Event Experience Coordinator (Franchise Update Media)

The International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to representing franchising globally, with over 60 years of excellence in advocacy, education, and industry support. IFA’s mission is to protect, enhance, and promote franchising through government relations, public relations, and educational programs. With members spanning more than 120 business format categories, including franchise companies, individual franchisees, and industry-support organizations, IFA is committed to upholding the highest standards and fostering growth in franchising worldwide.

As of July 1, 2025, the International Franchise Association proudly finalized its acquisition of Franchise Update Media, bringing together two of the top organizations in franchising . This strategic partnership enhances IFA’s commitment to serving the entire franchise ecosystem—franchisors, franchisees, suppliers, and investors—by combining IFA’s advocacy, education, and benchmarking expertise with Franchise Update Media’s award-winning content, events, and digital reach.

Franchise Update Media has its finger on the pulse of franchising with unrivalled audience intelligence and market driven data. It is a sub-brand owned fully by IFA which understands the franchise landscape deeper than any other media company or brand. This role is specific to this sub-brand within IFA.

Role Overview

The Event Experience Coordinator plays a critical role in delivering exceptional conference experiences for attendees, advisory board members, and award winners. This position is responsible for supporting attendee engagement, registration operations, stakeholder communications, and onsite execution—ensuring a seamless, high-touch experience from pre-event through post-event.

This role requires strong attention to detail, a proactive and solution-oriented mindset, and a customer-first approach. The ideal candidate takes full ownership of their work, anticipates needs before they arise, and thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic event environment

Responsibilities:

Conference Execution

• Travel to conferences to lead registration operations and support breakout sessions, ensuring a seamless onsite experience.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for attendee check-in, troubleshooting, and real-time issue resolution.
• Prepare and manage all session materials, including signage, speaker tents, run-of-show documents, and room monitor guidelines—ensuring accuracy and consistency across all rooms.
• Own and maintain the master shipping log, coordinating all inbound and outbound shipments, tracking inventory, and confirming timely delivery of materials.
• Coordinate pre-event ordering of supplies, materials and onsite needs, ensuring everything is accounted for and delivered on schedule.
• Manage car bookings and transportation logistics for staff, speakers, and VIPs as needed.
• Proof all event collateral and printed materials to ensure brand consistency and accuracy.
•  Anticipate onsite needs, proactively identify gaps, and troubleshoot in real time to maintain a high-quality attendee experience.
• Support post-event logistics, including material returns, inventory reconciliation, and wrap-up coordination.

Registration & Systems Management

• Own and manage all registration operations within Bizzabo, ensuring accuracy, functionality, and a seamless attendee experience.
• Maintain and report on registration data, proactively identifying and resolving issues.
• Maintain accurate records in HubSpot, including data imports, deduplication, and unsubscribe management to ensure data integrity across systems.
• Support email campaigns in Mailchimp and assist with website content updates, ensuring alignment across all attendee-facing platforms.

Franchisee & Franchisor Attendee Experience

• Review and approve franchisee registrations to maintain audience quality and integrity.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for franchisee and franchisor attendees, delivering timely, high-touch, concierge-level support.
• Lead proactive outreach to past attendees and targeted prospects to drive franchisee and franchisor registration and engagement.
• Manage VIP and promotional registration codes, including distribution, tracking, and performance monitoring.

Board & Award Winner Experience

• Coordinate communications, materials, and logistics for multiple advisory boards.
• Manage headshots, bios, and registration details for board members.
• Oversee submissions and logistics for awards programs and award recipients.
• Support special events including VIP dinners and recognition programming.

Requirements:

• 2 years of experience in event coordination, hospitality, or customer service.
• Hands-on experience with event registration platforms and CRM systems (e.g., Bizzabo, HubSpot, Mailchimp), with demonstrated ownership and management of systems.
• Strong organizational skills with a high level of accuracy in data management and reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a polished, professional presence.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while maintaining professionalism and composure in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive, self-starter mindset with the ability to take initiative and anticipate needs.
• Customer-facing experience, including engaging with VIPs and delivering high-touch service in dynamic, high-pressure environments.

Ideal Candidate:

• Highly customer-service oriented, with exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to delivering a seamless attendee experience.
• Proactive and solutions-focused, with the ability to anticipate needs and resolve challenges efficiently.
• Confident managing and engaging VIP stakeholders, with a polished and professional presence.

Key Position Facts:

While the International Finance Association (IFA) is headquartered in Washington, DC, this position operates on a Pacific Time schedule. Candidates must be available to work standard business hours aligned with Pacific Time (PT), regardless of their physical location.

This means the typical workday will follow approximately 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT. Applicants should ensure they can consistently meet this schedule.

Salary: 60-70k DOE

Please email your cover letter and resume to careers@franchise.org.