Events & Partnerships Lead, Connect Labs by Wexford - Baltimore, MD

Does a well-coordinated gathering make you smile? Do you love organizing and preparing for lots of people to come together for a shared interest? Do you enjoy meeting with people and helping them facilitate their perfect event? If so, read on…

CIC is looking for a personable and organized individual to lead events and partnerships at Connect Labs, Baltimore. This is an exciting, full-time opportunity for someone with at least 5 years of professional experience developing, curating, and leading events and programming.

YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK

Events play a critical role in our community by providing members with an outlet to collaborate and network with like-minded individuals. These events include corporate meetings, sector-specific events, workshops, and thought-leadership discussions. The types of events we support benefit our community by giving them the platform and resources needed to flourish. We host client events and collaborate with partners and sponsors to curate thoughtful experiences.

This role is events focused, but will also frequently engage with the internal Connect Labs and CIC teams, as well as clients, sponsors, and community partners. The work entails collaborative projects as well as independent work. 

Responsibilities include:

• Owning and facilitating all aspects of Connect Labs Baltimore events hosted by Connect Labs members, sponsors, and partners:

   • Manage event details through the entire process. Coordination includes providing tours and quotes for event spaces and conference rooms, conducting consistent and effective correspondence with event hosts, communicating with building management and security, updating the Certificate of Insurance for vendors, ensuring all event details are clear to the Connect Labs Team and in line with policies, marketing events to the local innovation ecosystem, event staffing, and managing event follow-up and evaluation.  

• Curate and develop events and programming to benefit and strengthen connections and community for Connect Labs members.

  • Create, curate, and execute weekly events that provide enrichment and value to the Connect labs community. Identify beneficial content and effective platforms to successfully execute events.

  • Work closely with local stakeholders in our community and innovation ecosystem to identify gaps in programming and, by partnering with outside organizations, address them through creative ideas and execution. Key areas include lifescience, education, fintech, health technology, biotech, resiliency planning, climate change, creative economy, and DEIB implementation. 

   • Collaborate with the Connect Labs team to determine internal event planning processes and support.

   • Lead engagement efforts by creating innovative and interactive experiences that connect and inspire the Connect Labs community to be informed and empowered to participate. 

• Manage the internal events management system and support data collection for site-level and global reporting purposes. 

• With guidance from CIC’s Assistant Director of Programming & Partnerships, US, support the growth of lab sponsor relationships. 

• Develop and maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with partners, clients and ties in the community.

• Support of social media, website, newsletter and communications materials for events, programming, and company goals in alignment with CIC’s Marketing team.

• Design events flyers, in print and digital collateral, and branding for all events and programming. 

• Support the Site Director with sales-related tasks, including: helping to address workspace inquiries from prospective clients via email, phone, or in person; scheduling tours and stepping in for walk-in requests when Director is unavailable; grow visibility on online lab marketplaces; support in building out space proposals.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate will be service-minded, reliable, and clever and possess the following characteristics:

• Able to work independently while communicating effectively, both written and verbally, with team­ members and clients alike. Personable, happy to help others, and naturally drawn to a very busy, ever­ evolving environment.

• A collaborative mindset in working with members, partners, and community organizations. We value team-based leadership and often complete projects, events, and long term strategic goals amongst staff, community stakeholders, and partner organizations.

• A commitment to work that you consider “mission” based. You see your work is an opportunity to make a powerful contribution to a larger effort in the startup, technology, and innovation ecosystem.

• Detail-oriented and organized, with solid time management skills.

• Comfortable with uncertainty and last minute changes, while also being comfortable asking for help. You have a resilient mindset and approach to projects even when things don’t go as planned.

• A willingness to perform an array of administrative tasks coupled with an ability to play “back­up” to other members of the team.

• A balanced presence around all people, from clients to guests to colleagues to vendors.

• An understanding of audio/visual equipment and readiness to develop expertise for new and emerging technologies.

• An understanding of event data tracking systems similar to CRM, Tripleseat, or other tools that measure success and collect event experience feedback.

• Creative eye for design and outreach methods of engagement. Experience with social media and design tools and willingness to expand skill set.

YOU HAVE

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

• Five years of experience coordinating events (experience with social justice, community organizing, or community building strongly preferred).

• Understanding of Baltimore and community organizations and engagement is preferred.

• Experience in event promotion and engagement strategies, data collection, and collaborative relationships.

• Flexibility to occasionally work evenings and weekends and to attend community events on behalf of Connect Labs, Baltimore.

• A natural interest in helping and supporting others.

• An interest in a long-term role; we are a growing company, and we like to hire people who can grow with us over the years.

OUR OFFER

• Starting compensation is commensurate with experience.

• 100% company paid premium healthcare and dental benefits.

• 100% company paid long and short-term disability, and life insurance.

• 401k (must be 21+).

• 23 days of PTO accrued annually (more with seniority) plus thirteen holidays from the start.

ATTRACTIONS OF THE JOB

In addition to helping our clients achieve great things, we work to ensure that our employees are healthy and supported. 

Some of the benefits of being here include: 

• Fun people in a dynamic space. We pride ourselves on finding driven and bright collaborators who are eager to lend their own unique skills to the team, as well as to our inspiring clientele. The number one reason CICers say they like working here is because of their colleagues!

• Personal growth. This is a great opportunity to learn and develop skills within the epicenter of the innovation community at a growing company.

• Discounted services and memberships on tools to make your life happier/healthier such as gym memberships, tech and design support, hotel stays, and other fantastic options.

ABOUT CONNECT LABS BY WEXFORD

Connect Labs by Wexford is a flexible, scale-in-place lab and innovation infrastructure located within Wexford’s dynamic and amenity-rich Knowledge Communities. Specifically created for emerging and growth companies in the life sciences, computational, engineering, and energy industries, Connect Labs offers pre-built and furnished lab, support, and office space with a purposefully curated set of amenities, services, and shared equipment that provides companies the space to grow and attract talent; specialized equipment to leverage and conserve capital; intentional proximity to peers, experts and potential strategic partners; and opportunities to conduct research to improve the human condition and drive economic impact. Connect Labs is currently in Phoenix with additional locations coming soon, including Baltimore. To learn more, please visit wexfordconnectlabs.com.

ABOUT CIC

CIC is a global leader in building and operating innovation communities. Founded in 1999 in Cambridge, MA, CIC is one of the first companies to offer flexible office and lab space, providing a platform for the world’s most impactful entrepreneurs to innovate better and faster. In 2013, CIC’s CEO and founder Tim Rowe co-founded LabCentral, the nation’s premier shared wet-lab facility in Kendall Square, which served as the basis for the shared lab model we offer at select CIC Innovation Campuses today. 

We have locations in Boston, Cambridge, Philadelphia, Providence, St. Louis, Berlin, Rotterdam, Warsaw, and Tokyo and are growing into other cities within the US and abroad. CIC has supported over 10,000 startups, growth companies, and branches of larger organizations, representing for-profit, mission-driven, and non-profit sectors across a wide array of industries.  

CIC is committed to building teams that reflect the fabric of the cities we support. We welcome all candidates regardless of race, color, ancestry, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, Veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Any other human expressions and experiences not mentioned here are equally welcome. If you require an accommodation please let us know. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.