JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title: Lead, Flagship Events
Location: Remote working (Globally based)
Managed by: Head of Communications and Membership, and in contact with the Acting Director General Contract: Fixed term, full-time (until November 2027)
Salary: £50,000 – 55,000 per annum
Background
Consumers International is the world’s leading network of consumer organisations, uniting over 200 Members in more than 100 countries. Together, we work to protect and empower consumers everywhere, championing their rights and ensuring their voices shape products, policy and practice.
We collaborate with our Members and partners to tackle critical, systemic issues that affect people as consumers. As the only independent global advocate for consumers, we represent their interests in international policy forums and the global marketplace – helping to shape systems that are fair, safe and sustainable by design.
Joining Consumers International means contributing to bold, cross-border solutions at the forefront of consumer rights. Explore a selection of our recent achievements here.
Purpose of the role
In 2027 we will host our prestigious Global Congress. Held every four years, Congress convenes eminent leaders invested in global consumer rights and empowerment. This includes the heads of the leading consumer advocacy organisations, ministers and senior government representatives, leaders in civil society, executives at top businesses, prominent academics, and visionaries from philanthropic and international institutions.
Congress is critical to the mission of Consumers International. It is crucial for our governance, as the basis for our General Assembly, where our Membership elects the governing Council of Consumers International. Around this procedural milestone, we structure a participatory, diverse and unique programme that is designed to build and advance the future of consumer rights advocacy worldwide. Our last Congress brought together over 600 participants, including more than 100 at C-suite level, and was a platform for releasing new insight and announcing major partnerships. It featured over 30 interactive sessions taking place over three days in person and online, with extremely high satisfaction and feedback ratings from participants.
To drive forward our planning and delivery for our next Congress in 2027, we are looking for an exceptional Lead, Flagship Events. This person will be the organisational lynchpin for Congress, working directly with our Leadership Team at Consumers International to produce and execute a clear event plan according to ambitious milestones and key performance indicators.
The Lead will project manage and mobilise the wider Consumers International team to deliver the 2027 Congress, building a relationship with the host government and playing an essential part in producing a dynamic event that excites and inspires attendees. The Lead will bring strong leadership, coordination and project management skills to the role. They will have best-in-class relationship building and negotiation skills, experience dealing with senior stakeholders, and will have delivered major impactful events in the past.
This is a fantastic opportunity to produce a unique and significant event for the global consumers rights movement. For a taster of our past summits see our 2023 Congress (Kenya) and 2019 Summit (Portugal).
Key Responsibilities
Project Management
Develop and drive delivery of a comprehensive Congress project plan with clear milestones, dependencies and performance indicators
Lead execution of the project plan, ensuring and mobilising the team to exert discipline against deadlines, priorities and organisational goals
• Manage the Congress budget, including oversight of host government allocations and financial reporting
Co-ordinate the wider Consumers International team around Congress delivery, ensuring clear ownership, accountability and decision-making across workstreams
Monitor and report on progress against key milestones, risks, participant targets and budget performance, escalating where needed
Lead post-event evaluation and debrief, capturing insights and recommendations to strengthen future flagship events
Relationship management and negotiation
Manage a strong and trusted relationship with the host government, ensuring effective coordination and resolution of issues that arise
• Lead negotiations and relationships with venues, suppliers and delivery partners to secure high-quality delivery within budget
Build and support leadership at Consumers International to establish trusted relationships with senior stakeholders participating in Congress, including across government, Members, sponsors, speakers and strategic partners
Event logistics and delivery
Lead planning and oversight of major logistical components of Congress, including venue, accommodation, transport, catering, accessibility and interpretation to support a seamless participant experience
• Lead onsite event management, troubleshooting and issue resolution during Congress delivery
Event systems and governance
Oversee the implementation of systems and processes required for successful Congress delivery, including registration and reporting
Coordinate planning for the General Assembly and governance components of Congress, this includes supporting senior management at Consumers International to coordinate on voting processes, member participation and associated systems
Participant experience and organisational leadership
Lead Congress planning discussions across the organisation, mobilising the team and ensuring strong communication, coordination and momentum across teams
