Application Guide

How to Apply for Event Manager

at Iliad

🏢 About Iliad

Iliad is an umbrella organization that advances applied mathematics research in AI alignment through conferences, research incubation, and fellowship programs. Working here means you're directly supporting the field's most pressing technical challenges by enabling researchers to connect, collaborate, and share findings in high-trust environments.

About This Role

As Event Manager, you'll own the full lifecycle of AI alignment research conferences, workshops, and retreats ranging from 30 to 200 participants, from venue selection to onsite execution. Your work ensures that critical research conversations happen smoothly, allowing mathematicians and AI safety researchers to focus on solving alignment problems rather than logistics.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start your day with a vendor call to negotiate catering for an upcoming retreat in the UK, then update the budget spreadsheet and flag a potential date conflict with another workshop. In the afternoon, you'll coordinate with a research lead to finalize the agenda, send attendee communications, and review volunteer schedules for an event next month. Some days you'll be onsite managing setup and troubleshooting, ensuring everything runs smoothly so researchers can focus on their work.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Iliad

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Iliad Is Looking For

  • 3+ years of end-to-end event operations experience, including venue contracting, catering, vendor negotiation, and budget tracking for events of 30–200 attendees.
  • Comfortable managing multiple concurrent events across US, UK, and EU time zones, with frequent international travel and a knack for flagging scheduling conflicts early.
  • Skilled at coordinating with senior stakeholders (researchers, leadership) to align event goals with organizational strategy and mission.
  • Experienced in managing event staff and volunteers, and building repeatable systems (checklists, templates, tools) to streamline operations for growing event portfolios.

📝 Tips for Applying to Iliad

1

Highlight specific events you've managed in the 30–200 participant range, including venue types (academic, retreat centers, hotels) and international locations (US, UK, EU).

2

Quantify your budget management: total budgets overseen, cost savings achieved, and how you tracked expenses across multiple concurrent events.

3

Mention any experience with research conferences, academic workshops, or technical retreats—even if not in AI—to show you understand the culture and needs of researcher audiences.

4

Demonstrate familiarity with remote work tools and asynchronous coordination, as Iliad is a remote organization with global events.

5

In your application, explicitly connect your event management work to Iliad's mission: explain why supporting AI alignment research through logistics matters to you.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

Emphasize your end-to-end ownership of event logistics, including a concrete example of a multi-day event you managed from venue selection to onsite execution. Highlight your ability to manage multiple concurrent events across time zones and your experience with international travel and vendor coordination. Show that you can build systems and manage volunteers/staff to scale event operations. Finally, articulate a genuine interest in AI alignment or applied mathematics research and how you see event management as enabling that mission.

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Iliad's website and any public reports to understand their specific programs: conferences, research incubation, and fellowship programs.
  • → Research recent AI alignment conferences and workshops (e.g., from organizations like MIRI, FHI, or similar) to understand the format, audience, and goals.
  • → Look up Iliad's team and any public statements about their approach to applied mathematics in AI alignment to tailor your mission alignment.
  • → Investigate common venues and logistics for academic retreats in the US, UK, and EU to speak knowledgeably about potential locations and challenges.
Visit Iliad's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through a time you managed an event with 100+ attendees from start to finish—what was your process, and what would you do differently?
2 How do you handle last-minute changes or emergencies (e.g., vendor cancellation, venue issue) during a live event?
3 Describe your approach to budgeting and expense tracking across multiple concurrent events. What tools or systems do you use?
4 How would you coordinate with researchers and leadership to ensure an event aligns with Iliad's strategic goals?
5 Tell us about a time you managed event staff or volunteers. How did you build systems to streamline their work?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on corporate or large-scale events (e.g., trade shows, weddings) without addressing the unique needs of small, high-trust research gatherings.
  • Neglecting to mention international experience or willingness to travel frequently, as the role requires regular US, UK, and EU travel.
  • Using generic language about 'event planning' without demonstrating ownership of budgets, vendor contracts, and onsite execution—key requirements for this role.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Iliad!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →