Event Management Specialist Global Programming Group

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why we are recruiting

The World Economic Forum provides its stakeholders with a platform to engage with the Forum, each other, and the public through in-person and virtual events. The Global Programming Group is the team responsible for stewardship of the Forum’s world-class events and dedicated to providing consistent events architecture and services to support the Forum’s value proposition and impact agenda. It achieves this by shaping the Forum’s major events in the service of impact by embedding cutting edge intelligence, delivering novel interaction and experiences, and developing design frameworks and tools that support the Forum’s impact objectives.

Reporting Lines & Interactions

The Event Management Specialist will report to one of the Event Management Team Leads within the Global Programming Group and will work closely with other Event Management Leads and Specialists, as well as other staff across the Group and with the broader institution, on the planning and coordination of events.

Breakdown of Main Responsibilities

Event Management:

• Stewarding the Forum’s world-class events, providing consistent architecture and delivery services, and ensuring all events meet a uniform standard of excellence.

• Contribute to the development of event production frameworks, structures, processes, and tools to support the Forum’s strategic direction.

Event Logistics:

• Develop, plan, and execute event logistics services in collaboration with internal and external counterparts. Responsibilities will vary by event, focusing on one or more of the following areas:

  • Programme Logistics: Coordinate sessions logistics and venues, including set-up, technical requests, catering, interpretation, and the coding in our internal platform. Provide clear support and guidelines to organizing teams, track progress, manage changes, and share information and updates with internal teams and third parties.

  • Food & Beverage: Oversee catering arrangements for participants and staff, including special receptions.

  • Participant Logistics: Coordinate accommodation arrangements and flight logistics with various stakeholders.

  • Staff Logistics: Coordinate all staff logistics related tasks, including staff quotas registration, flight and visa arrangements, staff accommodation, and internal and external communications.

  • Attendants: Coordinate the recruitment, assess the internal needs, organize logistical arrangements, and train external staff for onsite support roles, such as session control and various hospitality services.

  • Transportation: Plan and coordinate transportation logistics, including airport welcome, VIP services, signage, and maps.

  • Freight: Coordinate the transportation of event materials and equipment.

  • Sustainability: Implement sustainable practices in event planning and execution to minimize environmental impact and waste.

Project Management:

• Support event planning and production for events.

• Ensure key deliverables are met within deadlines and budget.

• Contribute to analysis supporting fact-based decisions, even in ambiguous environments.

• Coordinate with internal teams (business, government, programme content, media, live production, IT, security) and external stakeholders (local authorities, vendors, partners).

• Execute procurement and contracting for event-related services.

• Understand and apply security-related principles.

• Support in-house trainings on event delivery processes, best practices, and tools.

• Organize and facilitate internal and external meetings with key providers.

• Contribute to post-event debriefs and data analysis, to improve processes.

The Successful Candidate will be assessed on

• Impeccable project and budget management skills, with a proactive approach to updating of event production templates and methods.  

• Effective interpersonal and facilitation skills, including verbal and written communications and presentations abilities to internal and external audiences.

Preferred Requirements and Experience

• A university degree in business, media, communications, event management, hospitality, or other relevant fields.

• 3+ years of relevant professional experience working in global in-person events, ideally engaging business, government, and non-profit audiences in international environments.

• Proven experience thriving in a multicultural, highly collaborative, and fast-paced work environment; flexibility and the ability to work under pressure and embrace ambiguity is a must.

• Proven experience in change management and stakeholder management.

• Demonstrates a proactive approach to identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement in event management processes. Consistently seeks out new ideas and methods to enhance the quality and efficiency of events, ensuring they align with the Forum's standards and objectives.

• Problem-solving, proactive, and service-oriented mindset, with excellent communication, project management, coordination, and organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work independently and in teams. No task is too big or too small.

• Preferred in-depth familiarity with Salesforce, and strong command of Microsoft Office applications as well as project management tools.

• Fluency in English, with excellent written, digital and verbal communication skills; knowledge of other languages, including German and/ or French, would be an asset.

Why work at the Forum:

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!