Event & Conferences Officer

Job Posting Organization:
NATO DIANA is the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, established to find and accelerate innovation that provides decisive defence and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security effects for the Alliance. It operates with a Board of Directors representing all 32 NATO nations and an operational team known as the DIANA Executive (DX). The organization has offices in Europe and North America and leverages a network of military end users, accelerator sites, test centres, and experts to foster deep-tech innovation. DIANA promotes a dynamic and agile workplace that values innovative thinking, diversity, and performance excellence, aiming to create a positive, inclusive, and collaborative environment for its employees.

Job Overview:
The Event & Conferences Officer plays a crucial role in the planning, coordination, and delivery of DIANA's global events. This position requires the individual to act as the operational manager for event delivery, collaborating with various internal teams such as Accelerator, Communications, Legal, Security, Procurement, and Finance, as well as external event agencies, venues, suppliers, and host nation stakeholders. The role demands strong project management skills, as the officer will be responsible for ensuring that complex international events are executed on time, within budget, and to a high professional standard. The officer will support DIANA's strategic objectives of accelerating defence innovation adoption and strengthening connections within the Alliance's innovation ecosystem. The position reports to the Project Manager and involves managing multiple aspects of event delivery, including logistics, attendee management, and stakeholder engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties of the Event & Conferences Officer include managing the planning and delivery of DIANA’s global events, developing project plans, timelines, budgets, and risk management strategies. The officer will procure and manage event agencies, venues, and suppliers, overseeing logistics, staffing, catering, AV, security, branding, signage, transportation, and onsite operations. They will also manage registration and accreditation processes, ensuring a professional experience for participants. Coordination with internal and external stakeholders is essential to support agenda development and event flow. The officer will assist in security planning and onsite risk management, develop KPIs, evaluate event outcomes, and collaborate with the Communications Department for event marketing and branding. Additional duties may be assigned as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from a recognized university in a relevant field such as Event Management, Business Administration, or Project Management, along with at least 2 years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, candidates without a degree may qualify with a minimum of 6 years of extensive experience related to the role. Proven experience in delivering large-scale international events, project management expertise, and proficiency with event management tools are essential. Candidates should demonstrate strong organizational and problem-solving skills, effective communication abilities, and the capacity to build relationships with diverse stakeholders. Proficiency in NATO’s official languages is also required, with advanced proficiency in one language and beginner level in the other.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline such as Event Management, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Management Studies, or Project Management. This educational requirement is critical for understanding the complexities of event planning and management in a multinational context.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2 years of proven experience in delivering large-scale international events, encompassing all phases from planning to onsite execution and post-event evaluation. Candidates should have demonstrated project management expertise, including budget oversight, risk management, and coordination with cross-functional stakeholders. Experience managing event agencies and suppliers in an international context is also essential.

Languages:
Candidates must possess proficiency in NATO’s official languages, specifically achieving a minimum of V (Advanced) in one language and I (Beginner) in the other. Most internal communications at DIANA are conducted in English, making proficiency in this language particularly important.

Additional Notes:
The successful candidate will receive a definite duration contract of three years, with the possibility of extension. If seconded from a NATO member state's national administration, the contract may be renewed for an additional three years, subject to national authority agreement. The position offers a tax-free salary, excellent private health insurance, a NATO pension scheme, allowances for expatriate staff, and generous annual leave. The work environment is flexible, with options for teleworking, and all personnel are expected to adhere to NATO's Code of Conduct. The recruitment process is open only to nationals of NATO member countries, and applications must be submitted through the e-recruitment system.