International Conference Organizer

About RRI

The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) is a global coalition of over 150 organizations dedicated to advancing the forest, land, and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, Afro-descendant Peoples, and in particular the women within these groups. RRI’s members capitalize on each other’s strengths, expertise, and geographic reach to achieve solutions more effectively and efficiently. RRI leverages the power of its global coalition to amplify the voices of local peoples and proactively engage governments, multilateral institutions, and private sector actors to adopt institutional and market reforms that support the realization of rights.

RRI's 20th Anniversary

The RRI 20th Anniversary celebration will take place in early May of 2025 in the Washington, D.C. metro area, ideally at a venue within 10 miles of RRI’s office. It will be a high-profile event, convening key figures from the rights, climate, and conservation sector globally many of whom are Indigenous, local community and Afro-descendant leaders of territorial communities.

We will invite partners, allies, donors, multilateral agencies, communicators, and thought leaders to reflect on the past and future of RRI. This will be a 2-day event bringing together up to 250 people, many from the Global South where the RRI coalition members are present.  In addition to the anniversary activities, we will organize two side meetings, including a coalition meeting for about 70 people and a Board meeting with 15 people.

The tentative program for the anniversary week includes:

1. 2-day conference including

• Keynote speech from a high-level guest
• Panels on land and climate objectives
• Networking events and spaces
• Visioning workshops

2. Anniversary celebration ceremony (4h event details TBD)

• Celebration of RRI's history with guest speakers
• Acknowledgement of RRI's key achievements
• Collective Leadership Award ceremony
• Reception with live music

3. Side meetings

• 2-day coalition meeting (60 people) 
• 1 ½ days Board meeting TBC (15 people)

The two side meetings will be organized by the RRI team, the consultant is only expected to manage vendors such as interpretation, catering, and AV team which should be the same ones as the anniversary activities.

Generally, logistics for RRI meetings and conferences are planned in-house. However, due to the complexity of this event, RRI is seeking a Consultant to aid the Coalition and Strategic Networks (CSN) team and broader RRI staff in its planning and support of participant arrangements for travel and accommodations.  Contract personnel with extensive experience in planning and execution of similar (or identical) events are ideal.

Scope of Work

We hope to kick-off the event planning in late July, by when we will expect to start procuring vendors, especially the venue. The consultant is expected to work part-time from August to January, starting with the vendor procurement, flight arrangements, and managing RSVPs. Once we are closer to the event, from February to May the dedicated hours are expected to increase to full-time dedication up until the event.

Responsibilities of the role include:

• Venue procurement and negotiation, including space arrangements and set-up.
• Vendor coordination – caterers, AV, interpreters, transportation, music, etc
• Contribute to the design of the celebration ceremony, bringing creative idea for a fun and inspiring international event
• Oversee the production of the 20th Anniversary ceremony
• Book flights and travel insurance for sponsored international participants (estimated 60 people)
• Manage travel logistics for both sponsored and non-sponsored participants including tracking arrivals and departures, visa support, ground transportation, and accommodations (estimated 140 people)
• Manage RSVPs (estimated 230 people) and hotel guest list (estimated 140 people)
• Manage logistics communication including any special needs for participants
• Produce a logistics brief for participants with key travel information
• Oversee arrivals and departures
• On-site event coordination – including support for entertainers and the MC.
• Budget management
• Post-event monitoring, evaluation, and reporting
• Consistent communication and coordination with RRI’s CSN team to ensure timely completion of internal administration and tasks

The RRI team will be responsible for all programmatic planning, including the agenda details and objectives for each segment of the week, managing speakers, and the content presented.

Qualifications

Required experience:

• At least 3 years’ experience organizing international conferences and events
• Experience managing multiple vendors simultaneously, including venues, caterers, interpretation, transportation, and A/V. Knowledge of service providers in the Washington, D.C. area preferred
• Experience managing hotel and international travel logistics for large groups

Desired experience:

• Experience working across cultures and geographies with Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities in the Global South or North is highly desired
• Professional proficiency in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia or an Indigenous language is highly desired

Attributes:

• Highly organized and able to manage various tasks and deadlines in high pressure situations
• Reliable, responsive, and attentive to participants’ needs and delivering a high-quality experience
• Meticulous attention to logistical details, particularly with regards to coordinating logistics, managing guest lists, and overseeing event setup
• Ability to pivot and accommodate last-minute requests or changes
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to communicate clearly and directly, particularly with people from multilingual backgrounds
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, G-Suite, project management platforms and other   tools that enhance collaboration and communication

Key Contract Terms

This will be a fixed price contract. The consultant will be paid based on completion of each deliverable at an agreed upon rate and schedule. 

Proposed Timeline

Activities will begin as soon as the agreement is executed, ideally in June 2024. The contract length and key due dates should be proposed by the consultant based upon realistic expectations of the process.

Proposal Requirements

Please submit your proposal through this website with the documents listed below.

1. Curriculum vitae or portfolio
2. A month-by-month workplan outlining key milestones and deadlines for the planning and execution of the event. Include any limitations or constraints such as unavailability in the months leading up to the event
3. An estimated budget for your services from July 2024 to May 2025 with a breakdown of the hourly estimate for different phases of planning and implementation
4. A 1-page max introduction with your background and unique contribution to this project

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be scored based on the following parameters:

• Proposed workplan approach (30%)
• Work history and experience (30%)
• Compatibility and understanding of the project (20%)
• Costs (20%)

Deadline 

Proposals must be submitted no later than 5pm Eastern Time on July 5, 2024.