Consultant - Events Manager

  • Position: Consultant - Events Manager
  • Location: Casablanca, Morocco

Description

Africa50 is a pan-African investment institution that was created as part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), further to the call from African Heads of States for an innovative, agile and private-sector focused investment vehicle to accelerate infrastructure delivery in Africa. To date, Africa50 has 31 shareholders, including 28 African nations, the AfDB, the Central Bank of West African States and Bank Al-Maghrib.

This number is expected to grow in this and future years. Launched three years ago, Africa50 is becoming a key partner for infrastructure developers and financiers working on the continent. Africa50’s Headquarters are located in Casablanca, Morocco.

Africa50 has two (2) official working languages, English and French, and its conferences and meetings are conducted in its (2) official working languages.

The General Shareholders Meeting (GSM) is an annual meeting held in the third quarter of each year, at a venue chosen in a different shareholder country each time. The GSM has so far been held in Morocco, Senegal, Kenya and Rwanda.  In total, the event attracts over 300 people including Ministers of Finance, Central Bank Governors, Heads of Institutions and other High-Level Officials from Governments and Private Sector Institutions and Media representatives. The GSM is a one-day event consisting of a formal invitation only opening and a closed shareholder only meeting. The event concludes with a gala dinner and cultural display. From time to time, the GSM may be preceded by an Investment Forum held the day before.

Africa50 has a GSM Steering Committee that oversees the organization of the General Shareholders Meeting, and which provides guidance on the activities related to the organization and management of the event.

Africa50 therefore seeks to engage external assistance to ensure that these events are organized and executed in accordance with the highest international standards. It is within this perspective that Africa50 has decided to engage the services of an experienced events manager, as a fulltime consultant, for a period of 6 months (from March to August 2020).

Principal objectives are to :

  1. Ensure that preparations of the General Shareholders Meeting are done in a timely manner;
  2. Ensure that the facilities provided by the host country, particularly for conferences, accommodation, transport (air and land), information technology, media, catering and socio-cultural activities meet the highest standards
  3. Follow-up with the service providers and other relevant stakeholders involved in the GSM, on the implementation of the schedule of activities and ensure that the implementation process is consistent with the established timeline of events
  4. Work closely with the Africa50 GSM Steering Committee as well as other departments at Africa50 to ensure effective preparation, management and execution of the event, in accordance with the highest international standards.

Terms of Reference and Scope of Activities :

Activity

Outcome

Advisory Role

Advise and work with Africa50 on all aspects of the event in a cost effective manner while keeping the highest possible international standards

Conference Infrastructure

Identifying and evaluating the adequacy, capacity and technical suitability of available conference and meeting facilities; the equipment for simultaneous interpretation and multimedia presentations; office facilities for use during the events; implementing the programming of events and ensuring the proper setup of facilities with the highest standards.

Participant Management
  • Follow up on invitations sent by Africa50-via telephone, email, fax;
  • Work with the mandated communications agency to ensure the design and management of the event website is done in an efficient manner.
  • Compile confirmed registration lists of participants, speakers, support staff, event management team, ushers, etc. ;
  • Work with local agency to identify and secure accommodation block booking for participants;
  • Negotiate to the maximum extent possible discount rates and other terms and conditions of Africa50 with the hotel and service providers in collaboration with the local agency.
  • Work with the local agency to manage hotel reservations for participants; and oversee the coordination of conference helpdesks at each hotel facility
  • Send out Information Note to all participants (arrival details, hotels, visa requirements, general city info; etc.);
  • Work with local agency to facilitate arrangements for visas for participants, as needed;
  • Work with local agency, Africa50 and government officials to coordinate protocol arrangements for VIPs, including arrival and departure at airport with the relevant Ministry

Conference Venue

Work with local agency to ensure timely and efficient execution of the following tasks:

  • Book and ensure all Meeting rooms (Main room and Break away rooms) are arranged according to specifications and ready for the Meetings as required (as per specified meetings’ schedule). This also includes seating name plates at the main table.
  • Ensure all required audio-visual equipment is available/acquired in all the rooms as required
  • Cross-check possibilities for seating arrangements and all related meeting facilities
  • Arrange and manage appropriate VIP lounge
  • Ensure service maintenance is promptly available as would be required for all equipment/services and facilities in and around the meeting rooms

Conference Reference materials

Coordinate with suppliers the following production tasks:

  • Printing of meeting documents and information materials
  • Prepare participants' soft copies flash drive with all relevant Meetings documents
  • Prepare and distribute an arrival information pack to participants 

Communications and Public Relations

Liaise with the Africa50 Head of Communications and the mandated communications agency to coordinate the implementation of the following elements:

Branding:

  • Production of branding materials for the venue 
  • Event registration page and all emailing templates
  • Production of events materials (brochures, banners, gifts, conference bags, table tags, name badges, etc.)

 Production/Technical Support:

  • Get quotes from 3 printers and proceed with contracting once approved 
  • Follow-up with printers for delivery of materials
  • Arrange pens and writing pads (meeting package)
  • Source and oversee installation of all technical equipment (stage, furniture for stage, screens, microphones, interpretation, etc.), via the local agency

Media and PR:

  • Assist in the management of media arrangements (bookings and protocol arrangements for journalists)
  • Assist in the follow-ups with the communications agency for the delivery of social media plans, video materials, event announcements, etc.

