Sr. Events Planner

General summary/purpose:

Jhpiego seeks a dynamic and driven Sr. Events Planner to join the AlignMNH Secretariat, led by Jhpiego. AlignMNH is a five-year initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) with the United States Department for International Development (USAID), and is guided by an International Steering Committee of 20 global thought leaders. The initiative seeks to align global maternal and newborn health (MNH) advocacy, metrics, financing and action in support of accelerated improvements in MNH and well-being in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Inclusive of a bi-annual conference series and an online Knowledge Hub, AlignMNH will enable the MNH community to effectively and efficiently share new evidence, identify opportunities and gaps, track progress, cultivate supportive networks, and galvanize energy in the MNH community.

The bi-annual conference and other events will provide a much-needed opportunity to convene the global MNH community and key partners on a predictable regular basis to publicly recognize country progress toward agreed metrics, create innovative ways to track progress, share evidence, new ideas and effective implementation strategies, catalyze investment, and fuel global and national action. It is envisioned that countries will work and learn together at the conference and support a new generation of leaders, unified behind a vision of accelerating progress toward MNH targets.

The Sr. Events Planner will lead the management and organization of the bi-annual conference series and other AlignMNH events and convenings. The position will lead the management of strategic and operational elements before, during and after conferences and events, both in person and virtual. The ideal candidate will have experience planning and executing international conferences, as well as hybrid and virtual events. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication skills, an ability to multi-task, meticulous attention to detail, and superior organization and planning skills. Candidates must be comfortable working in high-pressure situations and on high-visibility events that involve global leaders, senior officials and high-level stakeholders.

Specific duties & responsibilities:

• Ensure high-quality and innovative event offerings by overseeing all aspects of event conception, planning, production, promotion and implementation for AlignMNH virtual and in-person events, including the bi-annual conference series
• Lead the operational and logistical planning for the conference series, including overseeing the work of the Conference and Events Manager and ensuring all staff supporting the conference are well- aligned and coordinated
• Lead and organize planning meetings and ensure effective communication and coordination across the team
• Coordinate across multiple staff and teams to manage all conference event logistics including relevant RFPs, housing/lodging, transportation, food, contract details, and event planning
• Establish and oversee the timelines, schedules and all planning related to the conference, and assure attainment of milestones and adherence to the overall conference schedule
• Oversee the negotiation of large procurements related to the conference or other events, establish strong working relationships with vendors and manage contracts
• Serve as the main point of contact for all vendor management to ensure timely deliverables, critical communication and post-event follow up. Identify and manage all necessary consultants, temporary staff, and vendors
• Lead the process of identifying bi-annual conference locations, identify potential venues and conduct site inspections to select conference venues
• Ensure strong communication and collaboration with external speakers and partners related to the conference series and other events, including speaker management and identifying opportunities for future collaboration
• In collaboration with the Secretariat, assess the effectiveness of convenings and proactively identify learnings from prior engagements to define strategy for future convenings

Minimum qualifications (mandatory):

• BA with 10+ years' event and conference management experience
• Demonstrated experience planning international conferences and strong event design and management abilities
• Demonstrated success in vendor management
• Strong demonstrated experience in project management and leading a team to achieve project goals and deliverables with constraints of scope, budget and time
• Prior experience with social media tools and event planning software and/or websites
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, and ability to communicate with high-level stakeholders
• Superior organizational skills and ability to balance competing priorities in high-pressure environments
• High degree of decision making and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to project a professional image and communicate positively and effectively as a representative of Jhpiego, both within The Johns Hopkins University community and with external organizations and donors
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 30%
• Ability to work unconventional hours as required