Events Coordinator (Federal Government)

General Information

Job Code: PRO-MP-03

Location: On-site (Arlington, VA)

Employee Type: Exempt, Full-time Regular

Telework: None

Salary: $70,573 - $75,000 per year (how we pay and promote)  

Clearance: Public Trust

Position Overview

Are you passionate about being the backbone of a team that keeps operations running smoothly?

As an Events Coordinator for our client, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our success. The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) External Affairs Branch communicates and shares information about scientific activities, programs, results, and policies of the Foundation with external audiences and stakeholders including Congress, the news media, state and local governments, other Federal agencies, and research and education communities. Successful candidates can manage multiple, including high-profile, meetings and events simultaneously by providing engagement recommendations and overseeing all logistical elements in a fast-paced federal environment. Your support of exhibits/expos, speaker engagement, and event project tracking will ensure seamless execution of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events that effectively communicate NSF’s mission and research impact to diverse audiences. 

Primary Responsibilities

While not an exhaustive list, the key duties for this position include:

• Provide logistics support for a variety of meetings, events and conferences 
• Provide direct support to internal and external events to include managing venue requirements, signage, invitations, attendance, and other requirements as needed.      
• Research requirements and context for various events, meetings and conferences, to ensure that the NSF Director and OLPA Staff are prepared to interact with various audiences and stakeholders. 
• Identify and manage inventory for educational information resources and other outreach materials. 
• Coordinate exhibit design, technology, and management with designated vendors/partners. 
• Provide expert guidance on the most efficient and effective options for building/curating/creating exhibits and activations, supplies and experiences to suit specific event needs. 
• Can easily adapt onsite events and exhibits planning and logistics skills to virtual platforms and environments. 
• Ability to travel as needed.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree
• 4+ years of related professional experience

Basic Requirements:

• Detail oriented with strong organizational skills, including experience planning and tracking the end-to-end progress of events logistics and drafting regular status reports for staff and leadership.
• Experience coordinating in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, including the use of virtual meeting software (e.g. Zoom).
• Foundational knowledge of federal requirements (e.g. 508 compliance) to ensure NSF is compliant with such regulations. 
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills for face-to-face interactions with clients (including event speakers and attendees), co-workers, and leadership.
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft Office productivity software and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.   
• Basic knowledge of project and events management and design software such as Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Project, and Adobe CS. 
• Ability to carry/maneuver various pieces of heavy equipment (50+lbs) for onsite events and exhibits (e.g., carrying banners/boxes of materials to rolling crates.) 

Skills That Set You Apart:

• Experience coordinating meetings and events for federal science agencies (ex. NSF).
• Certificate in project management such as CAPM, PMP, PgMP or PfMP.
• Intermediate knowledge of AI tools, including their limitations and risks, and how they can be applied to support event coordination tasks.  

About Ripple Effect 

Ripple Effect is an award-winning women-owned, 200-person company of communicators, scientists, researchers, and analysts. Established in 2003, and named as one of the “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” since 2020, Ripple Effect has earned acclaim for delivering unparalleled consulting services and top-tier talent across federal, private, and non-profit sectors. 

At Ripple Effect, we reward our employees for their contributions to our mission. Our comprehensive total rewards package includes competitive pay, exceptional benefits, and a range of programs that support your work/life balance and personalized preferences. 

Learn more about our benefits and culture here.