Transport

Work with the local agency to:

  • Ensure vehicles and shuttles are inspected and meet the highest possible standard
  • Oversee shuttle services for all guests and VIPs and develop transport routes

Registration and Information support
  • Oversee the set up of the web/ online registration system
  • Consolidate participants guestlist
  • Provide participants registration and information support
  • Arrange and manage participants’ registration
  • Prepare and maintain participants register (with relevant contact details)
  • Manage a one-stop general information support service for Participants (including general tourism info)
  • Ensure the delivery of name tags for all participants, speakers, Media, VIPs, etc
  • Develop emailing messages, prior, during and after the event (editorial content, design and dispatching)
  • Editorial support to draft invitation letters addressed to VIPs and media

Plans/Status Reports

The Event Manager will:

  • Develop overall event implementation schedule/ task sheet
  • Develop status reports
  • Draft and share minutes of the coordination meetings
  • Get the local agency to provide Transport plan with details of vehicles, pick-up schedules, shuttles routes and schedules
  • Get the local agency to provide the technical plan for event programming and equipment set-up
  • Get the local agency to provide the accommodation plan with details of hotels
  • Get the local agency to provide the catering plan with details of catering venues, schedules (coffee breaks, lunches, cocktails and dinners) menus, set-up of rooms and number of guests
  • Get the local agency to provide the Welcome and protocol plan including details of ushers and protocol personnel shifts in the various locations of the event (airport, hotels, venue, etc.)
  • Get the local agency to provide the Manpower plan to be provided for each logistics activity at the various locations with details of assigned staff (names and contact details) and number of shifts.

Coordination

  • Attend site visit/ recce trip and initial briefing session at the Africa50 Head Office and at the event venue to discuss the coordination plans
  • Organize and join weekly coordination calls and send call report after
  • Ensure all logistics are coordinated and arranged in a timely manner, namely catering venues set-up, transfers pick-ups to and from hotels, airport and other venues accordingly to the approved plans

Status reports

  • Weekly registration and accommodation status

Airport
  • Work with the local agency to set up and co-ordinate an attendee Welcome area at the airport
  • Work with the Airport Authorities and Local Organising Committee to ensure visas and entry requirements are processed for all delegates / media and manage/address any issues with airport authorities.

Staffing
Meet & Greet
at Airport
  • Work with the local agency to ensure it provides a meet & greet team and a protocol supervisor at the airport, and ensure sufficient staffing is provided at airport at all times.
  • Get the local agency to provide the number of ushers and supervisors, which would need to be mutually agreed and included in the manpower plan approved by Africa50

Staffing
Meet & Greet
all delegates and VIPs at Hotels
  • Ensure the local agency provides meet & greet team at each of the hotels for all categories of delegates and VIPs

Staffing at
Venue
  • Ensure the local agency provides ushers and Supervisors to oversee main plenary & meeting rooms, registration, luncheons, coffee, cocktails and Secretariat for the duration of the event.

Catering for delegates
  • Work with the local agency to oversee and manage the catering requirements throughout the week (coffee breaks, lunch, cocktails, dinners) and liaise with the venue, and selected restaurants in the city to ensure all requirements are met for the duration of the weekly events including; (i) proposal of menus; (ii) arrangements of the coffee/tea breaks; (iii) seating plans for all lunches and dinners; (iv) negotiating the best possible rates for catering services with service providers

Catering for staff on site
  • Ensure that catering requirements are available for staff i.e. Supervisors/ushers/hostess and agency staff, drivers, ushers, technical, etc.

Interpreters
  • Work with the local agency to arrange simultaneous interpretation for all sessions as required (English-French)
  • Work with the local agency to source and manage simultaneous interpretation systems (Systems to include: a public address system, table /HF microphones, speakers, amplifier and a control unit), booths, interpreters desks, interpreters’ microphones, headsets, delegates’ headsets/receivers and infrared transmitters. 

Information Technology
  • Work with the local agency and Africa50’s IT Department on the best IT strategy and initiatives for this event including; (i) setting up and maintaining IT infrastructure and systems to support the meeting; (ii) design the appropriate IT mobile applications for the event and any other IT tools required

Assistance to Clearing Agency
  • Work with local agency and government entities to ensure smooth clearance / legal paperwork of any equipment and materials required for the event which will be delivered to Kigali Airport, and address/manage any potential issues with customs in that regard.

Budget Estimate
  • Provide a detailed breakdown of costs for each activity.
  • Ensure cost-effective solutions are proposed for each aspect.
  • Ensure 3 quotes are provided and costs are approved before production.

Excursions
  • Work with local agency to identify possible excursions for delegates.

Local agency appointment for logistics and events management
  • Coordinate all logistics with local agency. The authorities will provide the details of 3 agencies to choose from.

Annual Report design
  • Help in the coordination of the design and printing of the Annual report and arrange for printing (see current report on website: www.africa50.com) 

Candidate Profile

Required background and knowledge

  • Prior experience organizing international events including managing protocol aspects.
  • Project management experience with a degree in in Public Relations, Communications, or marketing.
  • Excellent English and French written and verbal communication.

Essential Qualities 

  • Communication and marketing skills.
  • Good leadership skills.
  • Highly Organized.
  • Multi-tasker.
  • Proficiency in various event software.

Duration and location

6 months term consulting contract
Position based in Casablanca, Morocco

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