Democracy Initiative Position Openings
Events Planner
The Democracy Initiative program is an exciting and ambitious interdisciplinary teaching, research, and engagement effort bringing together a diverse range of scholars, government leaders, and practitioners to study and advance the prospects of democracy around the world. Within the Democracy Initiative, a series of Democracy Labs promote faculty and student research, teaching, and public engagement.
The Events Planner reports to the Chief of Staff and works collaboratively with leadership, lab managers, faculty and staff across grounds, and outside vendors to achieve goals. The selected candidate will be responsible for programming, budgeting, preparing event and speaker briefings, marketing and logistics for the Democracy Initiative events and other high-profile meetings and lectures.
Job responsibilities:
- Perform all aspects of event planning, including programing (in consultation with leadership); event production, preparing invitations and speaker memos, marketing events in partnership with a communications manager, developing and monitoring a budget, confirming and managing venues and vendors, negotiating all financial commitments for events, ensuring delivery of services by outside vendors and preparing post event follow up memos and outreach.
- Schedule, prepare agendas and lead event team meetings.
- In consultation with the Democracy Initiative team and other partners, participate in event creation and event planning meetings. From those sessions, prepare a project plan, event budget and track/monitor assignments and next steps.
- Participate in speaker identification and outreach.
- Prepare high level speaker invitations. Track follow up for invitations.
- Anticipate recurring events, reviewing previous procedures, materials, and attendee trends, adjusting invitation lists, dates, and locations. Manage logistics for semi-annual and annual events with appropriate parties.
- Lead list management development, management, and tracking.
- Manage audience invitation and reply processes from start to completion, including developing and maintaining invitation lists, compiling invitation materials, organizing response systems, and communicating with invitees via email, phone, or in person.
- Master all tracking systems for participant information, event registration, marketing, and attendee profile management. Train events staff in these systems.
- Ensure procurement and purchasing procedures are followed and budgets are managed accordingly.
- In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.
Education:
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree with at least one year of prior event planning and project management experience. Equivalent experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
Minimum Requirements:
- Must have demonstrated program and event management experience, including goal setting, budget development and proficiency in managing financial resources.
- Excellent organizational, strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment with changing priorities are essential.
- Exhibit a professional and positive demeanor in high pressure situations as well as effective communication and relationship building with a diverse group of individuals and organizations.
- The ability to stand for long periods of time and lift/move equipment under 50 pounds is required.
- Ability to maintain a flexible working schedule to include evenings and weekends.
- Working knowledge of audio-visual systems and videoconferencing solutions is highly desirable.
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. This is an exempt level, benefited position. This position is a restricted position and is dependent upon, availability of funding and performance. This position will remain open until filled. Apply online at the UVA Human Resource's website.