Manager, Events & Partnerships in Cambridge

About LabCentral: Founded in the heart of Kendall Square in 2013, LabCentral is a network of shared laboratory spaces and scientific communities that serve as a launchpad for high-potential life-sciences and biotech start-ups. We deliver first-class facility and operational support, skilled laboratory personnel, and an expansive events program designed to add value to the community and promote connectivity, as well as the other critical services and support that early-stage companies need to begin start-up operations.

What is this role? Are you passionate about making a big impact by connecting people through compelling events and programming? Have you enjoyed leading a team and serving as a mentor? Do you love the work of events as much as the events themselves? LabCentral is hiring a Manager of Events & Partnerships, reporting to the Director of Partnerships & Strategy. You will own our largest strategic events, manage a team of two, and drive the content calendar that shapes what we bring to residents, sponsors, and partners across a program of 300+ events and engagements a year.

You will be a strong fit for this role if you have:

• 5 or more years of experience planning and executing events and programming, including 3 or more years managing full-time team members
• A track record of building relationships with clients and stakeholders

This is a working manager's role. You will plan and deliver events yourself while leading the team that carries our full calendar.

What will I do?

• Own LabCentral's major strategic events end to end, roughly three to six per year, from concept through logistics, execution, and follow-through.
• Manage and support two direct reports on the events team.
• Drive performance and manage growth and development across your team.
• Own the budget for events and programming, with particular accountability for our strategic events.
• Work with the Director and partners across the organization to build an annual content calendar, then drive it by curating ideas and needs from across our community into opportunities sponsors and partners can bring to life.
• Collaborate with the Partnerships, Startup Success, and Science Strategy teams to shape engagements that deliver real value for residents and sponsors.
• Help sponsors and partners make full use of their engagement opportunities.
• Advance the systems and processes behind our events and programming so the function keeps getting better as engagement rises.
• Coordinate the people, resources, and vendors each event needs, drawing on the full team rather than carrying every event alone.
• Oversee physical setups and teardowns of event spaces, A/V systems, banquet event orders, and furniture across a heavy annual calendar, and run virtual events when programming calls for them.
• Own the events database and keep event information and attendee tracking clean.
• Guide the team's regular resident and sponsor communications, from email newsletters to digital signage, and jump in when needed.
• Bring unexpected care and clear expectation setting to how we host partners, sponsors, and residents.
• Take on other responsibilities as needed to support the team and our residents.

Desired Qualifications And Technical Skills:

• 5 or more years of experience planning and executing events and programming, including 3 or more years managing full-time team members
• Track record of developing direct reports and guiding a team to consistent high standards through busy events seasons
• Demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional service and build lasting relationships with clients, sponsors, vendors, and external partners
• Evidence of growing responsibilities within large teams or across organizations
• Comfort owning a budget, making sound tradeoffs against it, and evolving it to meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders
• Comfort using AI tools in your everyday work and a sense of where they can raise the whole team's impact without sacrificing human touch and service
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint, along with Zoom and Microsoft Teams
• Familiarity with event management platforms such as Swoogo and CRM systems such as HubSpot
• An eye for visual design, with Canva, Adobe Suite, or InDesign familiarity preferred

Desired competencies and behaviours:

• Ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with a strong sense of urgency.
• Results-oriented, motivated with high attention to detail, time management, prioritisation, problem solving and organisational skills.
• Good professional judgement and decision-making skills.
• Works professionally, ethically and with integrity.
• Curiosity to learn the LabCentral community, to continue to build skills and grow, and to learn our systems and strategies related to event programming and partnerships.
• Enjoy being part of and leading a team while being capable of working independently.

Work environment: Fully onsite during regular business hours, with flexibility to work evenings.