Event & Project Management Specialist

Event & Project Management Specialist

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Falls Church, VA

Position Summary: 

The Event & Project Management Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing national outreach initiatives and in-person training events in collaboration with emergency response agencies, government partners, and industry stakeholders. This role requires a proactive, professional, and self-directed individual capable of managing high-impact projects, engaging with diverse audiences, and representing the organization in public-facing environments.

This position follows a hybrid work model, requiring in-office presence three days per week, with Tuesdays and Thursdays mandatory, and the third day selected in coordination with the supervisor. The role also includes extensive travel (up to 50%), including evenings, weekends, and extended hours to support training events, conferences, and field-based initiatives.

This position reports directly to the Director, Training, Outreach and Partnerships.

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 

Event Coordination and Logistics:

• Leads planning and execution of TRANSCAER events, responder training sessions, and national initiatives aligned with program goals.
• Coordinates all logistics for training events and conferences, including scheduling, planning calls, vendor management, onsite setup, equipment rentals, catering, and shipping of materials often managing multiple vendors or partner contacts simultaneously.
• Provides on-site support across the United States and Mexico for events, ensuring smooth execution and troubleshooting any logistical or registration issues. Travel to event locations (up to 50% of the time) to oversee logistics and provide direct support to the Manager and Director.
• Orders promotional items, awards, apparel, and event materials.
• Prepares annual invoices for TRANSCAER and CHEMREC’s outreach program.

Support for Manager:

• Drafts correspondence with stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, and industry partners, ensuring timely and clear communication in both English and Spanish.
• Assists the Manager, TOPs with annual grant projects including scheduling training development task groups, podcasts, webinars, training events, social media promotion, and video development.

Grants Management Support:

• Assists in the preparation, submission, and tracking of grant applications and reports.
• Coordinates the gathering of necessary data and documentation for grants, ensuring compliance with all grant requirements.
• Monitors grant deadlines and deliverables, keeping the Manager, TOPs informed of progress and upcoming needs.
• Assists with ordering and tracking of all grant expenses, invoices, and receipts.

Documentation and Reporting:

• Maintains accurate records of logistics, expenditures, and travel costs.
• Assists in preparing post-event reports, summarizing successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Supports the creation of presentations and reports in both English and Spanish for internal and external stakeholders.
• Manages LMS data, surveys, inventory lists, and vendor contracts.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Leads the efforts of the TRANSCAER México program and serve as liaison to local agencies.
• Assists with the development of bilingual marketing materials and manage social media outreach for TRANSCAER México.
• Oversees the TRANSCAER website, in collaboration with the Digital Media Manager.
• Drafts communications for TRANSCAER México and manages events, and meetings for the
• TRANSCAER México Task Group, and processes invoices for TRANSCAER México Corporate Member outreach.
• Serves as the liaison to TRANSCAER State Coordinators, local emergency responder agencies, railroads, and the communities being served in Mexico.
• Maintains the TRANSCAER Coordinator Handbook and online training program.
• Leads the planning and execution of the annual TRANSCAER Awards program, managing the protocol documentation and facilitating coordination with the Awards Committee to ensure a successful recognition process.
• Serves as the backup for the CHEMTREC Outreach and Awards inboxes.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Preferred:

• Proven experience in logistics, event planning, or program coordination, preferably in a transportation or safety-related field.
• Experience with grants management, including reporting, compliance, and documentation, is preferred but not required.
• Experience in transportation, safety, or emergency response sectors. 

Qualifications/Required:

• 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Fluent in Spanish and English (spoken and written).
• Willingness to travel up to 50%, including evenings/weekends.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM platforms (e.g., Dynamics).
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• High level of attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to troubleshoot on the go and adapt quickly to changes or challenges that arise in the field.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proactive and innovative approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Competency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other project management software.
• Experience with virtual meeting platforms is a plus.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and be able to travel independently to various locations.

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