Coordinator, Global Special Events

Role overview

The Advancement team builds relationships with individuals, foundations, government partners, and corporate supporters who help advance the Society’s mission across science, technology, education, exploration, and storytelling. It also partners with internal teams, and frequently with NGP/Disney, to develop strategic collaborations and deliver major events that strengthen engagement and philanthropic support.

Within this group, the Global Special Events team plans and produces high-impact events that elevate the organization’s mission, support executive visibility, and deepen donor relationships. The Coordinator, Global Special Events supports the Vice President of Global Special Events with day-to-day administration and helps keep coordination, communication, and organization running smoothly across the team and with internal and external partners.

What you will do

• Manage the Vice President’s calendar and schedule so time is used effectively and information is shared on time.
• Track deadlines, follow up on assigned action items, and help with communications for VP-led projects.
• Arrange travel and prepare briefing materials for every trip and event.
• Set up meetings by organizing agendas, invite lists, meeting materials, rooms, and AV support for remote participants.
• Draft and prepare correspondence, memos, pre-approved contract templates, presentations, talking points, and related materials as needed.
• Handle expense reporting by collecting receipts, coding expenses, and submitting reimbursement requests.
• Share information across the Global Special Events team when needed.
• Maintain team calendars, map important future dates with leadership, and keep the enterprise calendar current.
• Create calendar holds for events with the right Advancement and Senior Leadership attendees.
• Process office invoices promptly by signing, scanning, and submitting them.
• Keep team files organized in Google Drive.
• Support cross-divisional projects by coordinating with internal departments, regional offices, NGP, and outside partners.
• Work with senior leadership executive assistants on event details, scheduling, and general questions.
• Assist with event planning and execution as required.
• Manage inbox communications with event attendees during busy periods.
• Help build and maintain event analysis reports for distribution across teams and departments.
• Pull year-end data for team highlights and support external reporting, including the Annual Report.
• Support onboarding and administration of the team’s project management tool.
• Help recruit, train, and oversee the annual summer intern in partnership with HR, including curriculum planning, workflow coordination, and on-site support during Explorers Festival in Washington, DC.

What you need to bring

• A bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• At least 2 years of professional experience; background in development or events is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor messages for different audiences across the organization.
• Sound judgment and the ability to work independently with limited supervision when needed.
• Excellent organization and attention to detail, with the ability to handle several projects at once.
• Comfort working with confidential information.
• A polished, proactive, and professional approach when interacting with staff, executives, high-net-worth individuals, and donors.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends for events and to travel domestically or internationally.
• Proficiency with Word, PowerPoint, and similar tools, plus the ability to learn new software quickly.

Additional details

This role has no direct reports.

The position is based in Washington, DC, and is classified as Resident, meaning the schedule requires physical presence at the organization’s headquarters some or all of the time depending on workflow, deadlines, and team needs.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

The organization encourages applicants to apply even if they do not meet every requirement, as relevant skills and experience are valued over a perfect checklist match.

Compensation and benefits

The hourly pay range for this position is $25.13 to $26.45.

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; a wellness program; a 401(k) plan with matching contributions after 6 months; flexible paid time off with up to 22 days of annual leave per year, including 15 days for new hires in their first year prorated by remaining pay periods; 10 sick days; 12 paid holidays; and a paid winter break from December 25 through December 31, with possible exceptions for essential roles or peak-season coverage.

Additional benefits include paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement, fertility benefits, learning and development opportunities, a Lifestyle Spending Account, pet adoption assistance and insurance, pre-tax transportation benefits with an employer subsidy, employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage, and a range of organizational discounts and perks.

Pay philosophy

The compensation framework is based on market data for similar nonprofit organizations and considers factors such as skills, experience, training, certifications, and organizational needs. New hires are generally placed near the starting point of the salary band, depending on the specifics of the role and the candidate’s background.

Equal opportunity note

The organization welcomes applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and encourages people to apply even if their experience does not match every item listed.