Position:
Events Manager
Employment Type
Full-time (Remote, with international travel required)**
Location
Anywhere in the world
About the John Locke Institute
The John Locke Institute is an independent educational organisation dedicated to inspiring and equipping exceptional students for academic and intellectual success. Through our prestigious summer schools, essay competitions, and residential courses in Oxford, Princeton, Georgetown, Singapore, Nanjing, Dubai, and Hong Kong, we cultivate a rigorous learning environment that fosters critical thinking, intellectual humility, and open-minded discourse.
Our programmes bring together talented students and distinguished faculty, offering a unique platform for academic challenge and personal growth. By engaging with complex ideas and refining their reasoning skills, students develop the confidence to excel in their academic and professional journeys.
Position Summary
The Event Manager is responsible for the end-to-end planning, execution, and evaluation of the John Locke Institute’s international events and educational programmes. These include residential summer schools, conferences, seminars, and awards ceremonies.
This position requires exceptional organisational and communication skills, a global mindset, and the ability to work across multiple time zones and teams. The Event Manager will collaborate closely with the Admissions, Marketing, and Operations teams to ensure seamless delivery and a world-class participant experience.
Key Responsibilities
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Event Planning & Logistics
Plan, coordinate, and deliver all aspects of JLI events, including summer schools, academic seminars, essay competition awards, and conferences.
Manage timelines, budgets, and logistics to ensure successful event execution.
Research, evaluate, and liaise with venues, accommodation providers, and vendors worldwide.
Negotiate vendor and venue contracts, ensuring cost-effective arrangements and favourable terms.
Coordinate travel, accommodation, catering, transport, and on-site logistics for staff, faculty, speakers, and students.
Oversee registration systems and event app technology, ensuring a smooth and user-friendly participant experience.
Prepare detailed event schedules, staff briefings, and contingency plans.
Identify staffing needs, recruit and secure event staff, and coordinate their scheduling and assignments.
Train, brief, and manage event staff and volunteers, ensuring professionalism and consistency in delivery.
Anticipate potential challenges and proactively identify, mitigate, and manage risks to ensure every event runs smoothly.
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On-site Management & Delivery
Lead on-site operations for JLI events — ensuring smooth setup, registration, and participant management.
Serve as the primary point of contact during events for faculty, students, and external partners.
Supervise event staff and volunteers to ensure a high standard of professionalism and guest care.
Troubleshoot effectively under pressure, using sound judgment to resolve operational or logistical issues quickly and calmly.
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Cross-Team Collaboration
Partner with the Marketing team to ensure all event communications — including pre-event promotions, participant emails, and on-site materials — are accurate, on-brand, and timely.
Work closely with the Admissions team to align event planning with registration goals and participant experience.
Collaborate with the Academic team to coordinate programme content, faculty needs, and scheduling.
Support the Digital and Social Media teams by providing timely content, imagery, and updates during and after events.
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Data Management
Maintain and update databases related to student enrolment, logistics, and administrative records.
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Event Support
Ensuring VIPs, speakers, and students are well taken care of when an event is on.
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Internship Management
Recruiting and training interns.
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Programme Logistics
Develop and execute a comprehensive social media strategy to enhance brand visibility and engagement across platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.).
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Cross-Department Coordination
Facilitate communication between different teams to support programme execution.
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Participant Experience & Community Engagement
Ensure that every JLI event provides a world-class educational experience and reflects the Institute’s values.
Develop strategies to enhance participant engagement before, during, and after events.
Support post-event communications, surveys, and feedback collection to inform future improvements.
Contribute to community-building efforts by fostering ongoing relationships with alumni, educators, and partners.
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Reporting & Evaluation
Track budgets, attendance, and key performance metrics for each event.
Provide post-event reports with insights and recommendations for future improvements.
Maintain accurate records of event logistics, vendor contracts, and cost summaries.
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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting issues and making adjustments during events.
Qualifications & Experience
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3–5 years of experience in event management, operations, or programme coordination, ideally with international or educational events.
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Proven success managing multiple complex events simultaneously.
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Strong negotiation skills with demonstrated experience securing favourable vendor and venue agreements.
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Hands-on experience with event registration systems and event app technologies.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a strong customer-service mindset.
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Strong project management skills — able to prioritise, delegate, and meet deadlines under pressure.
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Exceptional troubleshooting and risk management abilities, with a track record of anticipating and mitigating potential issues.
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Experience identifying staffing needs, hiring, training, and leading on-site event teams.
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Experience working with global vendors, partners, and venues.
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Proficiency in tools such as Excel, Google Workspace, project management software (e.g. Asana, Trello), and event registration platforms.
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Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Business, Education, or related field preferred.
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Willingness to travel internationally and work flexible hours when events require.
Skills & Attributes for Success
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Highly organised and detail-oriented, with exceptional time management skills.
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Proactive and calm under pressure; able to make clear decisions in fast-paced environments.
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Excellent negotiator and relationship builder.
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Strong interpersonal and leadership abilities — capable of motivating and managing diverse teams.
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Culturally aware and adaptable, comfortable working in international settings.
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Passionate about education, intellectual development, and providing memorable experiences.
What We Offer
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Fully Remote Role
Work from anywhere in the world (except the British Virgin Islands).
International travel to JLI events.
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Professional Growth
Opportunities to advance within the organization after 18–24 months of successful performance.
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Global Opportunities
Potential travel to our international summer programmes in prestigious locations.
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Inspiring Work
Engage with bright students and leading academics from top universities worldwide.
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Mission-Driven Work
Be part of an organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of thinkers.
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Supportive Team
Work alongside a highly competent and motivated team dedicated to your success.
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Creative Freedom
Your ideas and initiatives are valued—we encourage innovation.
Apply To This Position
To apply, please submit your information and upload your CV and cover letter. Please limit your cover letter to 250 words or less.