Events Manager, Signature Events

Who We Are 

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. 

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.   

The Need 

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking an experienced Event Manager, to lead and execute key events in our signature events portfolio.  

The Manager, Signature Events leads the planning and execution of complex, high-priority events that advance IJM’s organizational goals and engage key audiences. In partnership with the Director and cross-functional stakeholders, this role co-creates event strategy and develops the creative and experience approach that brings event objectives to life. The Manager is accountable for bringing events from strategy through execution, leading teams, managing resources, and navigating complex stakeholder needs to deliver successful outcomes.   

This position requires a detail oriented and adaptable demeanor, with the confidence to lead teams both internal and external and work collaboratively across departments to deliver excellence.    

This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area or remote for non-local candidates. It reports to the Director, Signature Events, and is only available for candidates with the right to work in the US.  

Responsibilities: 

Strategy & Event Experience:  

• Partner with the Director and cross-functional stakeholders to translate event objectives into a cohesive creative and experience strategy; 

• Collaborate with creative and other teams to concept programmatic storytelling, audience journeys, and engagement opportunities that bring the event’s purpose and objectives to life; 

• Lead the translation of the experience strategy into an executable event plan, ensuring creative ideas are intentional, cohesive, and achievable;  

• Use audience insights, event performance, and industry knowledge to recommend opportunities for innovation and improvement; and 

• Support and guide overall event program planning, ensuring that event messages are consistent, clear and engaging for target audiences.  

Event Leadership & Communication  

• Own the end-to-end planning and execution of assigned complex and high-priority events; 

• Establish the project structure, workstreams, milestones, and accountability needed to deliver the event successfully; 

• Direct the integration of event components including programming, production, logistics, registration, guest experience, vendors, and onsite operations; 

• Anticipate risk and resolve complex issues, making timely decisions to protect event objectives, guest experience, and organizational priorities; 

• Lead cross departmental meetings and communication to ensure proper alignment across teams and ensure clarity of decisions, action items and necessary follow ups;  

• Prepare and help facilitate stakeholder briefings, including speaker/field and leadership briefings as necessary; and  

• Communicate professionally with all event stakeholders including internal, external and event audiences. 

Event Management & Production:  

• Develop and manage event budgets, event forecasting and resource plans; 

• Develop and manage event timelines, workstream ownership, task management, and production execution to ensure timely and successful delivery of outcomes;   

• Identify and build successful vendor and partner relationships across event deliverables;  

• Lead event closeout, including evaluation, financial reconciliation, reporting, and documentation of key learnings; 

• Understand internal procurement processes and ensure timely processing of event invoices and contracts; 

• Manage the research and identification of event venues and suppliers;  

• Understand and utilize IJM registration platform to build event pages, promote event details and track ongoing registrations;  

• Lead and manage set-up, tear-down, and clean-up operations;  

• Ensure event compliance with insurance, legal, health, and safety obligations; and  

• Conduct post-event debriefs across each audience type (i.e. Stakeholders, producers, speakers, etc.).  

Documentation, Reporting & Data Management:  

• Develop and utilize project planning materials including budgets, timelines, trackers and production decks and contribute to ongoing improvement of team templates and resources.  

• Direct the development of registration pages or webforms to capture donor event data effectively & efficiently.   

• Manage events in Teamwork or other digital project management software from end to end (i.e., project build out to ongoing task management through project close out.)  

• Manage event reporting to show progress v. goals and budget v. actuals and any post-event KPIs.  

Clerical and Administration:  

• Ensure scheduling of all event-related meetings;  

• Submit, track and approve project expenses; and  

• Registration reporting.  

General:  

• Participate in IJM’s community of spiritual formation. 

Qualifications:  

• 8+ years’ experience planning and executing high-profile, single and multi-day, in-person events;  

• Bachelor’s degree required;  

• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex events involving multiple teams, stakeholders, vendors, and workstreams;  

• Demonstrated experience developing creative event experiences and translating strategy into execution;  

• Demonstrated experience managing event budgets and making resource and tradeoff decisions;  

• Experience leading teams, project teams, or complex cross-functional initiatives;  

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office suite;  

• Advanced proficiency with Bizzabo event registration platform or similar software programs;  

• Proficiency with Teamwork or other digital project management software preferred; and 

• Ability to travel up to 20%.   

Critical Qualities: 

• Ability to plan and execute simultaneous, large scale events with minimal oversight;  

• Strategic and creative thinker who connects organizational objectives to audience experience;  

• Strong judgment and ability to make decisions in complex and ambiguous environments;  

• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills;  

• Strong verbal and written communication;  

• Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities;  

• Proactive problem solver who anticipates challenges and identifies solutions;  

• Eager commitment to IJM’s Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building; and  

• Strong preference for candidates located in DMV.  

Application Process:  

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document. 

*What is a statement of faith? 
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship. 

What does IJM have to offer? 

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits 

• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area 

• Retirement benefit options  

• Paid leave starting at 23 days 

• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior) 

• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation 

• Robust staff care resources 

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes. 

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed. 

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.