Events Officer

AKFC is seeking a multidisciplinary and organized self-starter to join its dynamic Public Engagement and Resource Mobilization team for the position of Officer, Events where you will work alongside highly motivated professionals, whose responsibilities include the development and execution of public engagement initiatives; the mobilization of financial resources from Canadian individuals and corporations; the management of corporate communications; collaboration with the AKDN and its agencies; volunteer engagement; and the stewarding of relationships with government partners and other institutions.

As Events Officer, you will play an essential part in the planning and execution AKFC’s virtual, hybrid, and in-person public engagement events targeting youth, educators, international development professionals, and interested Canadians from all walks of life. The individual must have an exceptional ability to successfully juggle multiple, competing deadlines in a fast‐paced, changing environment.

In this role, you will also collaborate with AKFC colleagues to successfully execute important components of AKFC’s public engagement strategy to advance Canadian interest in a more peaceful and prosperous world for all and advance learning and dialogue among Canadian international development professionals.

This full-time, permanent position is based out of Ottawa, where AKFC is headquartered, and reports to AKFC’s Senior Manager of Public Engagement. The incumbent should be flexible to working evenings and weekends as required. Travel within Canada, when safe to do so, is expected to take place a few times a year.

Main areas of responsibility include:

• Develop and deliver high-quality knowledge exchange initiatives (in-person, virtual, and hybrid) for a range of audiences around international development, the Sustainable Development Goals, and related subjects. Events may include workshops, networking opportunities, seminars, webinars, conferences, speaker series, and more. Topics may include education, global health, gender equality, climate change, environmental sustainability, economic growth, and local to global connections.
• Carry out all aspects of event logistics, planning and delivery, including developing detailed scenarios, drafting text for invitations, social media, and website updates, producing materials, providing support to speakers, and coordinating event logistics in coordination with the Operations team.
• Support and advise on strategies to maximize attendance and engagement, by engaging internal and external stakeholders, developing concepts for enhanced event marketing/branding, and other value-adding initiatives.
• Work closely and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and service providers, to support areas such as event conceptualization and logistics.
• Prepare key planning documents, including concept notes, proposals, work plans, budgets, promotional plans, and dissemination strategies.
• Identify opportunities to engage stakeholders and collaborate with like-minded organizations.
• Support the development and implementation of strategies to follow-up with audiences and sustain engagement.
• Support monitoring, evaluation, and reporting activities relating to events, including data entry and analysis, and feed lessons and audience feedback into future programming to ensure continual improvement of programming.
• Ensure that events support strategies that enhance Canadian public support for global development.
• Ensure that events are approached with a lens to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ensure that all events and associated materials respect AKF’s commitment to safeguarding.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Two to five years of experience in event design and management with a proven record of creating successful in-person and online event experiences for a range of audiences in a variety of formats.
• Post-secondary diploma or degree in a relevant discipline such as event management, communications, international development, public affairs, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the latest trends, tools, platforms, and best practices relevant to event production and marketing.
• Experience working with consultants and managing contracts.
• Proven ability to develop innovative ideas for programming, adopting a collaborative approach, building strong relationships with team members and other stakeholders.
• Superior oral and written communication skills in English. Proficiency in French is an asset.
• Knowledge of, and commitment to, international development and an ability to communicate complex issues to public audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to research, monitor and assess trends, best practices, and innovative approaches for public engagement events and knowledge exchange initiatives.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and manage a variety of activities simultaneously.
• Ability to travel in Canada.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends.

Essential Skills and Attributes

• Dynamic, collaborative, and able to face challenges with patience, perseverance and flexibility.
• Capacity to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and manage a variety of activities simultaneously.
• Enthusiastic about learning from others and sharing knowledge.
• Demonstrated intercultural competence and ability to adapt professional skills to fit local conditions and constraints.

How to Apply:

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, CV and the names and contact information of three professional referees to the following email: [email protected] noting Events Officer in the subject line. Short-listed candidates will be invited for an initial interview and may be invited to additional interviews and/or asked to complete a written assignment.

Thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted. Please note that this position is only open to those who have are legally able to work in Canada.