Event Coordinator, Public Sector Operations (4 month temporary assignment)

(Temporary position, 1 October 2024 to 31 January 2025, Geneva-based)

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Why we are recruiting

The Centre for Regions, Trade and Geopolitics (CRTG) is responsible for building the Forum’s leadership position in (informal) global diplomacy, humanitarian affairs and regional strategies. It is also accountable for all regional activities and for coordinating and curating the international organization and government communities, which include heads of state and government, heads of international organizations, cabinet ministers and other government officials.

Within CRTG is the Public Sector Operations team, which provides central support to the centre’s 40+ team members who in turn manage the Forum’s direct engagement with governments and international organizations. Public Sector Operations acts as a hub, connecting regional team members with key stakeholders, both internally and externally. While the regional teams manage the strategy and approach of engagement with public figures, our team manages the operations aspects, including process design & administration, software & tools, knowledge bases, and data, among others.

Our activities are largely categorized into four work streams: digital excellence, data quality, data-driven decision making and event coordination for both in-person and virtual meetings. For in-person events, we coordinate logistical aspects of the public figure journey, from creating and issuing formal correspondence to interacting with stakeholders such as the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Swiss Federal Police, and various external suppliers. Our on-site responsibilities during events also bring us into direct contact with public figures and their support teams.

The Event Coordinator will report to the Lead of Public Sector Operations, and will be directly responsible for various operational aspects of the Forum’s Annual Meeting, as well as supporting regional teams throughout the preparations of the event.

Main responsibilities

• Ensure key data presence (flights, accommodation dates, transport requests, etc.)
• Coordinate flights and transport information between Zurich Airport Services, Forum regional teams and the public figure delegations
• Monitor meeting requests for public figures, audit and manage meeting room allocation
• Coordinate the country flag display and its implementation with the congress centre
• Design and implement the protocol seating strategy for selected plenary sessions
• Support and train regional teams in event-related operations; develop and update training materials accordingly
• Gather feedback and identify bottlenecks on our operational processes
  

The successful candidate will be assessed on

• Team spirit, flexibility, service-mindedness, and commitment to the collective output of team effort
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, resilience
• Ability to work well within a team, yet autonomous and organized
• Ability to function in an unpredictable and changeable environment
• Ability to quickly learn and then effectively convey a large amount of information to team members
• Analytical and robust critical thinking; attention to detail

Preferred requirements and experience

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in hospitality, business administration, strategy management or a similar field
• 3 years’ relevant professional experience with a track record in operations management, project management or process implementation, along with related technological skills
• Fluent English skills
• Candidates with the following characteristics will be prioritized:
  • Fluency in other UN languages
  • Advanced skills in MS Excel and other Office365 tools
  • Experience working with Salesforce
  • Customer service or hospitality experience

Why work at the Forum:

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!