Join Our Team! Events and Engagement Officer

Job Title: Events and Engagement Officer
Location: Dublin, Hybrid. Dublin-based office one day per week (subject to change), with greater in-person availability needed during Spring and around events.
Start Date: Week of 4 January 2027
Salary: €35,000 per annum
Line Manager: Activate Programme Manager
Duration: Permanent
Hours: Full-time

About Young Social Innovators
Young Social Innovators (YSI) is a non-profit organisation that believes in the power of youth. Its vision is to empower, equip and inspire young people to change the world for good. Through its programmes, training and events, Young Social Innovators enables young people to grapple with difficult social issues, advocating reform and advancing change.

Each year, around 15,000 young people are supported to explore social and environmental issues that concern them and come up with a variety of responses to these. In this way, Young Social Innovators builds social capital and helps young people create a fairer and more caring Ireland, connecting into a wider global movement for change.

Activate Programme
Activate is YSI's flagship programme, mainly for Transition Year students. Working in teams, students explore issues of concern to them locally, nationally or globally, engage with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and take creative, collaborative action on the social issue they're passionate about. Around 5,000 young people take part in Activate each year.

Responsibilities of the Role

Event Coordination

• Coordinate and execute the planning and delivery of online and live events, in particular The YSI Speak Out Tour, corporate events and the YSI Awards.
• Manage scheduling, invitations, bookings, venue rental, ordering materials, staff roles, procuring and contracting external staff, and event registration processes.
• Coordinate photo consent forms, working closely with the Communications Officer
• Coordinate and deliver online events, including troubleshooting to ensure a smooth experience for participants, stakeholders and sponsors.
• Draft speech notes and MC scripts.
• Arrange travel, catering and accommodation for those supporting live events.
• Coordinate and liaise with event contractors, vendors, venues and speakers to ensure the success of YSI events.
• Draft and coordinate budget and contractual arrangements in consultation with, and with sign-off from, the Activate Programme Manager.
• Ensure high-quality, inclusive event delivery and superior stakeholder event experiences, continually seeking improvements for workflow, youth participation and engagement, and event structure.
• Ensure YSI events comply with YSI’s child safeguarding processes and are GDPR compliant.

Activate Programme

• Facilitate training for teachers/ educators taking part in Activate.
• Update Activate programme toolkits, information packs and volunteer charters each year.
• Liaise with teachers and schools for participation in live events and other programme queries.
• Work closely with the Education Officer to ensure a world class experience for Activate participants, educators and programme sponsors.
• Work closely with the Activate Programme Manager, Education Officer and Communications team on Activate’s recruitment campaign, which may include recruitment workshop facilitation.
• Update and review Activate Programme resources annually, in collaboration with the Social Innovation Development Manager.
• Ensure Activate and its associated webpages are up to date, and provide ad hoc website content and social media assistance, working with the Communications Officer.
• Draft grant applications, related to events

Youth Panel

For Youth Panel work, this role reports to the Social Innovation Programme Manager.

• Coordinate YSI’s Youth Panel, including running regular meetings (monthly for most of the year), communicating and managing additional opportunities, and overseeing project work, working with other YSI team members who contribute to the Youth Panel.
• Plan the Youth Panel’s annual programme, scheduling its busiest periods outside Activate’s Spring event season.
• Update terms of reference when necessary with new developments.
• Coordinate with YSI staff on the development of workshops and feedback sessions with the Youth Panel.
• Organise recruitment drives when necessary, working with the Communications Officer.
• Write and disseminate communications to Youth Panel, draft and design presentations for meetings, and coordinate the minutes where required.
• Ensure best practice for meaningful youth participation, guided by the Lundy Model of Participation.

TY Work Experience Programme

• Lead on programming and administration for week-long TY Work Experience Programme, including liaising with staff, room bookings, daily scheduling, setting up and disseminating Zoom links for online meetings, workshop set-up for in-person days, communicatio

General

• Provide event support across the organisation as required, including ad hoc travel, catering and accommodation arrangements for the Education and wider YSI Team.

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of organising live and/or online events, activities or projects, whether through work, study, volunteering or community involvement

• Excellent attention to detail

• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

• Experience of working with young people (paid or voluntary)

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to build positive relationships with a range of people, including external partners and suppliers 

• Confident using online meeting platforms such as Zoom, Google Drive, and standard IT tools

• Willingness to learn and apply child safeguarding and GDPR good practice 

• Willingness to travel nationally for events, including occasional overnight stays 

• Willingness to undertake hands-on event logistics, including set-up, pack-down and moving events materials

Desirable

• Experience of planning and delivering live or online events

• Experience of facilitation or delivering training/workshops

• Knowledge of youth participation practice, such as the Lundy Model

• Experience of managing budgets

• Experience of working in the non-profit, education or youth sector

• A full driving licence would be an advantage, as some events involve transporting materials between venues. Alternative arrangements can be made where this isn’t possible. 

Other

This person needs to be available for in-person events, the majority of which take place in March every year. The Spring 2027 dates are included below.

*would involve an overnight stay and event setup the evening before. All travel, accommodation and expenses are covered by YSI for these out-of-town events.

How to Apply
Email your CV and a cover letter (no more than one page) describing why you're interested and your relevant experience to careers@youngsocialinnovators.ie. Please include your availability for the Spring 2027 event dates outlined above.

Application deadline: Wednesday 11 November, 12pm 

Interviews (Round 1): Friday 20 November (online) 

Interviews (Round 2): Friday 27 November (online)

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information or disability status.