Senior Manager, Conferences and Events, Bloomberg Center for Cities

Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University

The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The Center's cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The Center is designed to have practical impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world's people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the planning, design, and execution of center events and convenings, managing logistics, operations, staffing, timelines, and resource allocation across in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.
• Lead the end-to-end planning and development of event concepts and experiences in partnership with faculty, scholars, and speakers, translating academic content into engaging and accessible programming for diverse audiences.
• Lead budget and financial oversight of $1.4M center event budget including allocation of budget to events, convenings, reconciling expense and responsible for financial planning of for event calendar.
• Lead communication and coordination with HKS partners, including catering, facilities, IT/media services, and security, while overseeing vendor relationships and ensuring seamless event execution.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve event planning systems, operational processes, timelines, and project management tools to support a robust and growing events portfolio.
• Lead planning and coordination meetings with faculty, speakers, city leaders, university partners, and external stakeholders, serving as a key point of contact throughout the event lifecycle.
• Provide leadership and oversight for event budgets, financial tracking, staffing plans, vendor contracts, and allocation of external resources to ensure responsible fiscal stewardship and operational efficiency.
• Partner closely with the Center's Communications team to develop event branding, promotional materials, audience engagement strategies, and post-event communications.
• Manage collaboration with external production teams and technical vendors to support high-quality live-streamed, recorded, and hybrid event experiences.
• Anticipate, troubleshoot, and resolve operational and technical challenges during event planning and execution, exercising sound judgment under pressure.
• Lead the development and finalization of presentations, briefing materials, run-of-show documents, speaker materials, and related event content in collaboration with faculty and speakers.
• Manage post-event follow-up activities, including stakeholder communications, data collection, reporting, reconciliation, and coordination with Communications to distribute event recordings and related materials.
• Evaluate event outcomes and audience engagement metrics, using data and feedback to recommend improvements and enhancements to future programming.
• Operate independently in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating exceptional attention to detail, initiative, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with limited oversight.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• 6 years of relevant professional experience with progressive responsibility in event-production
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends as needed

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Demonstrated excellence in translating academic content into compelling educational sessions, events, and convenings for diverse audiences
• Proven track record of leading and executing complex, high-profile events and convenings involving multiple stakeholders
• Experience working in cities, local government, or adjacent community organizations with a strong understanding of urban challenges is highly preferred
• Extensive knowledge of events operations and process design
• Ability to drive towards big picture goals while maintaining extraordinary attention to detail
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives from concept through execution
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and coordinate effectively across internal teams, faculty, and external partners
• A strong work ethic and resolute integrity
• Excellent interpersonal skills that resonate with diverse stakeholders
• Strong relationship-management skills and the ability to build credibility with faculty, senior leaders, and external stakeholders
• Ability to maintain effectiveness under scrutiny and pressure, and willingness to do what it takes to get work done
• Skill in written communications, content development

• Appointment End Date: This position is a fully benefits eligible term appointment through June 30, 2028, with the strong possibility of renewal.
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard…