Events Assistant (Seasonal)

Events Assistant ( Seasonal)
From May 2026

Now is an exciting time to Mercy Ships UK.
With a growing supporter base, a talented
staff team and ambitious targets to reach over the
next five years, we are looking for a talented
Events Assistant (seasonal) to join our team.

Mercy Ships is a faith-based charity, bringing safe
surgery to people in Africa who have limited access
to healthcare and little or no money to pay for it. For
over 40 years, Mercy Ships has visited more than 55
developing nations. We are passionate to serve those
in need and to leave a lasting impact for the future by
working alongside governments, supporting health
systems and delivering training within the countries we
visit. Our volunteer crew represent our organisation
onboard our two ships through excellence and
diligence. Sixteen Mercy Ships offices around the world
collaborate on fundraising, recruitment and public
relations.

Mercy Ships UK

The UK currently raises circa £9 million a year to
support Mercy Ships’ operations, benefiting from a
diverse base of committed funders and partners.
As well as providing financial resources for surgeries,
healthcare, education and local partnerships, the UK
identifies over 400 professional volunteers
with medical, maritime and many other skills to
crew the world’s largest charitable hospital ships
‘Africa Mercy’ and ‘Global Mercy’, – bringing immediate

relief to thousands of individuals and leaving a
sustainable legacy of hope and healing
in every nation we visit.

Values

Mercy Ships was founded by Don and Deyon Stephens
in 1978, committed Christians with a vision to follow the
model of Jesus, who inspires action and guides us to
imitate God’s heart for those marginalised by poverty
and disease. Mercy Ships is a diverse community
made of people from all walks of life, practically
demonstrating love, integrity and excellence to make a
lasting impact.  While not all of our staff are practising
Christians, they all align with and respect the Christian
values that underpin Mercy Ships’ work.

Approximately 90% of the population in sub-Saharan
Africa lacks access to safe and affordable surgical care.
On average, there are only 1.8 beds per 1,000 people,
and nearly 40% of healthcare settings lack hygiene
infrastructure.  The need for Mercy Ships is clear – we
strive to provide safe and equitable healthcare for those
who need it most.

Shelley Pigott,
Executive Director, Mercy Ships UK

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Our Mission

Mercy Ships follows the 2,000 year-old model
of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the
world’s forgotten poor.

Our Vision

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to transform
individuals and partner with nations.

Our Values
Following the model of Jesus, we seek to:
    Love God

    Love and serve others

      Be people of integrity

      Strive for excellence in all we say and do

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Impact

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has brought hope and healing
to more than 2.88 million people through free,
life-changing healthcare and training. Our volunteer
professionals have performed over 122,000 surgical
procedures and provided more than 556,900 dental
procedures to those in desperate need. Alongside
this, we have trained more than 55,500 local
professionals in their area of expertise, equipping
them to go on and impact over 252,000 others within
their own communities.

Our commitment extends beyond the hospital
ship—we have completed over 1,110 community
development projects, including the reconstruction
of schools, clinics, orphanages, water wells, and
agricultural programmes. These initiatives ensure
sustainable transformation by strengthening local
infrastructure and skills for the future.

Today, we have proudly served across more than
55 of the world’s poorest nations, with two
remarkable hospital ships:

   The Global Mercy: the world’s largest civilian
hospital ship, featuring 6 state-of-the-art operating
theatres, 199 patient beds, the capacity for 640 crew,
and a gross tonnage of 37,856.

   The Africa Mercy: with 5 fully equipped operating
theatres, 85 patient beds, space for 470 crew, and a
gross tonnage of 16,572.

Together, these ships represent a unique and powerful
force for good, bringing hope, healing, and lasting
change to those who need it most.

Our work
Mariama’s story

Mariama is a lively and healthy baby, but a severe facial
cleft strained her joyful smile. This facial cleft affected
7-month-old Mariama’s lip and nose, making it difficult
for her to eat and causing her parents to worry about
their child’s future.

Since paediatric services capable of treating baby
Mariama’s condition were not available near the family,
local doctors directed her father to Senegal’s capital city
in hopes of finding help.

It was there that he heard about a hospital ship capable
of providing healing for his little girl.

Soon after, Mariama received an operation onboard
the Africa Mercy that repaired her cleft lip. After surgery,
Mariama and her family stayed at the HOPE Centre,
where her mother learned how to make nutritional baby
formula and learned about the importance of nutrition
for her child. Now, Mariama is home with her family,
happy and healthy!

