Overview
Career opportunities in the non-profit world allow PhDs to use their knowledge toward a wide variety of pursuits, often toward a cause in which they believe. Individuals with these positions must be very organized and are often required to manage multiple projects or programs at a time. Therefore, these positions usually require expertise in event planning and program management, complemented by communication, time management, and marketing skills. Project management involves the initiation, organization, and conclusion of work that is achieved by a group. Event planning is essentially project management where the specific end product for a team of individuals is an event. Accordingly, the event planner is in charge of all communications between all parties involved (stakeholders) and people skills are crucial to manage both external and internal partnerships. These partnerships usually include individuals grouped in one or more of the following categories: sponsors, educators, scientists, administrators, and volunteers.
In this job simulation, you’ll take on the role of a program manager whose task it is to set the agenda for and to organize a professional meeting, including communicating with and bringing together content experts from a variety of disciplines, setting budgets, and planning the logistics for the event.
For more on the programs in this series, visit the Every Month Series website.
