The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB/the Bank) is seeking to recruit a dynamic professional for the role of Events and Conferences Officer (ECO). The successful candidate will be based at CDB’s headquarters in St. Michael, Barbados. 

THE DEPARTMENT 

The Department of Communications and Corporate Affairs (DCCA) portfolio includes corporate communications, corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate events, media and other stakeholder relations and supporting the advocacy work of the Bank. The Department shapes CDB’s internal and external voice and amplifies its impact through effective partnerships, high-impact thought leadership, and institutional storytelling. Core to the work of the Department is delivering programmes that inspire connection, ignite conversations, and advance CDB’s work and brand. 

THE ROLE

The ECO is a multifaceted role responsible for planning, organization, and delivery of conferences and events of the Bank both at Headquarters and beyond, including coordinating and ensuring logistics for the Bank’s Annual Board of Governors Meeting, and Annual News Conference. The ECO also facilitates the Bank’s participation in external events as required. This position plays a crucial role in ensuring seamless operations and successful outcomes for both internal and external initiatives. The ECO will collaborate with cross-functional teams, internal and external stakeholders, and vendors to achieve event objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The ECO is responsible for the following:

Event Planning & Execution

• Strategically plan, organise, and deliver internal and external conferences, meetings, and events including leading on contractual negotiations and vendor management.
• Ensure all logistics (floor plans, seating arrangements, technical requirements) are in place and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Anticipate and resolve issues during events, implementing contingencies as needed.

Annual Board of Governors Meeting Management

• Manage the planning and logistics of the Annual Board of Governors Meeting, including site visits, registration, guest accommodations, and effectively manage any programme adjustments.
• Ensure the Bank’s desired in-person guest list is prepared and finalised and that all communications, invitations, agendas, web pages and microsites are planned and executed in a timely manner; ensure timely completion of the Attendee-centered tools (e.g. registration site, Annual Meeting webpage, Annual Meeting Attendee App, etc.)
• Arrange and/or facilitate cross-organisational coordination of travel plans and logistics for event attendees, including itineraries, agendas, schedules, hotel, local transportation, and meeting accommodations as required.
• Oversee accommodation assignments being booked under the Bank’s Room Block where relevant (e.g. Governors, Directors, Senior Advisory Team, staff, guests, etc.)

Calendar & Scheduling Management

• Oversee the Bank’s events calendar, ensuring organisation-wide alignment and visibility.
• Ensure that internal and external conferences, meetings, and events for which the ECO is responsible, are scheduled in alignment with other Bank activities.

VIP Visits & Protocol

• Assist the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs in organising official visits by VIPs (Heads of State, ministers, etc.).

Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication

• Develop event concept notes, reports, and updates to keep stakeholders informed of progress.
• Establish and maintain a network of internal and external contacts to ensure seamless event coordination.

Post-Event Review & Improvement

• Conduct post-event evaluations to identify challenges and gather lessons learned for process improvement in future events.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate should have:

• A postgraduate degree in a relevant field such as Conference and Events Management, Logistics Management, International Relations, Marketing, Public Relations, Corporate Communications

• A minimum of six (6) years’ experience in planning, coordinating, and executing events and conferences in regional and/or international organisation or environment.
• Experience working with the operation of IT-based conference and event infrastructure platform.
• Experience with videoconferencing platforms, e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex, and others.

Function Specific Competencies

The ECO must demonstrate:

• Excellent negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English
• The ability to anticipate challenges and provide appropriate solutions (i.e., manage contingencies) by monitoring and supervising all stages of implementation.
• Effective organisational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and a strong propensity for innovation, creativity, and attention to detail.
• Familiarity with the technical and production support required for event execution including broadcast production, live streaming, and audio-visual support services
• Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise tasks, manage competing deadlines, and ensure efficient project execution.
• Strong leadership and diplomacy skills.
• Willingness to travel to event and conference locations as needed.

Organisational Competencies 

             The successful candidate should demonstrate a strong proficiency in the following competencies:   

Competency	Definition
Acting as a Champion for Change	Actively identifies problems and opportunities for change and implements solutions where appropriate. Maintains effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or the work environment; and supports people in their efforts to try new things.
Acting Decisively	Moves quickly to make decisions and commits to a clear course of action; comfortable making decisions based on partial information; willing to take risks in order to maintain momentum; shows a strong bias toward action.
Acting Strategically	Aligns day-to-day activities around broader organisational goals and objectives; prioritises resources based on the strategic objectives of the organisation; recognises and rewards people based on how their actions support the broader needs of the organisation.
Championing  Customer Needs	Calls attention to issues that impact customer satisfaction; views situations from the perspective of customers; encourages people to think about customers when making decisions and develops and sustains productive customer relationships.
Communicating  Effectively	Consistently communicates with clarity and thoroughness to optimise audience understanding. Communicates information in a clear, concise, and timely manner. Demonstrates effective speaking and presentation skills.
Delivering High  Quality Work	Critically reviews work processes to ensure quality; addresses problems that could impact quality; makes sure project deliverables and services meet all requirements and expectations; does not make the same mistakes twice.
Displaying Technical  Expertise	Keeps his/her technical skills current; effectively applies specialised knowledge and skills to perform work tasks; understands and masters the technical skills, knowledge, and tasks associated with his/her job; shares technical expertise with others.
Driving for Results	Bottom-line oriented and pushes self and others to achieve results. Keeps current on project status; makes sure people are aware of project status and what they need to do to keep things moving; redirects project resources and activities to overcome setbacks; elevates project concerns to senior levels of leadership when appropriate.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

This role is a full-time position with the successful candidate being contracted on a two-year basis in the first instance, with the possibility of renewal. 

The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.  The benefits package includes a pension plan, life and medical insurances.

Before you proceed to apply, please consider the following requirements: 

• You must be a national of one of CDB’s member countries.
• You will be required to produce evidence of any educational and professional qualifications to support your application if you are selected for an interview.
• All appointments are subject to satisfactory background checks and references.

CDB fully respects the need for confidentiality of information supplied and assures you that we will not discuss your background and interest with anyone including references, without your prior consent.

The deadline for submission of applications is October 31, 2024 at 11:59 pm AST. 

The Caribbean Development Bank is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious, cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, or disabilities. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Bank provides reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities who participate in the job application or interview process. Please contact us to request such accommodation.