Head of Conferences Services

I. Position information

Job Title:                                           Head of Conferences Services

Department:                                    Department of Global Operations

Reports to:                                        Assistant Secretary General 

Position Status:                              Professional 

Grade Level:                                     P4

Duty Station:                                    Brussels, Belgium

Family Duty Station:                     Yes

Date of Posting :                            27 May, 2026 

Closing Date:                                  26 June 2026 

Duration:                                           3 Years (Renewable once)

Type of assignment:                    Member of the Staff

II.           Context

Comprised of 79 member states from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) strives to achieve the sustainable development of its members and their progressive integration into the world economy. As the largest group of southern countries, the OACPS recognises its own structure and history as a form of South-South cooperation and aims to strengthen its role in promoting and coordinating South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC), a key strategy for development and for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975, the organisation continued to evolve to adequately deliver its mandate. With the signing of the Samoa agreement in 2023, the organisation entered into a new relationship with one of its biggest partners, the European Union and continues to diversify its strategic partnerships with the Global South.

In delivering its mandate, the OACPS maintains a few liaison offices to strengthen its international presence and ensure closer coordination and implementation of specific programs.

Currently, there are two liaison offices, one in Geneva and the other in Malabo.

The OACPS Liaison Office in Geneva is one of the strategic offices that deal with the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) and other international organisations headquartered there, including WTO, WHO, ILO, ITU, UNCTAD, WIPO, and UNHCR.

Whilst the OACPS Liaison Office in Malabo ensure effective coordination, visibility, and delivery of OACPS programs and initiatives in four of our six regions.

The overall purpose of the Head of Conferences is to lead and coordinate the planning, servicing and delivery of OACPS statutory meetings, conferences and official events, ensuring that they are organised efficiently, professionally and in line with diplomatic, procedural and logistical standards.

Under the overall guidance of the Secretary General and direct supervision of the Assistant Secretary General for Global Operations, the incumbent oversees the Conference Services team and ensures the timely provision of documentation, translation, interpretation, technical support, logistics, accreditation and protocol coordination, while advising on resource requirements, cost-effective arrangements and service standards. The role contributes to the smooth functioning, visibility, and institutional effectiveness of the Secretariat by promoting high-quality conference services, improved working methods, digital solutions, and a strong institutional memory.

III. Duties and Responsibilities

1. Conference Planning and Coordination

• Lead the planning, scheduling, and organisation of OACPS statutory meetings (Summits of the Heads of States and Governments, Council of Ministers, Committee of Ambassadors, and technical committees).


• Coordinate with internal departments and external partners to define meeting agendas, venues, logistical needs, and budgets.


• Ensure compliance with procedural and diplomatic protocols in meeting preparation and execution.

     2. Documentation, Translation, and Interpretation Management

• Oversee the preparation, editing, translation, and timely distribution of meeting documents and records.


• Coordinate interpretation services (simultaneous and consecutive) for multilingual meetings.


• Maintain quality control and consistency of official OACPS documentation in all official languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese).

    3. Logistical and Technical Support

• Supervise logistical arrangements, including venue setup, audio-visual systems, seating plans, and delegate services.


• Ensure the availability and reliability of conferencing technology (hybrid systems, web-


• streaming, recording).


• Liaise with suppliers and service providers to secure cost-effective and high-quality conference solutions.

     4. Protocol and Liaison

• Adhere to international protocol standards to ensure appropriate treatment and representation of delegations, dignitaries, and guests.


• Coordinate travel, accreditation, and hospitality arrangements for official events.


• Serve as the focal point for host governments and partner institutions on meeting logistics and conference servicing.

     5. Staff Supervision and Team Management

• Lead, guide, and supervise the Conference Services staff (clerical, administrative, and technical personnel).


• Assign responsibilities, monitor performance, and ensure effective teamwork and capacity development.


• Foster a culture of professionalism, efficiency, and client orientation within the team. 

     6. Budget and Resource Management

• Prepare and monitor conference services budgets, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost control.


• Oversee procurement and contractual arrangements for conference-related services.


• Contribute to financial reports and audits related to conference activities.

     7. Continuous Improvement and Knowledge Management

• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for conference organisation and servicing.


•  Promote innovation and digitalisation in event management (online registration, virtual participation, digital archives).


• Capture and disseminate lessons learned to strengthen institutional memory and improve future event planning.


