AgTechUCD, University College Dublin’s innovation centre for early-stage start-ups and SMEs working in agri, agtech, agrifood and veterinary sectors, is looking for an energetic, organised and practical Venue Operations and Client Support Co-Ordinator to run the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre building day to day and to grow its profile as a venue for events and home for AgTech start-up companies. This is primarily an operations role, with a meaningful commercial side: roughly 60% of your time on operations (building, events delivery and resident support and financial management and reporting) and 40% on marketing and sales (promoting the venue, winning event bookings and building relationships). An important part of the role is attracting clients to take up space in the incubator, be it office or lab space, and also selling the exhibition area and meeting rooms as an important event space. You will be the first point of contact for our resident companies and for everyone who hires or visits the space. Flexibility is required in this role (in working hours and tasks) and excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as a willingness to travel as needed and a full driving licence will all be essential.

About AgTechUCD: Part of NovaUCD, AgTechUCD builds on NovaUCD’s track record of supporting high-tech start-ups. It is a collaboration between NovaUCD, Kildare County Council, and Kildare LEO and is funded by the Regional Enterprise Development Fund. It also includes support from agri-companies such as Devenish, Dairymaster, and Glanbia; investors such as The Yield Lab, and Atlantic Bridge, along with leading AgTech researchers and innovators at UCD, Teagasc and Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands. The AgTech Innovation Centre is based at UCD Lyons Farm, the University’s research and teaching farm. The building (about 890 sq.m.) offers flexible lab spaces, meeting rooms, offices and an exhibition space, and sits alongside the UCD Bimeda Herd Health Hub. It is home to a growing community of resident companies and is also available as a venue for events, workshops and industry gatherings.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Building and Facilities Operations: Oversee the daily running of the building, including access control, opening and closing procedures and building security. Act as the main point of contact for maintenance and building services and out-of-hours contacts. Manage relationships with contractors and service providers (for example HVAC, plumbing, electrical, IT and broadband), log and prioritise issues, and make sure repairs are completed promptly. Carry out regular building walk-throughs to keep the centre clean, organised and safe, and to meet Health and Safety requirements, including the specific requirements of a lab and farm-campus environment. Liaise with UCD campus services and Lyons Farm colleagues on shared infrastructure, site access and safety procedures. Manage inventory and ordering for kitchen supplies, office consumables and event equipment.
2. Event Coordination and Delivery: Act as the primary contact for internal and external event hosts, from first enquiry through to delivery and follow-up. Prepare event spaces before bookings and reset them promptly afterwards, including room layouts and equipment setup. Provide on-the-ground support during events, including A/V and lighting setup, layout changes and immediate troubleshooting. Coordinate third-party suppliers such as caterers, equipment hire companies and cleaners. Gather feedback after events and use it to improve the venue offering.
3. Resident Company Support and Community: Be the day-to-day go-to person for resident start-ups and SMEs, creating a welcoming, collaborative and energetic atmosphere. Manage onboarding and offboarding of resident companies, including induction, access, desk and lab space allocation and handover. Organise community activities that add value for residents, such as networking sessions, coffee mornings, skill-sharing sessions and visits from investors, industry partners and researchers. Work closely with the AgTechUCD and NovaUCD teams to support accelerator programme activity and events hosted in the building.
4. Venue Marketing and Event Sales: Promote the venue to corporate clients, agri-food and agtech networks, industry bodies, community groups and external event organisers, with the aim of growing event booking revenue. Develop and run marketing activity for the venue, including social media content, creative materials, newsletters and direct outreach. Conduct site tours for prospective clients, presenting the layout options, technical capability and amenities of the building. Create and maintain attractive event packages covering room layouts, technical setup and catering partnerships, with clear pricing. Manage the enquiry-to-booking process, track leads and bookings, and report regularly on occupancy and revenue. Build relationships with local and sector networks in the agri-food, agtech and university communities to raise the profile of the building as a destination for events.
5. Financial Management / Governance and Reporting: Report to various stakeholders both internal and external including the UCD Director of Innovation and the UCD Nova DAC board. Process RFQs, tenders, raise requisitions and close out the purchasing process adhering to UCD’s procurement process. Create and issue client/customer monthly invoices and manage and report on De Minimus passthrough.

Essential Skills and Experience:
– 2 to 4 years’ experience in venue management, events coordination, hospitality, co-working or innovation-space operations, or a similar customer-facing role
– Proven ability to manage a building or venue in practice: coordinating contractors, solving problems quickly and keeping standards high
– Experience promoting a venue, service or brand through social media, networking and direct outreach, and converting enquiries into bookings
– A friendly, confident and professional manner, with the ability to build strong relationships with start-up founders, clients and suppliers
– Strong organisational skills and a hands-on, ‘no task too small’ attitude
– Comfort with workplace technology: A/V equipment, access control and booking systems, and social media tools, or a willingness to learn them quickly
– A practical, hands-on approach to setting up rooms and equipment for events
– Financial management, including budgeting, and reporting experience is required
– Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for events
– Experience working as part of a team and ability to direct staff and contractors
– Full driving licence

Desirable: Experience working in a university, innovation centre, incubator or co-working environment; Knowledge of, or interest in, the agri-food, agtech or veterinary sectors; Health and Safety or manual handling qualification, or first aid training; Experience of using a CRM or booking platform to manage leads and enquiries.

What We Offer: A salary of €60,000 per year; the chance to work directly alongside high-growth agtech and agri-food companies and the wider NovaUCD innovation community; training in relevant Health and Safety areas, including manual handling, and support for further professional development; variety in work with a large part of the time spent in the AgTechUCD Innovation Centre but with the opportunity to network and travel to attract clients to the centre and to work with colleagues on UCD’s other campuses; working as part of a wider NovaUCD team; 37 hour week with 27 days annual leave; Auto Enrollment pension scheme with UCD Nova DAC contributing 5%.

Salary: €60,000 per year (as advertised on EURES).
Contract: Full-time, Fixed Term for 24 months. Hours: 37 hours per week, with occasional evening and weekend events. Job start date: 14 December 2026.
Closing date: Applications by 12 noon Friday 20 November 2026 (EURES lists a last application date of 12 December 2026).
How to apply: Please send a CV and cover letter to Helen Mc Grath, Operations Manager, NovaUCD, at helen.mcgrath@ucd.ie by 12 noon Friday the 20th of November 2026. For further information on this role please contact Liam Cronin, Director of Innovation, at Liam.cronin@ucd.ie. AgTechUCD is managed by UCD Nova DAC, a subsidiary of University College Dublin. The successful candidate will be an employee of UCD Nova DAC and bound by UCD’s policies. Applicants must have the legal right to work in Ireland for the full duration of the contract.
Source: EURES (European Employment Services), Job vacancy ID 99ef646126314e62870a45b7eef9e688.