Program & Events Manager, Entrepreneurship

Full-time, fixed-term employment | November 2026 – May 31, 2027

Calgary, Alberta

About CETAC

CETAC is a Western Canadian not-for-profit organization focused on developing entrepreneurs and strengthening entrepreneurial capacity. For more than 30 years, CETAC has worked alongside founders and business leaders through practical, mentor-led programming, trusted relationships and immersive learning experiences.

The Entrepreneur to CEO Workshop is one of CETAC’s flagship programs. It brings entrepreneurs together with experienced founders, CEOs, mentors and peers for an intensive five-day experience focused on strengthening the business, leadership and decision-making capabilities required to grow and lead successful companies.

The Opportunity

CETAC is seeking a highly organized, proactive and relationship-oriented Program & Events Manager, Entrepreneurship to take hands-on responsibility for planning and delivering the next Entrepreneur to CEO Workshop, scheduled for late April 2027.

The Program & Events Manager will be directly involved in recruiting a strong cohort, supporting participants and mentors, coordinating referral partners and the Workshop Steering Committee, managing detailed event logistics, preparing Workshop materials and helping ensure the event runs smoothly from initial planning through on-site delivery and follow-up.

The successful candidate will become the central point of coordination for the Workshop and progressively take ownership of its day-to-day operation. They will work closely with CETAC management during an initial transition period, with the expectation that they will increasingly manage the program independently as they become familiar with CETAC, its partners, mentors and processes.

The position runs from November 2026 through May 31, 2027 and includes attendance at the full five-day Workshop in Banff. Depending on organizational needs and individual fit, there may be an opportunity to continue in another capacity following the initial term.

What You’ll Do

• Participant recruitment and experience: Support and increasingly lead recruitment activities, including direct outreach, email and social-media promotion, referral-partner engagement and follow-up with prospective participants. Manage the participant pipeline from initial inquiry through registration, schedule and attend introductory meetings with CETAC leadership, and serve as a primary point of contact for participants leading up to the Workshop.
• Workshop planning and coordination: Own the planning calendar and coordinate the many people, activities and deadlines required to deliver the Workshop. Coordinate Steering Committee meetings and planning activities, prepare agendas with CETAC leadership, document decisions and actions, maintain schedules and action lists, and proactively follow up with those responsible for completing key activities.
• Mentor and presenter coordination: Manage operational communications with mentors, presenters and other contributors, ensuring they receive clear and timely information about schedules, expectations and requirements.
• Workshop logistics and materials: Serve as the operational point of contact with the venue, vendors, contractors and suppliers. Coordinate accommodation, arrival and departure schedules, meeting spaces, meals, AV requirements and other logistics. Collect participant, mentor and guest information and coordinate development and production of the participant notebook, agendas, awards, biographies and other Workshop materials.
• On-site delivery: Attend the full Workshop in Banff and take a hands-on role in setup, delivery and close-out. Coordinate daily logistics, support participants, mentors and presenters, manage schedule changes and emerging issues, and help create a professional, welcoming and well-organized experience.
• Post-Workshop follow-up: Coordinate surveys, communications and partner engagement; support evaluation and documentation of feedback and lessons learned; complete administrative and logistical close-out activities; and identify improvements for future Workshops.

What We’re Looking For

The successful candidate will likely bring 3–5+ years of experience coordinating and delivering events, workshops, professional-development programs, conferences, cohort-based programs or similar initiatives, including participant recruitment, stakeholder communications, logistics and on-site delivery.

Experience working with entrepreneurs, business leaders, professional associations, economic-development organizations, executive education, member-based organizations or similar stakeholder communities would be a strong asset.

More important than a particular job title or educational background is a demonstrated ability to organize complex activities, build strong relationships, communicate professionally, anticipate what needs to happen next and follow responsibilities through to completion.

This role is particularly well suited to someone who enjoys being hands-on - recruiting participants, communicating with attendees and partners, coordinating speakers and mentors, managing event details and ensuring the overall experience comes together successfully.

The ideal candidate will bring:

· Strong event and program coordination skills, with exceptional attention to detail.

· A proactive, self-directed working style and the ability to identify what needs to happen next without waiting to be told.

· Strong follow-through and comfort holding others accountable for commitments and deadlines.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· An outgoing and relationship-oriented style, with the confidence to communicate with entrepreneurs, experienced CEOs, mentors, government and ecosystem partners, and external suppliers.

· The ability to balance professionalism with a warm, approachable participant experience.

· Strong judgment and the ability to distinguish between routine operational decisions and matters that should be escalated.

· Comfort managing several activities and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-moving environment.

· Strong general technology skills, including comfort with spreadsheets, shared-document platforms, CRM/contact-management systems, scheduling tools, email-marketing platforms, event or project coordination software and AI-enabled productivity tools.

· An interest in entrepreneurship and curiosity about the challenges involved in building and leading a growing business.

· The flexibility to adapt when plans change and the ability to remain composed when delivering a complex live event.

Location and Working Style

This role is Calgary-based and will involve a combination of independent work and in-person meetings with CETAC leadership, partners and other stakeholders.

The role offers flexibility in how working hours are structured. This is a professional, outcomes-focused position rather than a traditional 9-to-5 office role. Some meetings, participant interactions and Workshop activities may occasionally take place outside standard business hours. In return, CETAC supports reasonable flexibility in working schedules, with the expectation that the Program & Events Manager will manage their time responsibly and be available when program needs require it.

The Program & Events Manager must be available to attend the entire five-day Entrepreneur to CEO Workshop in Banff in late April 2027. Additional occasional travel or in-person meetings may be required.

What Success Looks Like

By the end of the term, CETAC will have delivered a strong Entrepreneur to CEO Workshop with minimal avoidable disruptions and a high-quality experience for participants, mentors and partners.

Participants will feel informed and supported from their first interaction with CETAC through completion of the Workshop. Mentors and partner organizations will experience CETAC as responsive, organized and professional, with relationships strengthened through their involvement.

Internally, the planning process will be well organized, deadlines and responsibilities clearly tracked, issues identified early, and the Workshop able to proceed without CETAC leadership personally managing the many day-to-day details required to make it happen.

How to Apply

Please apply through CETAC’s online application page at https://www.cetac.ca/apply-programmgr.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Only candidates selected for the next stage of the process will be contacted.

Application deadline: November 6, 2026