• Any other task as required by the Assistant Secretary General in charge of Global Operations.
  

IV.        Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Upholds integrity, impartiality, professionalism and accountability in all aspects of work.


• Demonstrates commitment to the mission, values and objectives of the OACPS.


• Promotes collaboration, inclusiveness, respect for diversity and effective engagement across cultures, languages and nationalities.


• Exercises sound judgment, discretion and political sensitivity in decision-making and communication.


• Demonstrates a strong sense of service to Member States, institutional organs, partners and internal clients.


• Maintains confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive institutional, diplomatic and administrative matters.

Functional / Technical Competencies

• Strong expertise in conference organisation, diplomatic protocol, event management and meeting servicing within an international, intergovernmental or diplomatic environment.


• Proven knowledge of statutory meeting processes, intergovernmental procedures, official documentation and conference-servicing standards.


• Strong understanding of multilingual documentation, translation, interpretation and records-management processes.


• Ability to manage the logistical, technical and operational aspects of physical, hybrid and virtual meetings.


• Familiarity with budget preparation, cost estimation, procurement, contract management and vendor coordination in line with financial regulations and administrative procedures.


• Ability to assess the operational and financial implications of conference mandates, institutional decisions and partner requests.


• Excellent drafting, communication, coordination and report-writing skills in at least two OACPS official languages.


• Proficiency in office, conference and digital management tools, including MS Office Suite, Odoo, Microsoft Teams, virtual conferencing systems, online registration platforms and document-management tools.


• Ability to analyse data, prepare statistics and contribute to institutional reports, performance reports, budget documents and audit responses.

Managerial Competencies

• Strong leadership and team-management skills, with the ability to guide, motivate and develop staff.


• Ability to plan, prioritise and deliver complex work programmes under tight deadlines and with limited resources.


• Capacity to manage multiple meetings, stakeholders and logistical requirements simultaneously.


• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues of varying grades, functions and cultural backgrounds.


• Comfortable with change management and capable of monitoring, reviewing and adjusting plans and actions when necessary.


• Ability to delegate effectively, monitor performance and ensure accountability within the team.


• Results-oriented, with a strong focus on service quality, efficiency and institutional impact.


• Ability to anticipate operational risks, resolve problems and take timely corrective action.

Behavioural Competencies

• Demonstrates professionalism, tact and composure in high-level diplomatic and intergovernmental settings.


• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and client-service skills.


• Ability to work under pressure, adapt to changing priorities and remain calm in complex or sensitive situations.


• Culturally sensitive and respectful in managing relations with Member States, delegations, dignitaries, partners and service providers.


• Demonstrates initiative, flexibility and practical problem-solving ability.


• Maintains a high level of attention to detail while keeping sight of broader institutional priorities.


• Communicates clearly, diplomatically and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.


• Promotes teamwork, cooperation and a positive working environment.

V.          Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in International Relations, Conference and Event Management, Public Administration, Languages, or related field.


• Training or certification in event management, protocol, or communication is an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in conference management, protocol coordination, or event logistics in an international or intergovernmental organisation.


• Proven experience in managing multilingual events involving high-level delegations.


• Experience in supervising teams and managing budgets.


• Familiarity with hybrid and virtual event technologies is an advantage.


• Work experience in an EU-funded program, entity, or agency will be an added advantage.

Language Requirement:

Excellent command of English and French (both written and spoken). Working knowledge of other languages, including Portuguese or Spanish, will be considered as an added advantage.

Special Notice

Candidates for the post must be nationals of Member States from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Regions and must therefore attach a copy of their valid passport for proof of nationality. Applications from non-OACPS nationals will not be considered.
 
Staff Members of the OACPS are subject to the authority of, and to the duties assigned by, the Secretary General and will discharge their functions under conditions established by the Secretary General.
 
All employment decisions are based on the suitability of the candidate and the needs of the OACPS. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
 
The appointment to this position is for an initial period of 3 years, renewable only once, subject to the needs of the OACPS and availability of the post or funds. 
 
Applications for this post must reach the Secretariat by midnight on 26 June, 2026
 
Applications must be accompanied by an updated curriculum vitae completed in the following format:   https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/editors/en/cv/compose

Applicants must provide copies of their degrees, diplomas, certificates, and any other documents attesting to their competence and professional experience.
 
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and those under serious consideration will be subject to reference checks.