Events and Organizational Initiatives Specialist

Join Our Team as an Events and Organizational Initiatives Specialist at the International Republican Institute (IRI)!

ABOUT IRI

The International Republican Institute (IRI) advances democracy and freedom. We link people with their governments, support politicians to be responsive to citizens, and motivate those citizens to engage in the political process.

At IRI, every employee plays a crucial role in advancing our mission across the globe. We’re looking for passionate individuals who embody our Core Values and are eager to contribute to our dynamic team. Our values include:

• Respect: We lead with trust, empathy, and dignity; empowering colleagues and partners.
• Teamwork: We collaborate across teams; solve problems together; are humble and ready to learn.
• Ownership: We take initiative; champion solutions; deliver results for IRI’s mission.
• Excellence through Execution: We balance thoughtfulness with timeliness; learn from results; prioritize progress over perfection.
• Transparency: We share information openly; give direct feedback; build trust through honest communication.
• Freedom: We are empowered to make decisions, try new approaches, and adapt as needed.

ABOUT THE ROLE: EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES SPECIALIST

The Events and Organizational Initiatives Specialist will assist with the full lifecycle of IRI events, including event coordination and management, communications and marketing, and vendor relations and logistics, with the goal of raising awareness of IRI’s story, work, and mission around the world. The Events and Organizational Initiatives Specialist will also support events at the Events Center in IRI’s Headquarters Office Building that are not directly affiliated with IRI.

This position reports to the Senior Manager for External Engagement and Development, and will work closely with the Executive Vice President and others across IRI.  

This position is located in Washington, DC. The Events and Organizational Initiatives Specialist is expected to work in-office three or more days per week.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate and assist with all aspects of organizing and implementing all types of events and meetings, including internal IRI events, IRI events with external stakeholders, and non-IRI events at the Headquarters Building;
• Manage the IRI events calendar;
• Draft and send invitations to, and track responses, for IRI events and assist with coordinating other outbound communications to external audiences;
• Coordinate with IRI staff, event co-hosts, sponsors, and partners on all aspects of events, including venue requirements, event technology, signage and branding, invitations, registration systems, and other event materials;
• Develop event materials, including logistics and staffing plans, event checklists, and run of shows;
• Coordinate preparation for events and meetings, including leading room set up and break down;
• Coordinate walkthroughs of the HQ Event Center for prospective users, explaining room capabilities and set-up options;
• Collaborate with the Government and External Affairs team on event outreach and promotion;
• Measure, track, and report on event outcomes, including event surveys and attendance tracking; 
• Work with vendors and process contracts and payments to and for vendors;
• Participate in events and event preparation at other venues, outside of the office;
• Support contact management systems and maintaining contact lists;
• Provide logistical support for organizational initiatives; May require occasional work outside of standard business hours; 
• Other responsibilities as assigned. 

Note: This post is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required in this role. Further details of the role will be shared during the recruitment process.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We seek a passionate and experienced individual with:

• Minimum 3 years of experience directly assisting with in-person and virtual events of all sizes with diverse stakeholders and audiences; 
• Experience organizing events including coordinating staff, volunteers, vendors, and others contributing to the execution of events; 

• Ability to think strategically while also focusing on and executing details; 
• Professional demeanor and excellent interpersonal skills to represent IRI and interface with external stakeholders; 
• Experience with contact management systems and virtual events platforms; experience with HubSpot and Eventbrite are a plus.
• Strong time management skills and demonstrated attention to detail; 
• Strong oral and written communications skills, including the ability to lead logistics meetings, liaise with vendors, and prepare event-related materials (checklists, logistics documentation, reports, and meeting summaries);
• Strong task management and organizational skills with the ability to set priorities and balance competing demands;
• Basic understanding or willingness to learn about A/V systems for events;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word) as well as Teams, Zoom, and SharePoint.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience implementing communications and/or marketing in support of events;
• Bachelor’s degree.

IRI TOTAL COMPENSATION

The anticipated compensation range for this position is $60,000 to $76,000 USD.

The salary for this position is determined based on a wide variety of factors including but not limited to an individual’s professional experience, qualifications, education and other business needs along with internal equity considerations. Employees are not typically hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are made based on the aforementioned considerations.

WE OFFER

An empathetic and dedicated work environment with generous benefits that demonstrates IRI’s commitment to all dimensions of employee wellness, including:

• Health and Wellness Support: Significant coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance costs. Meaningful assistance programs through an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) and Rula (access to mental health experts).
• Long-term Financial Health: Retirement plan with generous employer contribution (vested after 12 months).
• Hybrid Work: Employees typically work in-office three days per week and telework two days per week.
• Time Off: Company-paid holidays, parental leave, generous vacation, sick, and personal leave days.
• Family Support: Dependent Care FSA
• Learning and Development Opportunities: Annual allowance for professional development courses and seminars along with access to world-class e-learning via eCornell.
• Compensation Equity: Regular competitive review of internal and external equity to ensure fairness in pay for employees working in similar jobs requiring comparable knowledge, skills, and experience.

Benefits, professional development, and flexibility offerings may vary based on employment classification and location.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS – RESUME, COVER LETTER, REFERENCES

In your application, please include a copy of your most up-to-date resume along with a cover letter that outlines your background and explains why you are interested in this opportunity. Additionally, please include the contact details of at least 2-3 professional references. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact your references before the final interview.