Event Manager - Maternity Leave Cover
Organization: Worldchefs
Contract type: Fixed-term maternity leave cover
Contract period: From 6 - 13 July 2026 to 5 February 2027 (7 months)
Location: Paris-based
Working language: English
Required languages: English and French
Seniority: Experienced Professional
About the role
Worldchefs is seeking an experienced Event Manager to lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of assigned international events and activations.
Following an up to 3 week onboarding period, the successful candidate will independently manage the operational planning and execution of Worldchefs events, ensuring successful delivery from initial planning through post-event reporting. The role requires strong event management experience, attention to detail, and the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders, suppliers, partners, and operational requirements simultaneously.
The position focuses exclusively on event planning, logistics, exhibition management, budget control, partner coordination, and on-site delivery.
Programs Covered
- Worldchefs Congress
- Worldchefs World Championship
- Worldchefs Village
- Competition Seminars
- Online Events: Webinars with Worldchefs Partners
Key responsibilities
1. Event management and operational delivery
1.1. Throughout the period:
Support building the plan and setting up the organisation of the Worldchefs World Championship [CL1] in Shanghai in March-April 2027 and Worldchefs Congress 2028 [CL2] in Paris, France and ready to hand over to the project manager after her maternity.
- Plan and monitor budget, establishing financial allocations for venue, vendors, materials, staffing, program activities, and communications, and tracking expenditures throughout setup.
- Select and contract venues and vendors, ensuring alignment with event objectives, program requirements, and budget.
- Lead setup planning and team coordination, assigning tasks to internal staff and contractors, and overseeing workflows for venue preparation, program activities, and communications readiness.
- Supervise execution and operational readiness, overseeing all aspects of the event including venue installation, AV, signage, exhibits, program delivery, and communications to ensure a seamless launch.
1.2. November 2026 — Worldchefs Village, Luxembourg:
- Lead full event lifecycle: budget management, layout, partner coordination, supplier management, operational planning
- Approve exhibition floor plans, booth allocation, and signage
- Ensure partner requirements are fulfilled, deadlines are met
- Oversee on-site setup, troubleshoot operational issues, and ensure high-quality delivery
- Manage the organization of 2 Competition Seminars on D-1 of the event.
1.3. January 2027 — Worldchefs Village, Sirha Lyon, France:
- In collaboration with Les Cuisiniers de France, lead full event lifecycle: budget management, layout, partner coordination, supplier management, operational planning
- Approve exhibition floor plans, booth allocation, and signage
- Ensure partner requirements are fulfilled, deadlines are met
- Oversee on-site setup, troubleshoot operational issues, and ensure high-quality delivery
2. Reporting and collaboration
- Work closely with Worldchefs leadership, project partners, member associations, sponsors, suppliers, and internal teams
- Maintain event documentation, contact databases, contracts, files, trackers, and administrative records.
- Prepare post-event reports, budget reconciliations, lessons learned, and handover documentation.
- Ensure all operational information is accurately documented and archived.
- Prepare 2026 Event Report for annual strategic meeting in January 2027
Required qualifications and experience
- Minimum 3 years of professional experience managing international events, exhibitions, conferences, or multi-stakeholder projects.
- Proven ability to independently manage event operations from planning through delivery, including budget oversight, supplier and vendor coordination, logistics management, and on-site execution.
- Native-level English (minimum IELTS 8.0, CAE C1, or TOEFL iBT 110) and strong working-level French (CAE B2 or above).
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
- Strong attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and a proactive approach to delivering high-quality events.
- Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools such as PMI, PMP, or PRINCE2.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in gastronomy, hospitality, education, association management, or non-profit sectors.
- Experience managing exhibitions and sponsor activations.
- Familiarity with project management and event management software, eg. Kantree, Trello, etc.
- Experience working in international and multicultural environments.
Application link: https://tinyurl.com/39pxs6fu
For more senior applicants
Worldchefs may consider more senior applicants for a senior project leadership role
This would not change the initial Event Manager scope. The candidate would first be
expected to lead assigned Worldchefs events as described in this job description,
including Worldchefs Congress, Worldchefs World Championship, Worldchefs Villages,
Competition Seminars, and online events with Worldchefs partners.
The candidate may be considered for a broader role leading the Projects Department.
Future senior responsibilities may include:
- Leading the overall Projects Department workplan across events, impact programs, partner activities, and reporting deadlines.
- Managing the delivery across Worldchefs Congress, Worldchefs World Championship, Worldchefs Villages, Competition Seminars, online events, and other assigned projects.
- Providing senior guidance and oversight to the Project Officer in the delivery of multi-year initiatives, including Feed the Planet, FoodChoices4LIFE , the Young Chef Programme with World Food Forum, WCK Chef Corps, and othergrant-funded, donor-funded, EU-funded, or partner-funded projects. The Project Officer remains responsible for day-to-day project delivery.
- Supervising the Project Officer, project contractors, and assigned project staff, including priorities, workload, follow-up, and performance expectations.
- Coordinating priorities with internal teams, including Communications, Education, and Member Services.
- Managing department-level project systems, including cross-project timelines, trackers, action lists, risk logs, reporting schedules, and handover documentation.
- Overseeing financial and partner follow-up across assigned projects, including budget tracking, cost control, financial documentation, stakeholder commitments, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
- Leading the strategic development of the Projects Department, including project priorities, resource planning, operational processes, reporting structures, and long-term project growth.
- Providing strategic input to Worldchefs’ overall organisational development from a project perspective, including new initiative development, institutional collaborations, co-funding opportunities, stronger internal systems, and improved ways of working across teams.
Senior applicants should bring experience in international event management, project or
program coordination, team supervision, budget management, stakeholder
engagement, multi-project delivery, and grant-funded, donor-funded, EU-funded, or
partner-funded programs.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary
Contract length: 7 months
Pay: 35,000.00€ - 38,000.00€ per year
Language:
Work Location: In person
