Senior Vice President, Events

Background

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the nation’s leading investment intermediary and network CDFIs serving rural, urban, and Native communities across the United States. With over $1 billion in total assets under management, OFN manages a national membership network of over 410 mission-driven lenders and CDFIs, including community development loan funds, credit unions, green banks, community development banks, minority depository institutions, and venture capital funds. OFN is a trusted investment partner to the public, private, and philanthropic sectors – foundations, corporations, banks, government agencies, and others. For more than 30 years, our team has helped partners invest in communities to catalyze change and create economic opportunities for people and places traditional finance doesn’t reach.

To learn more, visit ofn.org

People who work at OFN come from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds. If you have:

• Passion for the mission and true believer in our core purpose.
• Courage to be a fearless advocate who is confident and resilient in our fight to drive capital into low-income communities.
• Smart, quick seekers of knowledge who thrive on creating and developing new strategies, products, and programs for increasing capital to communities we serve.
• Desire to be a collaborative team player who possesses humility and a willingness to lean in all areas of our work.

Come be a part of our growing diverse, highly committed, skilled, and collaborative staff. At OFN, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply nonetheless. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Summary

OFN is expanding our team and has an awesome opportunity for a senior level event planner. The Senior Vice President (SVP), Events plays a critical leadership role in shaping and advancing OFN’s events strategy to drive engagement, impact, and revenue. This position leads the planning, development, and execution of all OFN events, including conferences, forums, regional meetings, and networking gatherings. You are responsible for establishing and growing an Events team, fostering innovation and collaboration to deliver exceptional event experiences aligned with OFN’s mission and organizational goals.

The SVP, Events will be instrumental in expanding the number and impact of events to support OFN’s network growth. This role collaborates closely with the EVP, Chief Network Officer to ensure that events align with membership objectives, organizational goals, and strengthen OFN’s impact on helping our network drive affordable capital into low-income communities.

This position is based in Washington, D.C. All staff currently work a hybrid schedule.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive events strategy to align with OFN’s mission and growth objectives.
• Oversee the planning and execution of all events, ensuring they are innovative, impactful, efficiently managed, and within established budgets.
• Grow and lead a team of event professionals to deliver high-quality events, from initial concept through execution and post-event evaluation.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to integrate event initiatives into broader organizational strategies and initiatives.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination among various departments involved in event planning and execution.
• Negotiate contracts with vendors and service providers to secure the best terms and manage costs effectively.
• Oversee all related external meeting contracts including on-site performance. This may include AV, DMCs, production companies, labor, decorators, and others.
• Evaluate event success through post-event analysis and feedback mechanisms, continuously refining strategies for improvement.
• Engage feedback from stakeholders to understand their event preferences, gather feedback, and incorporate community-driven initiatives into event planning and execution.
• Stay informed of industry trends and best practices in event management, leveraging new ideas to enhance OFN’s event portfolio.
• Incorporate sustainable practices into event planning and execution to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability initiatives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with CVBs, national/global hotel contacts, DMCs, and other key event industry contacts

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, event planning, or a related field or 5-7 years of direct work experience in lieu of a degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7-10 years event management, with a proven track record of successfully leading large-scale conferences and events. At least 2 of these years must be in a leadership role with supervision responsibilities.
• Proven track record of managing a wide scale of events.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, budget management, and team leadership.
• A Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification preferred.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement a forward-thinking events strategy that aligns with organizational objectives.
• Exhibit skills in building, motivating, and leading high-performing teams to achieve strategic goals effectively.
• Display strong interpersonal skills, engaging and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to foster meaningful relationships.
• Experience in budgeting and financial management specifically related to event planning and execution.
• Capacity to identify and leverage industry trends and innovative practices to enhance event offerings with adaptability and creativity.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt quickly to changing priorities and requirements.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with attention to detail.
• Occasional travel may be required (up to 25% of time).
• Ability to work non-traditional and additional hours particularly in lead up to events and on-site at events.
• No extraordinary physical requirements beyond the ability to travel.
• Job involves normal physical requirements for an office position.

Compensation and Benefits

OFN offers a wide variety of benefits including medical, dental, vision, retirement, sick leave, and paid time off.

How to Apply

To apply, submit a cover letter and resume to https://www.appone.com/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=6376636

EOE STATEMENT – We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.