Event Manager - Cambridge, MA

About The Role:

The Marketing & Communications (M&C) department is seeking an experienced planner to join the team as an Event Manager. This role is a great opportunity for individuals with an accomplished history of delivering successful, dynamic, and on-budget events to implement VentureWell’s event strategy, planning, and execution. The Event Manager will join a team of thirteen full-time M&C staff and report to a Senior Event Manager.

This role is a hybrid role and will require working in person from our Cambridge office at least three days per week. This role requires approximately 25% travel. 

Responsibilities:

Scoping, planning, and management

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to identify scope, goals, and logistical considerations for annual conferences, meetings, multi-day events, virtual events, and webinars
• Lead the coordination and execution of events to ensure they are on-time, on-budget, engaging, and designed to deliver on programmatic goals
• Develop event budgets in collaboration with project and finance teams
• Develop comprehensive project plan and timeline for event deliverables
• Contribute to organization-wide event calendar
• Lead venue selection and site visits
• Stay current, and often ahead of the curve, on event planning, design, and production trends, proactively identifying and solving operational challenges

Contract & vendor management

• Foster and maintain contacts with full complement of vendors to ensure consistent delivery of goods and services to meet event demands
• Lead the negotiation of contracts with event venues and vendors (food, transportation, audio/visual, etc.)
• Ensure full compliance with insurance, legal, health, and safety obligations
• Anticipate and budget for audio visual technology needs, food & beverage, meeting materials, and equipment rentals

Event design and logistics

• Lead event design and production, including catering, audio/visual, room layout, and special event and sponsor/vendor spaces 
• Oversee attendee experiences from conception through post-event, managing on-site preparations, production, and event breakdown, ensuring consistent, high-level service throughout all phases
• Serve as on-site face of events and lead logistician; liaise with venue event contacts to proactively solve for emergent issues pre-, during, and post-event.
• With hotel and vendor contacts, create Banquet Event Orders, menus, accommodation(s) booking, and rooming lists
• Contribute to design of networking events and event schedule development
• Collaborate with M&C team to ensure that all aspects of event(s) reflect the event brand and theme; provide event information as needed to M&C team for event promotion and contribute event expertise in review of M&C materials 
• Develop comprehensive event staffing plan; coordinate activities and travel for internal staff as needed
• Ensure all events provide universal access to attendees, including accommodations including ASL interpretation, wheelchair access, assistive listening devices, closed captions, large print, etc. 

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• A minimum of 5 years event planning experience
• Proven experience as an events planner or organizer
• Excellent contingency-planning skills
• Sound judgment, a high degree of integrity, and professional discretion
• Experience with virtual, hybrid, and in-person event design
• Impressive portfolio of previously managed events
• Excellent time management, project management, and communication skills
• Ability to build productive, collaborative business relationships
• Ability to manage multiple projects independently
• Experience managing successful events with federal partners that require navigating complex government requirements and specifications preferred.
• Willingness to travel as needed (approximately 25%)

Across the Board, VentureWell Staff:

• Are able to succeed and thrive in an environment with competing and changing priorities and tight deadlines
• Have track records of and ability to build solid collaborative working relationships, and are proven team players who enjoy a “customer service” orientation to collaboration
• Are committed to embedding equity in our internal practices and culture and in our programs in order to live and achieve our mission
• Bring openness and engagement to personal, professional, and organization-wide learning on race, class, gender, justice, and equity
• Are curious and committed to issues of environmental sustainability
• Are self-starters with excellent attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality work 
• Are active learners who independently learn new tools and work processes quickly
• Have excellent written and oral communication skills

Our Benefits:

• An attractive and equitable compensation package, including: 
• a salary range of $75-90K commensurate with experience and internal equity
• 403 (b) with 200% match up to a maximum contribution from VentureWell of 10% when the employee puts it 5% (eligible after one year of service for the match)
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• $1,000 home office stipend upon hire

• A true focus on work-life balance with work weeks that reflect that
• It’s our aim for our employees in this position to not work more than a 40-hour work week 
• 20 paid vacation days PLUS the week off between Christmas and New Years
• 12 paid wellness days 

What We Offer:

• A culture where people work intentionally and collaboratively in pursuit of our mission  
• Values we believe in
• A commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion