AWID is currently seeking an experienced events professional to join our Forum team. This team coordinates every aspect related to Forum logistics and also liaises with other staff teams tasked with producing content for the Forum. The Forum Logistics Coordinator is responsible for liaising with relevant contractors and Forum session organizers as well as organizing travel arrangements for sponsored participants.
Deadline: March 29, 2015
Location: Toronto, Canada OR Brazil
Overview:
The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) is an international feminist membership organization that works to strengthen the voice, impact and influence of women's rights advocates, organizations and movements internationally.
Every 3-4 years, AWID organizes an International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development. The largest recurring event of its kind, the AWID Forum brings together close to 2,000 women's rights leaders and activists from around the world to strategize, network, celebrate, and learn in a highly charged atmosphere that fosters deep discussions and sustained personal and professional growth. The next AWID Forum will be in May 2016 in Salvador, Brazil.
AWID is currently seeking an experienced events professional to join our Forum team. This team coordinates every aspect related to Forum logistics and also liaises with other staff teams tasked with producing content for the Forum. The Forum Logistics Coordinator is responsible for liaising with relevant contractors and Forum session organizers as well as organizing travel arrangements for sponsored participants
The Forum Logistics Coordinator reports to the Forum Manager.
Work location: work location of the position is Toronto, Canada OR Brazil
Position type: this is a full time contract role with an ending date of June 30, 2016
RESPONSIBILITIES:
AWID International Forum: Planning, Coordination
- Participate in the development and implementation of the Forum work plan
- Develop relevant Forum logistics content and materials for approval by the Forum Manager and in coordination with the other AWID staff
- Working closely with AWID’s production team, providing them with the necessary content and direction so that they can produce all Forum related printed materials including but not limited to a Forum program, signage, banners etc.
- Support the planning and execution of the second International Planning Committee meeting to be held in August 2015
AWID International Forum: Site and Logistics
- Research, assess and provide contracting recommendations with relevant consultants and vendors in the selected site, including airlines, hotels, local transportation providers, interpretation services, t-shirts, conference bags, local tour providers, etc.
- Liaising with selected vendors and suppliers and ensuring all logistical requirements of Forum are being satisfied
- Work with various internal task teams to design and develop specialized areas at the Forum, for example Young Feminist Corner
- As decisions are made regarding participants (up to 400) to be sponsored by AWID, convey relevant information to sponsored-participants and oversee their travel, hotel and relevant reimbursement arrangements
- Provide leadership in responding to ‘special requests’, resolving problems and channeling appropriate concerns to the Forum Manager, as needed
AWID International Forum: Participation, Program and Registration
- Ensure regular communication with organizers of selected session proposals and respond to requests for information as needed
- Coordinate the disbursement of funding to sponsored participants and related logistics (application procedure, selection criteria, flight and hotel bookings, airfare and other reimbursements)
- Oversee specific sections of Forum programming: exhibitors or market place vendors, for example
- Support registrar and proactively resolve issues with registrants including providing support with visa applications and approvals
- Oversee coordination of on-site registration
AWID International Forum: On-site
- Assess the requirements for information, signage, and traffic flow and coordinate logistics and resources to ensure that information signage and traffic flow create an efficient and clear flow of participants at the forum
- Liaise with the Professional Congress Organizer (PCO) and/or Destination Management Consultant (DMC) to ensure all logistics are proactively anticipated and addressed (pre-forum online hotel registrations, airport pick-ups, shuttle buses to the forum venue, providing updated rooming lists for sponsored participants, post information on AWID’s website about DMC’s side-trips, tours and other services available for forum participants, etc)
- Proactively coordinate and resolve safety, insurance, and security requirements and proactively resolve all related issues in an effective and calm manner
- Provide relevant information for disbursement of funding to sponsored participants (i.e., ensure that airfare costs are allocated according to what’s been budgeted per participant)
- Coordinate local staffing and volunteers at the international venue site – prior and during the forum
- Develop an overview of the roles and responsibilities for all onsite staff and reviews these position profiles with the Manager for approval
- Respond to accessibility and special needs during the forum
Organizational Processes & Individual Work Planning
- Proactively identifies operations and technical gaps or inefficiencies, and seeks guidance from the Forum Manager to fill or fix them
- Participate and contribute to the Forum team coordination meetings
- Maintain relationships with staff in other program areas to facilitate smooth coordination and communication
- Participate actively in organizational meeting venues (office and staff meetings) and committees
- Develop and monitor an individual work plan that will document the timeline, requirements and deadlines for all tasks and deliverables related to the International Forum
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience:
At least 5 years experience:
- in an events logistics coordinating role, or equivalent experience, preferably in a non-profit setting
- developing effective logistics procedures and systems, building on best practices in event planning
- with international project planning and management
- working in a multi-lingual and cross-cultural environment
Academic Qualifications:
- University degree in related field
Expertise & Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English & Portuguese (Brazilian), preferred
- Demonstrated ability to develop, coordinate implementation, monitor and evaluate a project plan with multiple deliverables, stakeholders and deadlines
- Keen attention to detail and quality control
- Excellent organizational skills
- Experience working remotely with other team members as well as vendors and suppliers
- Experience coordinating a high volume of travel arrangements
- Demonstrated capacity in complex problem-solving, displays good judgment
- Ability to work well in high-pressure situations and with tight deadlines
- High levels of initiative, creativity, and self-motivation
- Ability to work with a diverse staff team and engage team members, build consensus, proactively de-escalate and resolve conflict
- Able to absorb new skills and information quickly
- Ability to multi-task and willing to perform diverse tasks as needed in a timely manner
- Able to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team
- Strong computer skills, including databases, and presentation packages (PowerPoint),
Other Requirements:
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing women's rights and gender equality
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends in weeks and days leading up to the Forum
- Able to travel internationally (approx 4 weeks/year)
- Committed to the principles and values of feminism, anti-discrimination and anti-oppression
Assets
- Experience supervising consultants and/or volunteers
- Tri/Quad lingual (English and French and/or Spanish and/or Portuguese and/or Arabic/Russian/other)
- Courses or certificates in women's/feminist studies or human rights
- Experience working in a decentralized, virtual organization
How to apply?
Please submit, in English- a cover letter and résumé in Word or PDF format, addressing how you meet the necessary qualifications and outlining why you want to work for AWID, to jobs@awid.org by Sunday,March 29, 2015. Please include “Forum Logistics Coordinator – [your name]” as the subject line of your email.
We thank all those who apply, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No calls please. AWID encourages, promotes and support diversity in all aspects of its work. To learn more about AWID and our programs, please visit our website at www.awid.org.
