Director (Events)

Title: Director (Events)

Salary: $150,000–$200,000 (incl. healthcare and retirement contributions)

Location: In-person, Washington, DC; visa sponsorship available

Job Type: Full-time

Application Deadline:  Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

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The Horizon Institute for Public Service is seeking a full-time Director (Events) to coach and lead a high-performing team and deliver a robust, cross-cutting portfolio of events designed to accelerate emerging tech policy careers. 

Horizon’s events are the launchpad for some of our organization’s biggest impact wins to date: they’re where new-to-policy talent builds career-shaping relationships, where Horizon Fellows bond and learn, and where senior policymakers meet candidates they ultimately hire. As Director of Events, you’ll own our events strategy end-to-end, deciding what we pilot, scale, and sunset across our workshops, fellowship events, and senior policy convenings. You’ll also coach a talented team of two Program Associates/Program Managers, in addition to external contractors, in order to meet an exceptionally high standard of execution. You’ll lead some of our most important event decisions, represent Horizon with senior government and policy leaders, and shape how hundreds of people experience our community each year.

Competitive applicants will most likely have several years of relevant work experience, including experience managing people. However, if you think the role is a great fit for your skills and interests, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t have previous experience in this exact field. Our hiring process is designed to test for aptitudes and skills, not specific resume markers.

Our mission

Emerging technologies like AI are rapidly reshaping our world. The US government plays an essential role in developing and governing such technologies. But policymakers’ ability to stay ahead of the curve depends on access to the requisite expertise—and right now, that expertise is sorely lacking. Horizon exists to close this gap by supporting the next generation of emerging technology policy leaders.

Since our launch three years ago, we’ve helped hundreds of professionals explore and transition into public service careers. Through our fellowship program, we’ve helped 100+ subject-matter experts fill vital roles at top think tanks, in Congress, and in agencies across government. Our online career resources have reached 150,000+ users and we’ve supported over 1,000 individuals through events and advising and headhunting services. We participated in the first-ever government AI hiring fair and run the AI Policy Leadership Network. We plan to both scale these existing programs and launch several more exciting new projects this year. You can read more about our programs and impact in our 2025 year in review.

About the role

The Director of Events owns the execution of Horizon’s wide-ranging events program, including workshops, retreats, workshops, trainings, dinners, multi-day trips, and networking receptions. You’ll partner with and project-manage other teams and programs across Horizon (including the Horizon Fellowship, AI Policy Leadership Network, our workshops program, and the communications team), running complex planning processes and developing sharp takes on where event capacity is most impactful for the organization. Horizon events serve diverse audiences, from senior government officials to undergrads considering careers in emerging tech policy, and require a high standard of execution, flexibility, and commitment to impact. You will help set that bar, model it, and coach your team to meet it.

The role offers full ownership of a growing events portfolio at a mission-driven organization where events demonstrably change careers. You’ll also have the chance to design and pilot new events from theory of change through first delivery. This role is an excellent platform for advancing to senior operations, chief of staff, or executive roles at high-impact nonprofits, in government, or in industry .

Responsibilities

• Own events strategy, budgets, and impact: Set Horizon’s overall events strategy across workshops, fellowship events, senior policy convenings, and one-off events — deciding what to pilot, scale, deprioritize, or sunset based on impact and capacity. Build and manage the events budget, allocate across programs, and approve spend. Be accountable for the events team’s impact evaluation end results.

• Be the standard-bearer for quality: The buck stops with you. Horizon’s events attract Cabinet secretaries, Members of Congress, senior AI policy thought leaders and industry figures, and other VIPs from throughout the AI policy ecosystem; the conversations our events catalyze shape critical career decisions for hundreds of policy professionals annually. You make sure the execution of our events matches the stakes, and own important event decisions including go/no-go calls and major vendor commitments.
• Coach and develop a high-performing team: Manage an in-house events team of two, building a strong culture of feedback, setting clear and ambitious expectations, and strategically delegating to grow their ownership. Monitor team capacity, decide when to add a contractor or hire additional team members, and make trade-offs that keep workloads sustainable. Design and run hiring rounds as the team scales.

• Represent Horizon externally: Engage with senior speakers, partners, and guests before and during events. Serve the senior Horizon presence on-site at events (typically 1 weekend and 1–2 evenings per month, with time off in lieu, plus very occasional travel), stepping in on live judgment calls while letting your team run their events.

• Design and pilot new programs: Develop new event formats and programs in collaboration with Horizon leadership, from concept and theory of change through first delivery and evaluation.

• Lead cross-team coordination: Own the events team’s interface with the rest of Horizon. Advise Horizon’s technical staff in creating tools and automations that reduce day-to-day friction and improve results.

As a small, nimble, and fast-moving team, we’re open to adjusting the role based on an excellent candidate’s profile and interests, and you should expect to occasionally take on work beyond what’s listed here as the team scales and the organization evolves. 

You may be a good fit for this role if you

• Are a supportive manager with demonstrated experience working effectively with others (on a project-management basis or as a formal people manager) to help them do their best work, including giving constructive feedback early and often.
• Are warm and a strong communicator, helping create a positive environment for event attendees from diverse professional and personal backgrounds.
• Can juggle many balls across concurrent events and stakeholders without dropping any.
• Are happy to run scrappy, low-production events just as much as polished ones: you’re here for the impact, spend money thoughtfully, and optimize for the mission rather than glitz. 
• Are a team player who shares credit generously, empowers others, and is happy to do unglamorous work when the event needs it. 
• Have a demonstrated interest in emerging technology policy (prior experience is a bonus but not required as long as you are excited to learn on the job).

Additionally, Horizon has a strong team culture, and we expect you would fit well if you:

• Are entrepreneurial and a team player, adapting to new responsibilities as our fast-growing organization’s needs may change over time
• Are growth-minded and excited to give and receive feedback frequently in order to maximize performance and impact across our team 
• Are motivated by Horizon’s mission and excited to be part of a public service-oriented, user-focused, low-ego, and collaborative team
• Can work in-person in Washington, DC

Salary and benefits

The Director (Events) will receive a salary of $150,000–$200,000 based on experience and seniority. Horizon currently offers a flexible, benefits-equivalent cash stipend (included in salary) rather than a fixed health insurance or retirement plan. The stipend can be used to purchase any of the two dozen health insurance plans on the DC public market (or just keep as an additional salary top-up if you already have health insurance coverage through a parent or spouse) and contribute to a retirement account of your choosing. Starting in late 2026/early 2027, Horizon plans to expand its benefits offerings to include 403(b) retirement accounts and employer-covered health insurance plans. 

Horizon also offers:

• Unlimited vacation, with a recommended minimum of 15 days per year 
• Remote work flexibility for up to 12 weeks/year, contingent on acceptable performance
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Up to $3,000+ per year in professional development funding
• Flexible working hours
• A productive, collaborative office with free snacks and meals 

We can provide visa sponsorship for qualified candidates.

Application process

Interested candidates should express initial interest by filling out an application by Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Please answer honestly and reflect on your responses, but do not spend too much time on your application: quick bullet points are fine, and answers do not need to be polished, as later stages will evaluate specific skills and knowledge in depth. 

The application process will involve paid work tests, a structured interview, reference checks, and a paid in-person work trial. We will acknowledge receipt of all applications and aim to get back to candidates by mid-September. Our ideal start date is November 2026, though flexibility is offered for exceptional candidates.

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. Strong candidates may not always fulfill all our required or desired criteria. Studies show that individuals from underrepresented groups may underestimate their qualifications. Therefore, we urge you not to self-disqualify prematurely. If you are excited about this work, we strongly encourage you to apply.