Planning Specialist

Overview

Key Responsibilities

• **Event Planning & Coordination**
• Develop comprehensive event plans, operational concepts, and implementation schedules for official events, ceremonies, and special projects.
• Define logistics and resource requirements, and translate them into detailed timelines, work plans, and critical milestones.
• Coordinate with internal departments and external stakeholders to align requirements, roles, and deliverables.
• Develop event scenarios, contingency plans, and alternative operational arrangements for key risk points.
• **Preparedness & Operational Readiness**
• Conduct readiness assessments to identify gaps, risks, and mitigation measures ahead of each event.
• Maintain preparedness plans, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and operational checklists, updating them based on assessment findings.
• Lead pre-event rehearsals, site visits, and operational testing exercises, and track stakeholder readiness against agreed timelines.
• Lead post-event reviews and lessons-learned exercises, and convert findings into concrete updates to plans and SOPs.
• **Project Management & Reporting**
• Prepare planning reports, executive briefings, and status updates for management.
• Monitor progress against approved timelines, budgets, and operational requirements.
• Maintain planning documentation, event records, and performance metrics.
• Build dashboards and tracking tools to monitor planning activities and readiness levels across multiple events.
• **Stakeholder Management**
• Act as the focal point for planning coordination with government entities, service providers, and internal stakeholders.
• Lead planning meetings, working groups, and coordination committees.
• Maintain clear, consistent communication across all parties involved in event planning and execution.
• Build and sustain relationships with key stakeholders to support reliable event delivery.
• **Continuous Improvement**
• Identify opportunities to strengthen event planning methodologies, preparedness frameworks, and operational processes.
• Recommend and help implement best practices in event management and operational planning.
• Help shape policies, frameworks, and guidelines for planning and preparedness.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Event Management, Project Management, Emergency Management, Strategic Planning, Operations Management, or a related field is required.
• professional certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, an Event Management certification, or a Risk Management certification.

Required Skills

• Event Planning and Management

• Operational Readiness Planning

• Project Management
• Risk Assessment and Contingency Planning
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Planning and Coordination
• Reporting and Presentation Development
• Data Analysis and Dashboard Reporting
• Microsoft Office and Project Management Tools

Preferred Skills

• Comprehensive Event Plans and Operational Concepts
• Event Readiness and Preparedness Reports
• Risk Registers and Contingency Plans
• Event Timelines and Project Dashboards
• Post-Event Reports and Lessons Learned Documentation
• Stakeholder Coordination Plans and Meeting Outcomes
• SOPs and Operational Readiness Frameworks