonstrating excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You will also be confident in using Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Outlook, Word, and Teams, with the ability to manage administrative tasks, communicate effectively, and work efficiently in a professional setting.

Benefits

Key Contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Joanna Atkinson, Commercial Operations Manager via j.atkinson@derbby.ac.uk 

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk

Important Information

The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

Please visit our website for more information.

The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern.

Please find our Safeguarding pages including our Safeguarding Policy here.

Closing Date: 31 Aug 2026

Area: Administrative Support

Salary: £26,737 to £27,139 per annum
(for exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £31,209.85 per annum)