City Host

Job Description

A City Host is a volunteer leader within the British Alumni Network who helps foster a vibrant local alumni community. As a City Host, you will organize events and networking opportunities for alumni of UK universities in your city. This role is voluntary (unpaid) and typically lasts for a fixed term (up to 12 months), during which you will work closely with other City Hosts and the management to strengthen alumni engagement.

Key Responsibilities

- Organise Local Alumni Events: Plan and host regular meet-ups, networking events, or social gatherings for alumni in your city. This includes arranging venues, coordinating event details, and ensuring a friendly, inclusive atmosphere for attendees.
- Welcome and Connect Members: Act as a friendly greeter and facilitator. Introduce new alumni to the community, help them feel included, and connect them with other members who share interests or professional fields.
- Communicate: Maintain regular communication with the British Alumni Network's parent organisation (HQ). Coordinate on event plans, report local updates, and share feedback or ideas. Ensure that your city's activities align with the wider network's guidelines and goals.
- Promote the Network: Use email, professional platforms, and social media to promote upcoming events and opportunities. Encourage alumni to join the network, participate in events, and stay engaged. You may also answer inquiries from members about the network or city-specific activities.
- Collaborate with Co-Hosts: If there are multiple City Hosts in your city, work as a team. Divide tasks, support each other in event planning, and jointly ensure that events run smoothly. Team collaboration helps in hosting events more regularly and makes volunteering more fun.
- Recognise and Nominate Alumni: Identify active or notable members in your community. City Hosts have the privilege to nominate fellow alumni for honors (e.g. Notable Alumni awards) within the network. (City Hosts cannot nominate themselves while in the role).

Note: City Hosts are expected to serve for a defined term (as per network policy) and uphold the network's values throughout their tenure.

Ideal Traits of a Successful City Host

To fulfil this role effectively, a City Host should possess the following qualities:

- Alumni of a UK University: You are an alum of a UK university, which means you share a common background with the members you will be engaging. This firsthand understanding of the UK student/alumni experience helps you relate to fellow alumni and build rapport within the community.
- Commitment: You are loyal to the network and enthusiastic about its mission. This means focusing your volunteer efforts on this community (not being active in competing networks) and genuinely wanting to see the network and its members thrive. Your dedication and motivation are driven by the benefit it brings to fellow alumni.
- Well Connected: You have established connections with people in your city. Ideally, you maintain a strong network of fellow alumni and are also connected to local businesses or professionals. Being well-connected helps in spreading the word about alumni events, finding venues or sponsors, and generally elevating the reach of the alumni network in your region.
- Good Communication Skills: You excel at communication, both with individuals and groups. As a City Host, you'll be conversing with alumni members in person at events and through online channels. You'll also liaise with the network's HQ. Clear, friendly, and timely communication ensures members stay informed and engaged, and it keeps the coordination with HQ running smoothly.
- Team Player: You work well with others and believe in collaboration. Often, City Hosts operate in teams (especially in cities with a large alumni population). Being a team player means you're willing to share responsibilities, support your co-hosts, and value input from others. This teamwork not only lightens the load for each volunteer but also leads to more regular and successful events - and it's more fun to work together
- Internet & Social Media Savvy: You are comfortable using digital tools and platforms. You are active on professional networks (such as LinkedIn) as well as social media (like Instagram or Facebook). This savvy enables you to effectively promote events online, engage with alumni through posts or groups, and respond to member inquiries. Embracing online communication is essential for reaching a broad audience and keeping the community connected between in-person events.