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History of
Mercy Ships

Founded in 1978 by Don and
Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships
has worked in more than 55
countries, providing services
valued at more than £1.3 billion.

By improving healthcare delivery in
every country visited, Mercy Ships
is working to eradicate the diseases
of poverty. Mercy Ships follows the
model of Jesus by “bringing hope
and healing to the forgotten poor”,
helping people of any faith or none.

Mercy Ships delivers a customised
five-year partnership model with
every country it is invited to support.
Relationships are built with the
national government and ministry
of health, so that the specific needs
of each country are met; we work to
strengthen the country’s healthcare
systems and drive policy change.

The aim is to tackle the root causes
of the problems rather than just the
consequences.

Mercy Ships UK (a key member of
the Mercy Ships global partnership)
was founded in 1996. We run the
two largest charity hospital ships in
the world: the Global Mercy and the
Africa Mercy.

Behaviours

We put beneficiaries first

Our performance impacts lives, so we
strive for the very best results.

We are open to challenge

We challenge current norms, ideate,
create and develop.

We expect the best

We consistently seek the best in
and for others.

Together in everything

We are a relationally-driven team.

Effective interaction

We communicate with clarity
and purpose.

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Event Preparation
  Assist with planning logistics, equipment preparation

and transport coordination.

  Support pre-event administration and

stock management

Onsite Delivery
  Support set-up and dismantling of exhibition stands

and equipment

  Assist with volunteer briefings
     Provide warm, professional engagement

  with supporters

    Ensure health and safety processes are followed

Post-Event Support
  Assist with debrief notes and equipment storage
  Support data capture and administrative follow-up

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Role Description

Main Workbase: 12 Meadway Court, Stevenage SG1 2EF

Hours of Work: Full-time

Contract: FTC (Fixed Term Contract) – 6 months (May-
September)

Line Manager: Events Manager

Salary: £24,000-£26,000 (pro rata)

Line Management Responsibility : None

Benefits:

    25 days annual leave (pro rata)

    Up to 7% Employer pension contribution

    Travel and training loans

    Free parking onsite

About the Role
Mercy Ships UK is seeking an enthusiastic and practical
Events Assistant to support the delivery of our busy 2026
summer events programme.

This is a seasonal, hands-on role supporting large
Christian festivals, including Big Church Festival, HTB
Focus, Keswick and New Wine, as well as selected
maritime and medical industry events.

The role is ideal for someone who enjoys fast-paced
environments, teamwork, and practical event delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Main Responsibilities
  Supporting the Event Manager in the delivery of
      large-scale and logistically complex events.
  Supporting the coordination, briefing and day-to-day
      organisation of a large and diverse volunteer team
  Where required, oversee/support operational

responsibilities, including setting up and dismantling
equipment, ensuring health and safety guidelines
are prioritised.

  Providing support and encouragement to supporters
  of Mercy Ships UK.

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Person Specification

Attribute

Essential

Desirable

Education/
qualification

   Educated to A-Level (or equivalent)

standard.

   GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Maths

(Grade 4/C or above).

    Degree (or currently studying) in
Event Management, Marketing,
Business, Communications or
a related discipline.

   Relevant event, volunteer or
festival training certification.

Proven
experience

    Highly organised and dependable

    Experience at Christian festivals

    Able to remain calm under pressure

    Flexible and willing to evenings and

weekends.

    Physically able to support event

set-up tasks.

or large-scale events.

    Previous volunteering or event

support experience.

Skills and
abilities

    Strong interpersonal skills with the ability
to build rapport with a range of people.

   Confident using Microsoft Office.

    A clean, full, UK driving license.

Personal
qualities

   Alignment to/respect for the

Christian values of Mercy Ships.

   Positive and collaborative attitude

and willingness to learn from
others

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Equal opportunities

Mercy Ships UK is an equal opportunities employer.
We welcome applications from all individuals and
value diversity in our workforce.

DBS check

Candidates will be asked to declare any ‘unspent
convictions.’ Further information can be found here.

Eligible roles may require a Disclosure Barring Service
(DBS) check.

How to apply
to join us in transforming lives:

Please send a CV and cover letter detailing your

relevant experience and why you want to work for

Mercy Ships to:

careers@mercyships.org.uk

Salary : £24,000-£26,000 (Pro rata)

Don’t delay applying as we screen applications on
receipt and reserve the right to close early.

Hope.
Healing.
Transforming Lives.

Registered Charity No: 1053055. Registered Charity in Scotland No. SC039743.

Company No: 3147724 (England and Wales)