Events Manager

Description:

ABOUT NAFSA: Association of International Educators

With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the largest and most comprehensive association of professionals committed to advancing international higher education. Based in the United States, we provide programs, products, services, and a physical and virtual meeting space for the worldwide community of international educators. The association provides leadership to its varied constituencies through establishing principles of good practice and providing professional development opportunities. NAFSA encourages networking among professionals, convenes conferences and collaborative dialogues, and promotes research and knowledge creation to strengthen and serve the field. We lead the way in advocating for a better world through international education.

NAFSA believes that international education advances learning and scholarship, fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, is essential for developing globally competent individuals, and builds leadership for the global community. We believe that international education lies at the core of an interconnected world characterized by peace, security, and well-being for all.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Event Technology Manager directs NAFSAs event technology infrastructure supporting virtual and in-person events while providing leadership to the Event Technology team. In this role, they work closely with the Senior Director, Technology, event planning teams, internal stakeholders, and external vendors to ensure event technology platforms remain current, evolve with organizational needs, and effectively support NAFSAs events, from small, stand-alone meetings to major conferences. This position carries supervisory responsibility for the Event Technology Specialist and serves as a key strategic partner in platform selection, implementation, and optimization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategy, Planning and Deployment (30%):

• Research and recommend best practices, standards, and policies for NAFSA enterprise event technology platforms.
• Use the Event Technology Toolkit to facilitate event planning, scope and budget discussions with event owners across the organization.
• Partner with NAFSA event planning teams to plan event system implementations and lead sessions to review and revise event systems functionality to best meet NAFSAs specific event requirements.
• Chart current and future-state event technology environment (platforms, systems, processes, and workflows) and keep documentation current for knowledge transfer across the organization.
• Consult with decision makers, systems owners, and end users to define business, financial, and operations requirements and systems goals, and identify and resolve systems issues.
• Review and analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of event systems and develop strategies for improving or further leveraging these systems.
• Stay abreast of developments in virtual event technologies and actively research emerging technologies to support innovation in NAFSAs events and evolving attendee expectations.
• Actively maintain the event technology team workplan for all NAFSA events and create realistic timelines in conjunction with event stakeholders for setup and implementation of event platforms.

Enterprise Event Technology Management (30%):

• Manage and support the annual systems setup and the implementation cycles for NAFSA annual and regional conferences and other events.
• Ensure accurate system setup and new feature implementation in event technology systems. Currently these include Maritz event registration, CadmiumCD, Cvent, Zoom, and a variety of SaaS tools.
• Work closely with vendors and NAFSA event owners to create and execute implementation and testing timelines.
• Ensure timely implementation and smooth operations of registration and event technology systems for attendees and exhibitors.
• Partner with Conference Logistics, Accounting, Technology Operations and vendors to plan on-site registration desk, hardware and infrastructure setup and staffing.
• Recommend modifications to process workflows, optimize user experience and backend data capture protocols in event technology platforms.
• Consult staff on using Zoom features to create engaging virtual events.
• Prepare and deliver reports, recommendations, or alternatives that address existing and potential trouble areas in event operations across the organization.
• Ensure compatibility and interoperability of event and in-house computing systems.
• Provide post-implementation support.

Staff and Vendor Management (20%):

• Lead and guide NAFSA cross-departmental teams in the implementation of Event Technology platforms and services.
• Motivate, support, assess and evaluate direct reports in the production of timely, high quality technology support and service.
• Convey NAFSAs strategic and operational needs to vendors; translate those needs into appropriate scopes of work, timelines, work plans, and budgets.
• Partner closely with numerous external vendors providing technology infrastructure support; ensure contracts and service level agreements are fulfilled; lead contract review and renewal process for systems identified in annual workplan.
• Perform cost-benefit and return on investment analyses as a precursor to the periodic vendor contract renewal cycle.
• Coordinate event technology contract formulation, review and renewals for final sign-off by internal business owners.
• Monitor contract service level agreements and spending against annual allocated budgets.
• Consult with supervisor on the strategies, problem-solving and accomplishments of the team.

Documentation, Training, and Knowledge Transfer (15%):

• Develop and maintain current documentation on all supported systems to support knowledge transfer across the team and organization.
• Assist in formulating and conducting training sessions and teaching materials for enterprise event software applications.
• Develop and maintain training materials for event owners and end users.
• Coordinate and perform in-depth testing, including end-user reviews, for modified and new systems.
• Provide orientation and training to end users for all modified and new systems.
• Provide guidance and instruction to junior staff members on technical systems, best practices, and professional development.

Other projects, as assigned (5%)

Requirements:

Education: Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of related education and experience.

Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of 5 years successful experience working within project-based work structures, developing or leading programs or projects, and effectively managing tasks and timelines.
• Power user or administrator of event management and virtual event platforms such as Cvent, CadmiumCD, Zoom webinars, event registration and other platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in effectively supporting end users of web-based applications, with a strong customer service orientation.
• Proven ability to conduct research into and resolve product and service-related issues.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple streams of work, prioritizing appropriately, and problem solving effectively in complex situations.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• The candidate is flexible, multi-task oriented, creative, and able to work in a fast-paced team environment as well as independently.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks.
• Great work ethic and intellectual curiosity.
• Ability to deal tactfully with and elicit cooperation from a wide variety of stakeholders and vendors; Persuasive, encouraging, and diplomatic.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Willing and able to quickly learn and master additional proprietary software such as association management systems or marketing and strategic communications platforms.
• Ability to master new systems quickly and to effectively research a wide range of issues when troubleshooting user issues.
• Superb interpersonal skills with the ability to assist users of various skill levels and backgrounds on technical systems and procedures.
• Ability to present ideas with technical language in both a user-friendly and business-friendly manner.
• Effective team collaborator with excellent oral and written communication skills; at ease leading meetings and trainings, listening, and problem solving.
• Excellent ability to prioritize and execute tasks under pressure.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience:

• Experience with nonprofit, education, or international education institutions.
• Technology system evaluation and procurement.
• Experience in leadership roles, staff management and mentorship.
• Budget management.

The workday is generally 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The week after Memorial Day to Labor Day, it is 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday.

Travel is required occasionally related to job responsibilities, especially for the annual conference or other leadership meetings. Participation in the NAFSA annual conference the week of Memorial Day, including the holiday itself, is a job requirement. The annual conference is held in varying cities.

Tasks are performed in a typical office environment, involving sitting for extended periods of time. Sitting, standing, bending, and lifting 10lbs or less will occur intermittently throughout the workday. Position involves constant use of computer keyboard and monitor, with intermittent use of headset and microphone.

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