Senior Manager, Event Operations

National Geographic Society•Washington, DC

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp), which will be completed in 2026. The public-facing portion of this renovation will be the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration. Components of the new museum will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard. The Senior Manager, Event Operations leads the Event Operations within the Hospitality and Retail department for the Museum of Exploration. Tasks to include ensuring the efficient execution of internal and external events held at the museum and across the National Geographic campus. Coordinating with event support teams to ensure accurate sequencing of pre and post event procedures to achieve the highest level of guest satisfaction. This role reports to the Sr. Director of Hospitality and Retail on the Operations team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree Preferred
5+ years of event operations experiences preferably in a museum or visitor attraction setting.
Experience in developing event operations procedures and strategy
Ability to lead cross-functional teams
Keen attention to detail
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
Strong written and oral communication skills
Be able to repetitively lift 50 lbs
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workplace tools

Nice To Haves

Experience in supervising a team
Proactive customer service mindset
Ability to work nights and weekends

Responsibilities

Event Management & Execution (40%) Develop event operations procedures and strategy in support of the Society’s event business objectives
Lead the end-to-end execution of both internal and external event reservations, including overseeing setup, run of show, and breakdown.
Manage event logistics including coordinating with vendor load-in, catering setup, and A/V support
Serve as the event day primary point of contact and showrunner for clients and internal teams to ensure smooth operations and guest satisfaction.
Conduct pre-event walk-throughs to capture questions and feedback from vendors, internal teams, and clients.
Gather postend post event nightly report to key internal stakeholders
Coordination & Collaboration (25%) Lead weekly events and bookings meeting to confirm upcoming event needs and timing requirements for all internal service teams (AV, Janitorial, Catering, etc)
Coordinate with event services teams to ensure accurate staffing and dissemination of vital event information for staff working events
Ensure proper recording of required documentation include collection of COI, release forms, and other relevant event documents
Leadership (20%) Provide operational instruction to onsite support teams (AV, Visitor Experience, Janitorial, vendors, and others) during event setup, execution, and teardown / loadout.
Provide feedback to support team leaders about the effectiveness and service quality of support team members; suggest areas for process improvement.
Safety (10%) Maintain compliance with accessibility, building regulations, and safety for event planning and execution.
Technology (5%) Utilize Event Management System software to approve reservations, track requests, and plan

Benefits

medical, dental, and vision insurance
engaging and comprehensive wellness program
401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment
flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave
12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31
paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits
learning and development opportunities
Lifestyle Spending Account
pet adoption assistance and insurance
pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy
employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit
a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks