Events Manager

$70,934 - $78,024/Yr

The Hunt Institute - Cary, NC

Full-time - Mid Level

Cary, NC

About the position

The Events Manager (EM) at The Hunt Institute plays a crucial role in overseeing the logistics, planning, and budget management of both virtual and in-person events. The Hunt Institute is dedicated to providing unbiased research and learning opportunities aimed at empowering educators and policymakers to drive equitable reforms in education. Established in 2001, the Institute has become a recognized leader in transforming American public education, focusing on supporting state and national officials in making informed decisions that positively impact the lives of children. In this position, the Events Manager will be responsible for managing the logistics of the Institute's most significant and complex signature programs. This includes collaborating with program leads and stakeholders to understand event needs and developing comprehensive project plans. The EM will create and manage event timelines from conception to completion, ensuring that all internal team members, including Event Coordinators and Assistants, are effectively managed and that planning goals are met. The role also involves managing vendor partnerships, overseeing high-value budgets, and ensuring financial reconciliation of all event-related expenses. The Events Manager will identify opportunities for process efficiencies, conduct site visits to potential venues, negotiate contracts, and coordinate travel and transportation logistics. Additionally, the EM will oversee the preparation of event materials, manage onsite logistics, and ensure that all events adhere to The Hunt Institute's standards. This position requires a commitment to the mission of The Hunt Institute and the ability to engage with diverse audiences, including senior-level officials. The Events Manager will report directly to the Director of Events and Engagement and will work collaboratively with all teams within the Institute. This position is based in Cary, North Carolina, and may require occasional evening and weekend work, as well as travel for events.

Responsibilities

• Manages logistics for The Institute's largest and most complex signature programs.
• Partners with program leads across Institute teams and relevant stakeholders to understand event needs and develop into full scope project plan.
• Develops and manages event timeline from concept through completion.
• Manages internal team members, inclusive of full-time Event Coordinators and Event Assistants; task delegation, as appropriate, ensuring planning timeline goals are met and events are executed successfully.
• Manages vendor partnerships during planning and execution including hotel, ground transportation, travel, production/technology, shipping, etc.
• Manages high figure budgets and financial reconciliation of all event-related expenses including tracking event estimates & actuals on a weekly basis.
• Identifies opportunities to build efficiencies into processes.
• Coordinates with planning teams to ensure timely updates to logistics documents.
• Conducts site visits to potential venues.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with vendors and venues.
• Negotiates contracts for hotels, event venues, catering contracts, audio visual.
• Coordinates event travel and transportation with travel agency.
• Creates and sends event communication for all logistics and materials prior to the event.
• Oversees event material printing and preparation including but not limited to nametags and folders.
• Oversees packaging and shipping of event materials.
• Oversees inventory tracking of event supplies and coordinates with operations team to ensure supplies are stocked.
• Coordinates all equipment and materials that are needed onsite for the program lead/team.
• Manages onsite logistics for events and anticipates and addresses potential problems that may arise.
• Plans for potential scenarios that could impact the integrity of the event.
• Conducts final inspections on the day of the event to ensure everything adheres to The Hunt Institute event standards.
• Manages online registration for events and attendees.
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Commitment to the mission and vision of The Hunt Institute.
• Excellent relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience negotiating contracts; hotel, audio visual & catering preferred.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• 5-10 years of relevant experience in event planning.
• Ability to travel (anticipated 20-30%).
• Experience successfully executing large events as well as multiple projects at a time.
• Ability to engage professionally with diverse audiences, including senior-level elected officials and their staff.
• Strong work ethic, with a results-oriented philosophy and personal qualities of trustworthiness, openness, accessibility, kindness, flexibility, and a sense of humor.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
• Ability to pay attention to accuracy and detail while thinking broadly.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with CRMs, event registration systems (CVENT preferred), project management tools (Monday.com preferred), Microsoft products, Zoom, and Guidebook.
• High level of professionalism & leadership.
• Ability to inspire and motivate a diverse team.
• High standards of excellence in execution events.
• Demonstrated success in managing and leading event teams.
• Ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities efficiently.
• Experience in fostering a positive team culture.
• Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Experience in anticipating and mitigating potential challenges.
• Awareness and interest in state and national P-16 education policy.
• Experience working in fast-paced environment.
• Adaptability to changes and unforeseen circumstances during events.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and lead the team through challenging situations.
• Resourcefulness and good judgment.
• Experience working with and/or for elected officials.
• The value of diversity of thought, backgrounds, and perspectives.
• Willingness to work collaboratively and consider new ideas.

Benefits

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Vision insurance