Country: Switzerland
Closing date: 16 Aug 2019
About the IAS:
The International AIDS Society (IAS) leads collective action on every front of the global HIV response through its membership base, scientific authority and convening power. Founded in 1988, the IAS is the world’s largest association of HIV professionals, with members in more than 170 countries. Working with its members, the IAS advocates and drives urgent action to reduce the impact of HIV. The IAS is also the steward of the world’s most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science, and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference.
The IAS promotes and invests in HIV advocacy and research on key issue areas through our strategic programmes, initiatives, and campaigns that advocate for urgent action to reduce the global impact of HIV, including increased investment in HIV cure research; optimizing treatment and care for infants, children and adolescents with HIV in resource-limited settings; preventing and treating HIV-related co-infections; and expanding access to prevention, treatment and care for key populations vulnerable to HIV acquisition – such as men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers and transgender people – including protecting their human rights by combatting punitive laws and discriminatory policies.
More information on IAS can be found at www.iasociety.org.
About AIDS 2020:
The International AIDS Conference is the premier global platform to advance the HIV response. As the world’s largest conference on HIV and AIDS, it sits uniquely at the intersection of science, advocacy and human rights, bringing together scientists, policy makers, healthcare professionals, people living with HIV, funders, media and community. Since its start in 1985, the conference continues to serve as an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to HIV and related epidemics. The 23rd International AIDS Conference – known as AIDS 2020 – will be hosted in San Francisco and Oakland, US, on 6-10 July 2020 with the theme, Resilience. AIDS 2020 will gather more than 20,000 participants from more than 170 countries.
More information on AIDS 2020 can be found at www.aids2020.org.
Details of Employment:
The Pre-Conference Project Manager position will be based in Geneva, Switzerland and report to the Senior Manager, Congress and Exhibition. The position is full-time and fixed-term to start from 16 September 2019 to 14 August 2020.
Purpose of the Position:
Pre-conferences are meetings held for 1 to 2 days that focus on HIV or AIDS-related issues. Pre-conferences range from around 100 to more than 1’000 participants, can be open or invite-only meetings, and engage participants in population or issue-specific programming developed by the pre-conference organizers.
The Pre-Conference Project Manager will be responsible for managing and leading the implementation of the pre-conference integration with the main programme of the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020). The incumbent will be responsible for relationship management, preparing contractual agreements for signature, coordinating with individual pre-conference organizers regarding their pre-conference needs, coordinating the invoicing and payments, keeping track of the budget and onsite logistical management.
More information on AIDS 2020 can be found at www.aids2020.org.
Main Responsibilities:
- Manage the call for proposals/letters of interest online
- Select a pre-determined number of pre-conferences in line with organizational goals and capacity
- Prepare and ensure contracts are signed with all selected pre-conference organizers
- Coordinate pre-conference descriptions and online announcement after selection
- Maintain/update the webpage for pre-conferences
- Create a database of pre-conference organizers’ room requirements and manage allocation of space
- Develop relationship with pre-conference organizers, serve as point of contact for pre-conference organizers, and regularly communicate with pre-conference organizers
- Manage pre-conference organizer’s needs for room and stage layout, build-up, AV and signage and make sure that possible special set ups, AV requirements and signage requests do not conflict with conference requirements
- Liaise on pre-conference requirements with the appropriate Congress and Exhibition Project Manager to ensure they are place (or directly with the venue or the appropriate supplier, as applicable)
- Facilitate registration, accommodation, hostesses, printing, catering, interpretation, and accessibility (and any additional needs as required) with pre-conference organisers and suppliers
- Coordinate the invoicing and payments in accordance with the amounts payable per contract and potential additional orders
- Onsite coordination to ensure a smooth running of the pre-conferences
- Update the project manual and participate in a post-conference assessment.
Perform any additional task requested by the Senior Manager, Congress and Exhibition
Academic Qualifications:
· A degree in social science, international relations or other relevant discipline or comparable years of experience in the field.
Work Experience:
· At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in a similar role, preferably in the non-profit sector
· Experience in project management, development and delivery
· Experience in organizing, coordinating and planning a significant community event and/or conference event, preferably at an international level
· Experience working with and supporting committees; group and process facilitation skills
· Experience working collaboratively with multi-sector stakeholders and diverse groups.
Skills/Competencies:
- Excellent understanding of event management
- Excellent organizational, problem solving, interpersonal, cross cultural and team skills
- Excellent communication skills, including speaking, writing and presenting in English
- Strong relationship building at all levels
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines under pressure in an intense, complex, multi-stakeholder environment
- Strong negotiation and diplomacy skills
· Be able to work a flexible work schedule
- Strong computer skills in the Windows environment (particularly Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
· Ideally previous exposure to and/or familiarity with HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care issues.
Languages:
- Strong and demonstrated English language communication skills both written and oral are essential for this position
- Knowledge of other languages is a plus.
How to apply:
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and a cover letter, in English and by email only, torecruitment@iasociety.orgby Friday, 16 August 2019. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Only candidates from Switzerland, from an EU/EFTA country or candidates already having a valid Swiss working permit will be considered.
IAS employees are evidence-based, human rights-focused, inclusive and accountable partners in the HIV response. Candidates should display genuine commitment to IAS values (learn more here).
The IAS is committed to recruiting and sustaining a skilled, effective, diverse and gender-balanced secretariat, and to the greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA) in all aspects of its work. People living with HIV are strongly encouraged to apply.