Manager, Conference Programming

The Institute for Portfolio Alternatives (IPA) is seeking a Manager, Conference Programming to support content and programming across its U.S. and international conference and event portfolio. Working closely with the Director of Conferences & Events, this role will help shape the day-to-day programming process, from researching potential speakers and coordinating outreach to assisting with planning calls, drafting session materials, and keeping conference agendas current. 

The ideal candidate is curious, highly organized, and proactive, with strong writing skills and careful attention to detail. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys working as part of a team and managing multiple priorities.

IPA is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and operates as a fully remote organization. The role requires periodic travel to support IPA conferences and events.

What You Will Do:

• Manage Speaker Outreach: Research potential speakers across the asset management, broker-dealer, RIA, and wealth management community. Manage the outreach process once speakers are selected, including invitations, confirmations, scheduling, and follow-up.
• Coordinate Session Planning: Schedule planning calls with moderators and panelists, take notes, capture action items, and follow up on next steps.
• Draft Session Materials: Turn planning conversations and direction from the Director into draft session flows, discussion questions, speaker communications, and run-of-show materials. Circulate updated versions as the group's thinking evolves.
• Maintain Conference Agendas: Keep agendas, speaker lists, session timing, and open items current so internal teams and outside participants are working from accurate information.
• Follow the Industry: Keep up with developments across private markets and alternative investments, and flag topics, trends, and potential speakers for the team's consideration.
• Coordinate Across Teams: Work with Marketing on promotion of agenda content, the Conference & Event Manager on logistics, and colleagues across the association to keep programming aligned with IPA's priorities.
• Assist with Venue Sourcing: Research venues for smaller networking events, preparing detailed proposals that include elements such as timing and pricing.
• Provide Event Support: Provide administrative support across the event portfolio, including weekly registration reports and troubleshooting member registration issues in the AMS with a high level of customer service. Serve as a second set of eyes on hotel rooming lists, banquet event orders, and other event documents, and handle the annual awards program, the expo raffle, and speaker and sponsor gifts.
• Staff Events on Site: Travel periodically to IPA conferences and be an active part of the on-site team, supporting speaker management, session materials, programming execution, and other event needs as they arise.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to the Director of Conferences & Events and works closely with IPA staff, members, speakers, and outside partners.

Who You Are:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to keep many moving pieces on track across multiple events at the same time.
• Curious about the subject matter, with the ability to quickly build an understanding of a complex industry and apply what you learn.
• Proactive and dependable, comfortable taking ownership, flagging issues early, and moving work forward without waiting to be told.
• A collaborative and professional communicator who works well with speakers, members, and colleagues, with excellent customer service skills and an understanding that a successful conference or event is a shared effort.
• Two to four years of experience supporting conferences, events, or professional content, in a corporate, professional services, media, or association setting. Financial services experience is a plus, as is familiarity with event registration platforms or a CRM or association management system (IPA uses MemberSuite).

Compensation: $90,000 (base + bonus), commensurate with experience.

About the Institute for Portfolio Alternatives:

For over four decades, the IPA has been the preeminent voice of the alternative investments and private markets industry. Our members include the world's leading asset managers, representing more than $40 trillion in AUM, alongside the broker-dealers, RIAs, and wealth management firms that bring alternative strategies to investors. Together, they span private real estate, private credit, private equity, infrastructure, and other alternative assets. Through leading advocacy, flagship conferences in the U.S. and internationally, and a growing platform for data and research, the IPA is at the center of private markets' expansion into mainstream portfolios. Learn more at www.ipa.com.