Event & Conferences Officer

The Event & Conferences Officer is responsible for the end-to-end planning, coordination and delivery of DIANA's global events. The role acts as the operational manager for event delivery, working across multiple internal teams and external partners to ensure successful execution of complex international events on time, within budget, and to a high professional standard.

Responsibilities

• Manage the planning and delivery of DIANA’s global events, developing and managing project plans, timelines, budgets, risks, contingencies, and delivery schedules to ensure successful execution.
• Procure and manage event agencies, venues, and suppliers while overseeing all aspects of event delivery—including logistics, staffing, catering, AV, security, branding, signage, transportation, accessibility, and onsite operations—to ensure high-quality execution and effective coordination across all partners.
• Manage registration, accreditation, and attendee management processes, ensuring a professional participant experience from invitation through event closure.
• Coordinate and engage with internal and external stakeholders—including speakers, moderators, VIPs, suppliers, and cross-functional teams—to support agenda development, event flow, stakeholder communications, and onsite delivery, ensuring strategic objectives are achieved and all parties are proactively informed of event progress and status.
• Support security planning and onsite risk management activities in collaboration with DIANA security staff, host nations, venues and event partners.
• Develop and implement KPIs, working with teams to understand the strategic objectives across DIANA’s event portfolio.
• Manage the evaluation of event outcomes, capturing lessons learned and driving to continuous improvement across event strategies, processes, templates, and delivery frameworks.
• Collaborate with the Communications Department to develop event marketing, branding and communications plans and materials to ensure events are well-attended.
• Perform any other related duties as may be required.

Requirements

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree from a nationally recognised and accredited university in a relevant discipline, such as Event Management, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Management Studies, Project Management, or a related field, together with at least 2 years of relevant post-graduate professional experience.
• The lack of a university degree may be compensated by a minimum of 6 years of extensive and progressively responsible experience directly related to the duties of the post.
• Minimum 2 years’ proven relevant experience in delivering large-scale international events from planning through to onsite execution and post-event evaluation.
• Proven project management expertise, including the development and execution of plans, budget oversight, risk management and cross-functional stakeholder coordination.
• Demonstrated experience managing event agencies, venues, and a diverse range of internationally based suppliers, ensuring effective coordination, contract management, and high-quality service delivery.
• Demonstrated proficiency with project management, collaboration and event management platforms and tools.
• Demonstrated organisational and problem-solving skills with the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders and external partners.
• Possess the following minimum levels of NATO’s official languages (English/French): V (“Advanced”) in one; and I (“Beginner”) in the other.
• Understanding of defence, security, or dual-use innovation ecosystems, with experience supporting innovation-focused events, programmes, or accelerator initiatives (desirable).
• Experience engaging and collaborating with stakeholders from NATO, government, military, international organisations, industry, academia or the wider innovation community (desirable).
• Experience working in fast-paced international and multicultural environments with multiple stakeholders (desirable).
• Knowledge of NATO institutional framework, policies and procedures (desirable).

Skills

• Event Management
• Project Management
• Budget Oversight
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Contract Management
• Supplier Management
• Event Planning
• Onsite Event Execution
• Post-Event Evaluation
• Collaborative Platforms
• Event Management Platforms
• Organizational Skills
• Problem Solving
• International Event Delivery
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Communication with Leadership
• Defence Innovation Ecosystem Knowledge
• Multicultural Environment Experience
• NATO policy knowledge

Languages

English, French