Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform convened by UN Women which brings together a powerful global coalition of industry leaders from the private sector behind the common goal of eliminating harmful bias and stereotypes from their advertising content.

Cannes Lions: The International Festival of Creativity is widely recognized as the world’s most prestigious advertising awards show, and the largest gathering in the creative marketing community. The Cannes Lions Festival is also the birthplace of the Unstereotype Alliance, and this year’s event marks the 5th anniversary of the launch of the Alliance. To mark this momentous occasion several events are planned across the 5 days of the festival, including a keynote address on the highly-contested Main Stage – the core attraction of the event which sees the largest audience gathering and media coverage.

The Unstereotype Alliance Secretariat at UN Women is seeking an Event Planner to manage its presence and series of events at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, to be held this year from 20-24 June. Reporting directly to the Head of the Unstereotype Alliance Secretariat, and working closely with the Strategic Communications and Brand Building Consultant, the Event Planner will liaise with key personnel at LIONS as well as vendors and Unstereotype Alliance members to coordinate operations, production materials, logistics and briefings. The Event Planner must be familiar with the caliber and format of the Cannes Lions Festival, with an ability to work to a restricted budget. In the lead up to the festival the role is on a part-time basis, with on-the-ground presence required in Cannes the week of the festival. As the Event Planner will regularly attend calls and meetings with key stakeholders, they will ideally be based in the UK /Europe or the USA.

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

• Coordinate, schedule and support event-related tasks to ensure they are delivered in a professional manner, in accordance with organizational and festival goals.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Event planning
  • Work closely with UA colleagues and stakeholders to determine appropriate venues to host Unstereotype Alliance events and appearances at the Cannes Lions Festival
  • Understand requirements of each event and space, and develop clear timelines and workplans to ensure all aspects are developed and delivered for the event, with attention to financial and time constraints
  • Liaise with colleagues and members to invite speakers and guests, schedule timeslots and briefings
  • Develop and maintain event reports on a live basis, as progress and commitments are made.
• Manage Logistics
  • Manage logistics for Unstereotype Alliance events, liaising with venues and partners to organize necessary equipment, catering, and branding elements
  • Liaise with LIONS team and UA Secretariat to confirm accommodation and arrivals / transit, run of show.
  • Oversee speakers and guest lists for events, engaging UA Secretariat for support with invitations and name badges etc

• Work with the Strategic Communications Consultant and creative partners to ensure access for videographer and photographers as appropriate.

• Manage Production
  • Obtain specifications for each event space and ensure branding, audio visual materials and fixtures are produced that meet requirements
  • Work with the UA Secretariat to brief creative and design partners, and coordinate production solutions that meet criteria for quality, lead time and cost
• On-site Coordination
  • Provide on-location support, overseeing schedule of events with final checks to ensure all deliverables and standards are met, acting quickly to resolve any problems.
  • Manage event registration and maintain a list of attendees for post-event communications
  • Provide guidance to Head of UA Secretariat and Senior UN Women delegates at the festival.

Deliverables:

• Clear production schedule and timeline that meets event requirements and available budget
• Event spaces booked, coordinated and branded with appropriate audio visual and presentation materials
• Speakers and guests invited, engaged and adequately briefed
• Smooth delivery of events, working side-by-side with the Unstereotype Alliance Secretariat and partners on attendee registration, content presentation, and guest relations to execute the event schedule.
• Comprehensive day-of support to the Unstereotype Alliance team, helping to ensure speakers are prepped, any tech issues are resolved, and other tasks as required.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Required Skills and Experience

Functional competencies

• Excellent communication, project management and PR skills
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, able to deliver clear, concise information tailored to C-suite audiences
• Detail oriented and organized, working autonomously to ensure quality and consistent output
• Working knowledge of French an asset.
• Computer literacy - Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Event Management, Public Relations, Media Communications or other related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• At least 7 years of work experience in event planning, with proven experience at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
• Demonstrable experience in event management.

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required
• Working knowledge of French is an advantage.