Nia Bragg

I manage five events across Sefton including Southport International Jazz Festival and Southport Comedy Week. Organisational skills are key to my role and can be seen in the continuing development of the events. I write annual business plans, negotiate fees, manage artists, venue and partner contracts and a team of up to 10 staff including technical and event support and volunteers. I am part of a small team that produces 9 annual events in Southport including the Air Show and British Musical Fireworks Championships. Working for local authority means I'm politically aware.

• I reduced the cost of producing the Southport International Jazz Festival by 72% and Southport Comedy Week by 79% in five years
• I have improved income by introducing trade areas at events, fees for workshop participation, commission on merchandise. I manage external funding such as The Community Fund and Partners for Growth and obtained an Arts Council grant in 2007 for community and schools projects.
• Effective advocacy has seen an increase private sector involvement in the Jazz and Comedy Festivals and previously the Bootle Festival and I sit on several working groups. Managing partnerships linked to Jazz, Comedy, Lord St Celebrates…, Formby Christmas Lights , Bootle Festival and others within the area.
• I am consultant to external producers and organisers who use public space within Southport, advising on issues including infrastructure, emergency services involvement, traffic management, operational plan and risk assessment production and licensing laws. I have also developed and manage a commercial public space booking system for open spaces managed by my department.
• I wrote the Equalities Impact Assessment for the department.

I developed my position from a temporary contract to a permanent position within the team as account manager for Sony Finance plc, Action for Blind People, Department of Health and London Underground. Within the management of these clients’ events at the venue, I co-ordinated all services required to ensure the successful delivery of conferences, meetings and events ensuring the smooth and professional running on the day.

• I successfully delivered the international official launch of Sony Global Treasury Services plc’s relocation from Tokyo to London, liaising with senior managers from Tokyo, co-ordinating the delivery of products from Japan, and all the other aspects of the event including set design, audio visual services and catering.
• During my time at Cabot Hall, I developed a contract in conjunction with the legal department, for potential clients, to cover the venue against late cancellations and loss of potential income.
• I also I developed and managed the client database and managed Cabot Hall accounts (client invoicing, commission claims, raising contracts, billing etc), liaising with the finance department.

I developed my role from a temporary assistant for the NHS unit director and manager, to a member of the team who worked on new client pitches, communicated with existing clients, presentation work, diary management and organising small conferences to eventually freelancing.

• In this role I produced the Environmental Monitor for this busy medical PR company, a bi-weekly report on developments and news stories within the National Health Service as an information tool for the pharmaceutical industry.