Event Administration Manager

Job description

The Role

The Event Administration Manager leads the administrative governance and information management framework for the full lifecycle of ISU events - from intent to bid and host selection through planning, production, delivery, financial close-out, and knowledge transfer. Reporting to the Chief of Events, the role supports the Chief of Events and the wider Events team by ensuring that processes, approvals, records, reporting, and event management tools are complete, current, traceable, and delivered to the required milestones.
The role serves as the operational owner of the Events team's administrative systems and institutional memory. It does not replace the Event Manager's accountability for assigned events; it provides the structure, controls, and cross-functional coordination that allow Event Managers, Local Organizing Committees (LOCs), ISU Members, and internal teams to plan and deliver events consistently.

Key Responsibilities

Event Bidding & Host Allocation

• Lead the administration of the multi-year event bidding calendar, including intent-to-bid communications, deadlines, documentation, and follow-up with ISU Members.
• Maintain a complete pipeline of prospective bidders and hosts, including expressions of interest, multi-year hosting discussions, meeting history, open questions, submitted documents, decisions, and next actions.
• Coordinate the issue and receipt of all bidding materials, record which Members received each document, track completeness of submissions, and manage clarifications and meeting records.
• Close each bidding round through formal completeness checks and prepare accurate status reporting for the Chief of Events, management, and Council.
• Coordinate the structured administrative review of bid submissions, consolidate assessment inputs and supporting evidence, and prepare decision-ready materials for event allocation recommendations.
• Administer allocation communications to successful and unsuccessful bidders, ensuring outcomes, feedback, and relevant rationale are documented for future bidding cycles.

Event Planning Governance & Portfolio Reporting

• Establish and manage the administrative handover from event allocation to the assigned Event Manager and confirm that the event workspace, baseline documents, milestones, stage gates, and decision records are in place.
• Own the consistent use and administration of the ISU event project planner, milestone register, event plan, requirements, budget, ticketing, and other core planning documents across the event portfolio.
• Monitor portfolio-level deadlines, dependencies, approvals, risks, and outstanding information; escalate gaps and overdue actions to the Chief of Events and relevant Event Manager.
• Coordinate with the ISU Office Strategic Manager and other internal stakeholders to keep event reporting, dashboards, management updates, and Council materials accurate and current.
• Prepare meeting agendas, decision logs, action trackers, minutes, follow-up communications, and consolidated status reports as required.

Systems, Records & Information Management

• Own the Events team's SharePoint information architecture and document-control standards for each event, ensuring appropriate filing, naming, version control, access, and retention.
• Maintain alignment and data integrity across SharePoint, Smartsheet, Excel, Word, Power BI, and any approved event management or reporting tools.
• Develop and maintain a structured relationship and history record for bidding and hosting Members, creating a reliable institutional record comparable to a CRM for event hosting activity.
• Define templates, registers, checklists, and standard operating procedures that improve consistency, transparency, and efficiency across the event lifecycle.
• Act as the administrative super-user for event management tools and support Event Managers and team members in their correct use.

Financial, Contractual & Approval Coordination

• Coordinate the administrative process for centrally funded event expenditure, including the development and maintenance of SOPs, approval routes, supporting records, and audit trails.
• Work with Finance and Event Managers to track baseline event budget approval, subsequent updates, commitments, invoices, ticketing and revenue reporting, and final event close-out.
• Maintain approval records and ensure required financial submissions are complete and provided in line with the milestone and stage-gate calendar.
• Coordinate with Legal and relevant business owners to track required contracts, reviews, signatures, obligations, renewals, and filing.
• Manage all event-related procurement and supplier administration processes, including RFPs, SOWs, purchase orders, invoicing, payment tracking, approval workflows, and supporting documentation, ensuring accurate records, compliance with ISU policies, and complete audit trails throughout the event life cycle.
• Provide portfolio visibility on outstanding financial, contractual, and governance actions and escalate items that may affect event readiness or compliance.

Production, Delivery & Event Close-Out

• Support the transition from planning into the production phase, ensuring production teams, central suppliers, and relevant internal functions have the approved documents, schedules, budgets, and access required.
• Coordinate administrative readiness for on-site delivery, including current contact lists, schedules, decision records, approval status, team documentation, and event files.
• Provide on-site administrative and coordination support for selected events when required.
• Drive the formal post-event close-out process, including financial closure, outstanding contractual actions, final reporting, debriefs, evaluation inputs, and confirmation that required records have been received.
• Capture best practices, lessons learned, templates, and reusable materials and make them accessible for the next edition, host Member, or event series.

Team & Stakeholder Support

• Provide high-level administrative and portfolio support to the Chief of Events and coordinated support to Event Managers and the wider Events team.
• Serve as a central administrative contact for ISU Members and LOCs throughout bidding and, where appropriate, the planning lifecycle.
• Coordinate effectively across Finance, Legal, Sport, Commercial, Marketing, Communications, Technology, and other ISU functions.
• Set working standards, provide guidance, and where applicable oversee or delegate work to Event Administration Coordinators or temporary administrative support.

Profile required

About You

You are a proactive, detail-oriented professional with excellent organisational and coordination skills. You thrive in a fast-paced, international environment, enjoy improving processes, and are committed to delivering high-quality work while building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

Essential Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in event administration, project management, portfolio coordination, governance, or a comparable role; international sport or multi-stakeholder events strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex document workflows, deadlines, approvals, meeting governance, and cross-functional reporting.
• Strong understanding of budgeting, financial controls, contractual workflows, records management, and process improvement.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365, particularly SharePoint, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams; experience with Smartsheet, Power BI, CRM, or project management platforms is an advantage.
• Exceptional organization, attention to detail, written communication, and follow-through, with the ability to maintain accuracy across a high-volume international event portfolio.
• Able to exercise sound judgment, handle confidential information, identify gaps, and escalate issues clearly and constructively.
• Confident stakeholder manager, comfortable working with senior leadership, ISU Members, LOCs, and colleagues across functions and cultures.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.
• Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings or weekends in connection with event delivery.

Company description

Why Join the ISU?
The International Skating Union (ISU) is the world governing body for Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Short Track Speed Skating and Synchronized Skating. Founded in 1892, the ISU is the oldest international winter sports federation and today works with more than 100 Member Federations across nearly 80 countries to grow and develop skating worldwide.
At the heart of the ISU is a bold ambition: to create a world where everyone can experience and enjoy the thrill of skating. Through Vision 2030, the ISU is transforming the future of skating by becoming an athlete-first, member-focused and fan-centric organisation, driving innovation, growth and global engagement across all disciplines.

What makes the ISU unique is the opportunity to combine the passion of sport with meaningful global impact. As part of a close-knit and collaborative team, you'll have the chance to contribute to the growth of a worldwide sport, work with stakeholders across continents and help shape the future of skating for generations to come.

On 8/20/2026