Organization: Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI)
Job Title: Manager, Event Programming and Education (New Position)
Reports to: Director, Event Operations
Status: Full Time
Apply at: applications@defenceandsecurity.ca
Deadline: October 9 2026, Before midnight EST
Your Mission
CADSI is seeking a preferably bilingual (French/English) creative, organized, and stakeholder-focused Manager, Event Programming and Education to support the development, coordination, and delivery of compelling content across CADSI's event portfolio, including CANSEC, CAF Outlooks, Cyber & Digital Outlooks, WiDS events, various member programs, conferences, webinars, networking events, and special initiatives.
Reporting to the Director, Event Operations, this role is responsible for helping shape event agendas, coordinating speaker programs, supporting subject matter experts (SMEs), managing guest speaker logistics, and ensuring programming content is timely, relevant, accurate, and aligned with CADSI's strategic priorities and member needs.
The Manager, Event Programming & Education will work closely with internal teams, committees, government and industry stakeholders, moderators, speakers, sponsors, vendors, and event operations colleagues to ensure that each program is thoughtfully developed and professionally delivered from concept through onsite execution and post-event follow-up.
This position is ideal for an experienced event or content professional who understands how to turn ideas into strong agendas, coordinate complex speaker groups, manage deadlines, and deliver high-quality programming that keeps CADSI's events relevant, engaging, and valuable for Canada's defence and security sector.
Core Responsibilities
Programming Strategy & Content Development
- Support the development of event programming strategies, themes, agendas, session formats, and content plans for all CADSI events.
- Cross reference topics, emerging issues, audience needs, and sector trends with CADSI Policy and Advocacy team to help ensure event programming remains relevant and valuable.
- Work with CADSI leadership, internal teams, committees, partners, and stakeholders to identify potential programming streams, session concepts, keynote topics, panel discussions, workshops, and special presentations.
- Help develop and coordinate programming for existing and emerging audience groups, including potential new groups or content streams designed to keep CADSI events current, pertinent, and engaging.
- Draft and maintain program outlines, session descriptions, speaker briefs, moderator notes, run-of-show documents, and content planning materials.
- Ensure programming content aligns with CADSI's mandate, member priorities, sponsor commitments, stakeholder expectations, and event objectives.
Speaker, SME & Moderator Coordination
- Coordinate the identification, invitation, confirmation, onboarding, and ongoing support of speakers, SMEs, moderators, panelists, senior guests, and special presenters.
- Serve as a key point of contact for confirmed speakers and SMEs, ensuring they receive clear timelines, deliverables, logistics information, presentation requirements, and onsite instructions.
- Collect, review, track, and organize speaker biographies, headshots, session titles, abstracts, presentation materials, consent forms, and related documentation.
- Coordinate speaker preparation calls, briefing meetings, moderator prep sessions, and content review meetings as required.
- Support speakers and SMEs before, during, and after events, including onsite arrival coordination, green room support, stage timing, presentation readiness, and post-event follow-up.
- Maintain accurate speaker records, contact lists, programming trackers, and correspondence using Microsoft 365, SharePoint, CRM systems, and event management platforms.
CANSEC Speaker Stages & Onsite Content Delivery
- Support the planning and delivery of CANSEC speaker stages, content theatres, presentation areas, and related onsite programming activations.
- Coordinate stage schedules, session flow, speaker movements, moderator cues, presentation timing, technical requirements, and onsite briefing materials.
- Work with audio-visual providers, stage managers, event operations colleagues, communications staff, vendors, and venue teams to ensure speaker stages are professionally delivered.
- Prepare and maintain stage run sheets, speaker check-in lists, slide decks, holding room details, signage requirements, technical checks and onsite troubleshooting plans.
- Help ensure stage programming is accessible, polished, on time, and supportive of a positive attendee, speaker, sponsor, and stakeholder experience.
