Logistics & Operations Lead - ICCA Congress 2027

About the role

Rwanda will host the ICCA Congress from 24 to 27 October 2027, welcoming more than 1,500 business events professionals. The Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB) is recruiting a hands-on Logistics & Operations Lead to turn the Local Organising Committee's operational strategy into detailed plans, coordinated schedules and on-site delivery. The role covers venue operations, transport, accommodation, registration, supplier management and production. It is a 12-month fixed-term contract starting December 2026, reporting to the Head of the Local Organising Committee.

Key responsibilities

• Venue operations: coordinate room allocations and exhibition, registration, VIP, speaker and media areas with the Kigali Convention Centre, and manage supplier access, signage, delegate flow and backup plans for power, connectivity and AV services.
• Transport and mobility: plan airport arrivals, delegate transfers and VIP movements with protocol and security teams, and maintain vehicle schedules, driver rosters and contingency arrangements.
• Accommodation and delegate services: maintain the accommodation tracker, support registration, accreditation, access control and queue management.
• Suppliers and production: maintain the supplier matrix, brief suppliers, monitor mobilisation, verify readiness and completed services, and coordinate catering, AV production build and strike, branding and signage.
• Staffing and readiness: prepare deployment rosters for staff, volunteers and help desks, and coordinate operational tests and rehearsals.
• On-site delivery and close-out: lead day-to-day logistics from the command centre, oversee breakdown, inventory reconciliation and the final close-out report.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Tourism, Logistics, Operations Management, Business Administration or a related field with at least 6 years of professional experience; or a Master's degree in one of these fields with at least 3 years.
• At least 3 years of event logistics, conference operations or hospitality operations experience, including delivery of major conferences or congresses of 1,000+ participants.
• Fluency in English is required; Kinyarwanda and/or French is an advantage.
• Professional certification in events, project management or MICE is an advantage; knowledge of Rwanda's hospitality and events supply chain is an advantage.

Required skills

• Operational planning, organisation and coordination, with attention to detail and ability to manage interdependent workstreams.
• Supplier and stakeholder management, with strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Problem-solving and risk management, including contingency planning under pressure.
• Advanced Excel, tracking and scheduling, budget awareness, and interpretation of venue floor plans.
• Availability to work extended hours, including evenings and weekends, during peak periods.