Conferences at CEPT and CRDF create a space for serious conversations on the ideas, policies and innovations shaping India’s built environment. They bring together professionals, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and students to exchange knowledge across architecture, urban planning, urban design, civil engineering, infrastructure and management. As CRDF expands this initiative through flagship conferences, the ambition is to build a series of nationally recognised platforms that convene leading voices from across sectors and influence professional practice, public policy and the future direction of the built environment.
The Manager – Conferences will play a central role in this effort. The incumbent will be responsible for translating academic and professional vision into high-quality conferences that create value for participants, partners and sponsors while strengthening CEPT University's position as a leading institution for thought leadership and interdisciplinary exchange. The position requires a highly organised and entrepreneurial professional who can successfully combine programme management, stakeholder engagement, sponsorship development and commercial acumen.
Key Responsibilities
Conference Portfolio Management
• Lead the planning and execution of CRDF's annual conference portfolio, including flagship conferences, practice-focused conferences and centre-led events.
• Develop annual calendars, implementation plans and delivery milestones aligned with institutional priorities.
• Monitor progress across the portfolio, anticipate risks and ensure successful delivery against agreed objectives.
• Capture learnings and strengthen CRDF's long-term capability to manage and grow nationally recognised conferences.
• Develop standard operating procedures, workflows and governance frameworks for conference management.
Programme & Event Delivery
• Translate academic vision into professionally managed conferences by working closely with faculty, organising committees and research centres.
• Oversee registrations, venue management, logistics, hospitality, exhibitions and on-site operations.
• Ensure every conference delivers a high-quality experience for speakers, delegates and partners.
Partner & Sponsorship Management
• Manage any partners or event management organisations that CEPT may choose to work with, ensuring contractual deliverables, budgets, timelines and quality standards are met.
• Develop and manage the sponsorship pipeline in collaboration with the PCO and Conference Committee.
• Build long-term relationships with sponsors, industry partners and service providers while maintaining sponsor records within CRDF systems.
• Facilitate sponsorship approvals in accordance with CRDF's governance processes.
• Build and maintain institutional repositories of sponsors, speakers, vendors and conference documentation.
Speaker & Stakeholder Engagement
• Coordinate and assist with the identification, invitation and participation of national and international speakers.
• Manage speaker communications, travel, hospitality and honoraria.
• Liaise with government agencies, professional bodies, institutional partners and advisory groups to strengthen conference programmes and collaborations.
Financial & Performance Management
• Ensure sound financial management of conferences and events.
• Prepare conference budgets, financial projections and event-wise P&Ls in collaboration with the Finance team.
• Monitor revenues, sponsorship collections and expenditures against approved budgets.
• Track performance through regular reporting and recommend corrective actions where required.
Key Performance Indicators
• Successful delivery of the conference portfolio
• Sponsorship mobilisation and partnership development
• Delegate registrations and participant satisfaction
• Revenue generation and budget adherence
• Quality of conference delivery
• Growth of institutional partnerships
• Development of conference systems and organisational capability
• Brand visibility and impact of CEPT conferences
Qualifications
Master's degree in Management, Event Management, Marketing, Communications, Business Administration or a related discipline.
Experience
• Minimum 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience in conference management, large-scale events, institutional partnerships or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in managing conferences involving multiple stakeholders, sponsors and external partners.
• Experience in sponsorship development, programme management and budget administration.
• Exposure to academic, government, research or professional institutions will be an advantage.
• Experience in managing Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) or comparable event agencies is desirable.
Competencies
• Strategic and entrepreneurial thinking
• Conference and programme management
• Sponsorship development and partnership management
• Financial planning and commercial orientation
• Stakeholder engagement and negotiation
• Project management and execution excellence
Communication and influencing
• Fluency in English and Hindi (Gujarati is an added advantage)
Reporting Relationship
Reports to: Head Admin and HR, CRDF
Other Stakeholders:
• Vice Chairperson, Director and Financial Controller
• Conference Committee
• Centre Heads and Faculty
• Communications Team
• Finance, Procurement and Administration Teams
• Sponsors, Government Agencies and Industry Partners
• University outreach team and Administration
Location: CRDF, CEPT University, Ahmedabad
Based at CRDF, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, this role combines the intellectual rigour of academia with the scale and impact of national platforms. It is an opportunity to build conferences that extend CEPT's influence beyond the campus and contribute meaningfully to the future of India's built environment.