Networking Mixer Coordinator (Volunteer Position)

Blind Professionals Network (BPN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals to achieve professional success. We provide free career development, specialized training, and a vital peer network to break down employment barriers.

Position Summary

The BPN Networking Mixer Coordinator is a socially-driven and strategic volunteer role responsible for building a vibrant, connected community of BVI professionals. This individual oversees the planning and execution of BPN’s virtual networking events, including the flagship State-By-State Mixer and the Career Networking Mixer. Working closely with the Leadership Team and the Community Outreach Team, the Coordinator ensures that both virtual and in-person social initiatives effectively engage members and foster professional relationship-building.

Key Responsibilities

Mixer Strategy & Scheduling:

Virtual Series Oversight: Manage the end-to-end planning of the State-By-State Mixer and the Career Networking Mixer, ensuring they meet the diverse needs of the BPN membership.
Master Calendar Management: In conjunction with the Leadership Team, schedule additional virtual mixers throughout the year, ensuring consistent delivery and avoiding conflicts with other BPN initiatives.
Hybrid Coordination: Partner with the Community Outreach Team to plan and coordinate in-person networking events, identifying geographic hubs for local meetups.

Event Facilitation & Engagement:

Virtual Hosting: Serve as the lead moderator for virtual mixers, creating a welcoming and high-energy atmosphere.
Icebreaker & Activity Design: Develop accessible and engaging networking prompts, "speed-networking" formats, and breakout room themes to facilitate meaningful connections.
Accessibility Leadership: Ensure all networking activities are designed with BVI accessibility at the forefront (e.g., verbalizing chat content, managing orderly introductions, and using accessible polling tools).

Stakeholder Collaboration:

Leadership Liaison: Meet regularly with BPN leadership to align networking goals with the organization's broader mission of professional empowerment.
Outreach Partnership: Work with the Community Outreach Team to ensure virtual mixer participants are aware of local in-person opportunities and vice-versa.
Marketing Collaboration: Provide descriptions and "networking highlights" to the Marketing Team for social media promotion and the monthly newsletter.

Management & Impact:

Data Collection: Track attendance numbers and participation trends across different mixer formats.
Feedback Loops: Implement post-event surveys to measure member satisfaction and gather ideas for future mixer themes.

Qualifications

Experience: Proven experience in event coordination, community management, or social hosting (virtual or in-person).
Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional "people skills" with the ability to build rapport quickly and facilitate conversations
Technical Proficiency: High level of comfort with Zoom (specifically breakout room management)
Personal commitment to BPN’s mission and a passion for fostering connection within the BVI community.

Reporting Structure

This position reports to the Events Manager.

Time Commitment

This is a volunteer position requiring an estimated commitment of 3–5 hours per week. Time is spent on planning networking events and the live facilitation(which typically occur evenings).

Application

If you believe this position aligns with your skills, experience and career goals, please follow these steps to begin the application process:

Submit Your Credentials: Send your resume and a letter of interest to Training@BlindProNet.org. In your letter, please detail your relevant professional experience and your specific motivation for joining the Blind Professionals Network Team.
Complete the Application: After submitting application, finalize your application by completing the BPN Volunteer application.

Important Note: Completing both of these steps is essential to initiate our onboarding process and helps us ensure a mutually beneficial placement within the organization.