Knowledge Management & Program Coordinator

Company Description

The International District Energy Association (IDEA) is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing sustainable and efficient district energy systems to drive global progress toward net-zero goals. Established in 1909, IDEA represents over 2,600 members from more than 25 countries, including cities, universities, healthcare facilities, airports, military bases, and industries worldwide. With a focus on emission-friendly and cost-effective energy solutions, IDEA is a leader in fostering reliable and innovative energy systems that serve diverse communities globally.

Position Summary

The Knowledge Management & Program Coordinator is a dual-role position in a nonprofit energy & environmental industry association with principal responsibility for managing a knowledge-sharing platform and supporting the planning and execution of conferences, workshops and events.

This role will help to optimize a learning management system (LMS) that serves as knowledge-sharing platform to capture, organize and share industry best-practices, conference and workshop proceedings and virtual webinars and related information. The LMS is intended to facilitate discovery, dissemination, education and awareness while delivering impactful, mission-aligned experiences for stakeholders, members, and a wider global community. Additionally, this position will support development, curating and organization of conferences, workshops and education seminars. The organization is focused on district energy for cities, communities and campuses and holds a global reputation for technical and operational excellence and thought leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Knowledge Management Responsibilities

·        Manage, maintain and optimize a centralized virtual knowledge repository for industry education, awareness and best practices (learning management system – LMS)

·        Develop a pricing strategy to generate operating income (CEU’s; on-boarding; training, etc.)

·        Develop a plan for outreach to enhance awareness and engagement in the LMS with industry partners and other prospects

·        Work with subject matter experts to capture and catalogue learning materials and technical program proceedings

·        Establish and maintain taxonomy, tagging systems, and metadata standards

·        Train staff, and as needed, stakeholders on knowledge-sharing tools and KM best practices

·        Leverage AI tools to organize, assimilate and optimize key industry topics, including assessment of emerging trends and issues to plan future programming

·        Monitor system usage and recommend improvements for usability, adoption and income generation

·        Maintain version control and document retention standards

·        Manage and monitor fee-based content and public-facing content, including promotion and awareness to boost engagement

Conference & Event Coordination Responsibilities

·        Assist in planning, coordination and execution of nonprofit association conferences (in-person, virtual, or hybrid), workshops, and stakeholder events, including webinars.

·        Support event logistics: budgets, vendors, venues, registrations, timelines, speaker coordination and communications.  

·        Assist in coordination of speakers, agenda development, and event materials for promotion, registration and participation, including annual conferences, workshops and regional events 

·        Serve as liaison between internal teams and external event participants or partners, including as needed, vendors, hotels, conference centers, and host organizations

·        As needed, assist with media and public relations coordination

·        Support post-event knowledge capture, including recordings, summaries, and documented learnings.

·        Develop and integrate AI tools to enhance outreach and global awareness

Required Qualifications

·        Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Information Science, Event Management, or a related field.

·        3 years of experience in knowledge management, event coordination, or a related field.

·        Familiarity with tools such as SharePoint, Confluence, or Notion for KM, and Eventbrite, Zoom, or Cadmium (EventScribe) for event planning; CRM tool is Impexium.

·        Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills.

·        Excellent writing and communications skills

·        Awareness, insight and professional interest in energy and environmental issues.

·        Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines under pressure.

·        Experience with CRM systems and data reporting (preferred).

• Experience with AI tools to enhance KM outreach

Preferred Qualifications

·        Certified Knowledge Manager (CKM), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), or other relevant credentials.

·        Background in events, event management or planning

·        Experience with hybrid or virtual events and associated technologies.

·        Background in nonprofit associations, membership organizations, or mission-driven sectors, with preference for experience in energy, environment, climate or clean energy.