Help shape a dynamic, participatory, safe and inspiring Congress experience that reflects Consumers International’s ambition and global leadership
Work closely with Leadership Team to support delivery of a high-profile global event with significant reputational and strategic importance, including through the delivery of an impactful programme
• Carry out additional responsibilities related to Congress delivery and organisational priorities as required
Personal Specification
| ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS | CRITERIA | |
| EXPERIENCE ＆ UNDERSTANDING | ● | Six years' experience in overseeing remote and/or in person event delivery Experience of delivering major events convening 200 – 300 in person, |
| SKILLS AND ABILITIES | ● | and the hybrid event experience Exceptional budgeting Excellent relationship management skills and able to work well with senior stakeholders Strong research and negotiation skills Attention to detail A cooperative team worker, who can mobilise others and get the best out of staff Strong organisation and multi-tasking skills Calm under pressure |
| OTHER ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS | ● ● | Commitment to the aims and objectives of Consumers International Able to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment Clear understanding of the sensitivities, challenges and opportunities of running global events Good global experience, working with those from different cultures, skills and backgrounds Able to quickly adapt and work in a fast-paced work environment Comfortable working without close supervision Comfortable building event planning frameworks from scratch Experience in risk mitigation for online and hybrid event delivery Outstanding collaborator, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally |
| DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS | ● | Able to travel to site location and be the onsite lead Second language would be an asset (French, Spanish or Arabic) Knowledge of running a general assembly and/or governance voting Experience of working with Membership organisations |
Our Values
The Consumers International team strives to live the following values:
| Leadership | · Making tough trade-offs to ensure we deliver against strategy.• Charting a path forward – listening to other perspectives, while beingindependent of those perspectives.• Self-starting, motivated to put ourselves in leadership positions and driveforward pieces of work.• Striving to bring others with us – colleagues understand the direction we aretaking and our reasoning. Viewpoints are sought at key moments and delivery isorientated around the strategy. |
| Inclusivity | • In delivering our strategy, creating the space to listen and understand views,and diversity of participation and representation. |
| Caring | • Caring about the career development and success of our colleagues and howour team collaborates together.• Caring about the future of consumers and members and achieving impact forthem through our strategy and change agenda. |
| Innovation | • Pursuing new creative ideas that have the potential to change the world. |
| Agility | • Adapting quickly in response to opportunity. |
| Efficiency | • Generating the greatest impact for the least effort. Keeping it simple andsystemising for efficiencies. |
| Excellence | • Delivering work to the highest standards with professionalism and integrity.The quality of work is evident to all. |
| Passion | • Passion for a safe, fair, and sustainable marketplace for consumers drives ourimpact and the achievement of our organisational goals.• Engaging with energy and excitement. |
Employee Benefits:
Consumers International employee benefits offered will be in line with the statutory requirements in effect for the regional location that the applicant resides in. Applicants must have residency rights in their specified location for the duration of the employment contract.
We offer co-working spaces (up to 2 days at Regus offices) and an allowance for the pension scheme if the individual is hired through Globalization Partners, our International recruitment partner.
Holiday entitlement will be specific to each location and will be dependent on the public holidays available in the location.
How to apply:
If you are interested in this position, please share your CV and a covering letter (no more than two pages) to recruitment@consint.org.
Your cover letter should explain clearly how your skills and experience relate to the criteria detailed in the person specification section of the job description.
We will be reviewing applications and interviewing on an ongoing basis.
Interviews will be held on a rolling basis. Should you be invited to interview, please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments so we can support you through the process.
This is a description of the job as it is presently constituted. It is the practice of Consumers International to review job descriptions from time to time and to update them to ensure they relate to the job as then being performed, or to incorporate whatever changes are being proposed. This will be conducted in consultation with you. It is the organisation’s aim to reach agreement on changes, but if agreement is not possible, Consumers International reserves the right to insist on changes to your job description, after consultation with you.
Consumers International is an equal opportunities employer with a policy to ensure that no job applicant or employee should receive less favourable treatment on any grounds not relevant to good employment practice.