Events Manager (0.5 FTE)

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

4d•$75,000 - $92,064•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Biostatistics has an outstanding opportunity for a 0.5 FTE Events Manager (Program Operations Specialist) to join their team. Reporting to the Senior Research Scientist, the Events Manager has primary responsibility for planning the logistics and delivery of In-Person Meetings (IPMs) for the Genetic Analysis Center (GAC) team projects. The Events Manager is part of the GAC program operations team, and as such is a key team member to ensure the successful and smooth operation of the GAC coordinating centers (CC). This position requires the ability to travel domestically to in-person meetings, to represent the GAC Coordinating Center to all consortium members and NIH staff, and to serve as the main GAC contact for vendors at these meetings. The salary information provided below is for a full-time position and will be prorated for this part-time, 50% FTE opportunity.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Science, or other scientific or communications/business field, or equivalent experience.
2 years’ experience in project management, events management, hospitality, or a related field.
Demonstrated ability to learn and master new software tools/technologies quickly.
Track record of working independently, exercising sound judgment, and proactively developing solutions in fast-paced, evolving, and sometimes ambiguous environments.
Highly organized and detail oriented, track record of managing multiple priorities, adapting to changing deadlines, and consistently delivering high-quality results while maintaining focus on broader goals and deliverables.
Strong communication, customer service, and interpersonal skills, with professionalism in written, verbal, virtual, and in-person interactions; able to work effectively both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Quick learner with experience in rapidly adapting to new work environments and develop a working understanding of project scope and subject matter.
Experience and demonstrated expertise using Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides) and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) products, as well as email and calendaring (Outlook and Gmail).
Demonstrated expertise using Zoom (or similar technology) to host virtual meetings, including break-out rooms, recordings and other advanced Zoom options.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience organizing and implementing IPMs or other events.
Prior experience working with event vendors (e.g. hotels, catering, audio-visual) and involvement in the contract process.
Prior experience in vendor contract review and managing and/or tracking budgets.
Experience working in a scientific (ideally genetics research or other collaborative biomedical research) environment.
Experience working at a large university and/or with governmental (e.g. NIH-funded) grants and projects.
Experience using an email ticketing system (especially Help Scout), Slack and Asana or other project management or communication software.

Responsibilities

Envision, plan, and manage the IPM logistics, exercising independent judgment and decision making as the coordinating center internal expert to design, develop, and deliver successful events for national and international consortia gatherings.
Lead the planning and execution of all aspects of meeting logistics, including scheduling, room setup, registration, catering, and attendee experience.
Serve as the primary on-site coordinator during meetings by overseeing setup and system testing, managing registration and daily logistics, coordinating vendors, and handling post-event breakdown and shipping.
Independently address unexpected issues and changing priorities with professionalism and creative problem solving to ensure smooth event delivery and a high-quality experience for all attendees.
Oversee meeting communications by developing, tracking, and responding to email and website inquiries from consortium members, NIH representatives, vendors, and other stakeholders.
Serve as the GAC lead to plan and communicate logistical details, meeting updates, and event information to ensure participants are informed and prepared.
Manage relationships with meeting vendors and contractors, including venues, lodging, catering, A/V providers, poster session support, security, and other event service providers.
Coordinate hybrid meeting technologies and work closely with A/V vendors to ensure all technical and virtual participation requirements are successfully implemented.
Serve as the primary liaison for vendors before and during meetings to ensure services are delivered on time, issues are resolved quickly, and contractual expectations are met.
Independently manage and track meeting expenses against approved budgets and provide regular updates, documentation, and reporting to the project manager and Principal Investigator (PI).
Develop and administer post-meeting evaluations and reporting processes to measure event success, gather participant feedback, and identify opportunities for improvement.
Maintain and update event planning documentation, templates, and standard operating procedures while staying informed on evolving federal, state, and local requirements that may impact meeting operations.
Provide operational support to the broader Program Operations, including managing shared communications, triaging and responding to member requests, and supporting virtual meeting setup and hosting through platforms such as Zoom.