Events Manager

SAIGONCHILDREN – ORGANISATION PROFILE

Saigonchildren is a UK registered charity working exclusively in Vietnam. The vision for saigonchildren is to remove barriers to education in Vietnam. Our mission is that:

“Saigonchildren enables disadvantaged children in Vietnam to reach their full potential through receiving a quality education relevant to their needs.”

Saigonchildren is committed to the education of disadvantaged children from Tra Vinh on the southern coast to Tuyen Quang in the far north of Vietnam. We help by providing access to a good education and able to sustain themselves and their families.

Education is the most lasting and effective way we can help children and their families to escape from the cycle of poverty and it represents a double investment – an investment in the children but also an investment in the future of Vietnam. Saigonchildren has built up a reputation as a strong and effective NGO.

Saigonchildren builds schools where there are none or only the most basic provision; we provide scholarships and support to individual children from primary school to university and vocational training; we work with children with autism and other disabilities to provide access to education and we also support local Vietnamese organisations that support children with disabilities.

Job Title: Events Manager

Reports to: Head of Fundraising and Communications (HFC)

Key role and responsibilities

The Events Manager is a member of Fundraising and Communication Department reporting to HFC. You will work in close harmony with the HFC as well as other key saigonchildren senior managers such as the Director, the Head of Programmes, and especially Programmes Manager and Officer. The post holder’s principle responsibilities include:

Events:

Develop with the HFC the annual events planning that includes
- Meeting annual agreed audience, income and expenditure targets
- Meeting standards of quality and performance for communication and events execution
- Controlling and managing all outsourced relationships
- Financial reporting

Overseeing event management and planning from concept to execution including facilitating the creation of event concept to developing a project/event plan, communicating with Events Committee, ensuring the plan is implemented on time and within budget; liaison with vendors
Develop event concept, and creative direction of deliverables
Guarantee the execution of all events action planning
Develop and execute PR plan in consultation with HFC to maximize the publicity and fundraising results of our events
Works with FCM to maximize effect of Challenge Days activities
Guarantee donor’s database management following events
Coordinate, supervise and train events volunteers

Volunteers

We are fortunate to have many volunteers who offer to help with everything from translation, programmes’ activities, to updating the database. We are keen to ensure that they find their commitment not only useful and absorbing but positive too. Managing them is an important function for the Events Manager role. Policy and guidelines are in place to help manage this with the Head of Finance and Administration.

Others

Other tasks are required by the HFC to fulfil department’s objectives.

Person specification

Excellent verbal and written communicator and presenter, creative thinker and team player
Strong project management and organizational skills
Strong interest in the organization's mission
High level of comfort with PR, Media and event conceptualization
Experience planning and implementing special events and working with volunteers

Required:

Vietnamese national with a university degree
A minimum of three years of work experience
Experience in events planning
Have a sense of branding and effective production of printing materials
Possess these skills: Creative thinker, time management, negotiation, self-management and have a can-do attitude
Proven track record of achieving results
Excellent verbal and good written communication skills (in English and Vietnamese)
Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Tools

Core staff responsibilities

The Events Manager will work closely with 5 other core team members. We work as a team where responsibilities and work are shared across the team. Developing relationships and networks with potential donors and with event participants is essential, as is ensuring events are delivered to saigonchildren standards on deadline. There will therefore be a need for some weekend and evening work in this role.

Our current fundraising events that this post will involve include:

Mass participation events e.g – The Steps Challenge organized in May to raise awareness and funds for children with autism in Vietnam.
In 2009 we launched our first ever saigonchildren Summer Ball. This is held in annually.
We support fundraising events held by other organisations, who require specialist help to maximinse income
Charity Cycle Adventure – introduced successfully in 2010 this ‘peer-to-peer’ event continues to develo and scope for further expansion.

Internal relationships

As a key member of the saigonchildren team you will also need to liaise closely with all of your colleagues, specifically:

1. Programme departments

Liaise regularly with Programme Managers, Head of Programmes to check latest project needs and developments.
Work with programme department to develop effective project communication.
Remind and support programme with reporting and communication exposure.

2. Admin & Finance department