Director of Event Operations

Overview

About The Role

Responsibilities

• **Strategy & leadership**
• Set the operational vision and standards for the entire event portfolio, aligning execution with broader business and brand goals.
• Build, lead, mentor, and scale the event operations team, setting clear goals and accountability.
• Partner with senior leadership, marketing, sales, and finance to translate strategic priorities into deliverable event plans.
• **Operational delivery**
• Own end-to-end planning and execution for [number/scale] of events annually, from large-scale flagships to smaller activations.
• Establish and enforce standardized processes, playbooks, timelines, and quality controls across all events.
• Direct onsite operations including logistics, production, staffing, registration, security, and contingency planning.
• **Budget & vendor management**
• Own the event operations budget, driving cost efficiency without compromising quality; report on P&L performance.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with venues, vendors, production partners, and suppliers.
• **Performance & continuous improvement**
• Define success metrics and KPIs; lead post-event reviews and apply learnings to improve future delivery.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, technology, and best practices in event operations and attendee experience.

Required

• [10+] years in event operations, production, or experiential management, including [5+] years in senior leadership.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale, complex events on time and on budget.
• Strong people-leadership experience building and managing teams.
• Excellent budgeting, negotiation, and vendor-management skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple high-stakes priorities simultaneously.
• Calm, decisive judgment under pressure and in fast-moving onsite environments.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a relevant industry or event category.
• Familiarity with event-management and production platforms.
• Degree in hospitality, business, marketing, or a related field.