- Support onsite issue resolution related to speakers, session timing, content changes, presentation materials, or last-minute programming updates
Cross-Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Support
- Collaborate with Event Operations, Communications, Marketing, Membership, Government Relations, Sponsorship, and Finance teams to support integrated event delivery.
- Provide timely and accurate event-specific programming information to support websites, registration pages, show guides, mobile apps, promotional materials, sponsor deliverables, signage, scripts, and attendee communications.
- Support sponsor-related content opportunities, speaking deliverables, hosted sessions, and partner programming requirements in collaboration with the sponsorship and event operations teams.
- Coordinate with external partners, committees, SMEs, suppliers, and service providers to ensure programming requirements are clearly understood and delivered.
- Respond to programming-related inquiries in a professional, timely, and service-oriented manner.
Project Management, Documentation & Reporting
- Develop maintain pertinent and value-added programming workplans, production timelines, speaker trackers, content calendars, agenda grids, briefing documents, and task lists.
- Monitor programming deadlines, dependencies, risks, and outstanding deliverables, escalating issues and recommending practical solutions as required.
- Coordinate meetings, prepare agendas, document action items, and follow up with internal and external stakeholders.
- Support post-event reporting, speaker evaluations, attendee feedback review, lessons-learned summaries, and recommendations for future programming improvements.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of programming processes, speaker management tools, templates, and best practices.
General
- Support CADSI operating committees, advisory groups, and member engagement activities as required.
- Represent CADSI professionally with speakers, members, sponsors, partners, suppliers, and stakeholders.
- Perform other duties as assigned, including occasional travel and work outside regular business hours during major events.
Qualifications and Experience
CADSI is looking for a collaborative, organized, and content-minded event professional who is passionate about strong programming, stakeholder service, and delivering meaningful event experiences.
Specifically, the ideal candidate will possess:
- A college diploma or university degree in Event Management, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration, Entertainment/Hospitality, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
- Approximately four to seven years of experience in event programming, content development, speaker management, conference planning, stakeholder engagement, communications, association events, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating speakers, moderators, SMEs, panels, presentations, agendas, and/or conference programs.
- Strong project management, organizational, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear session descriptions, speaker communications, briefing notes, and planning documents.
- Strong interpersonal skills and sound judgement when working with senior stakeholders, speakers, members, sponsors, vendors, and internal teams.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Experience using event registration systems, CRM platforms, project management tools, or content management tools.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- A positive, solution-oriented approach with strong attention to detail, discretion, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
You can set yourself apart from other candidates if you have:
- Experience developing programming for conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, speaker stages, or large-scale stakeholder events.
- Experience supporting executive, government, military, industry, academic, or technical speakers.
- Experience coordinating keynote presentations, panels, fireside chats, content theatres, or educational programming.
- Experience with speaker management tools, mobile event apps, agenda platforms, show guides, or digital content workflows.
- Knowledge of Canada's defence, security, aerospace, public safety, emerging technology, or government procurement sectors.
- Bilingualism (English/French) is essential.
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive compensation package, salary $85,000.00, 9% discretionary annual bonus, vacation, health and wellness benefits, 5% RRSP matching, and professional development opportunities.
CADSI offers a flexible hybrid work environment, ergonomic workstations, and a collaborative team culture focused on learning, innovation, operational excellence, and professional growth.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
CADSI is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
How to Apply
To be considered for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter to applications@defenceandsecurity.ca with "Manager, Event Programming & Education" in the subject line.
Thank you for your interest.
CADSI Team
About CADSI
CADSI is the voice of Canada's defence and security industries, representing more than 1,700 companies nationwide. These industries employ over 81,000 Canadians and generate more than $17 billion annually for the Canadian economy. Through advocacy, business development initiatives, industry engagement, and world-class events, CADSI supports a strong, innovative, and globally competitive defence and security sector.
Learn more at www.defenceandsecurity.ca or follow us on LinkedIn.
*CADSI does not typically use artificial intelligence (AI) as part of its recruitment process. In limited circumstances, AI may be used to assist with the screening, assessment, or selection of applicants.
