Event Director

Overview

Event Director Bristol/ hybrid

Fixed Term Contract- 3 months

A little about us…

We create world-class exhibitions and live events for clients all over the world. We typically deliver 200+ events per year across 6 continents.

Most of our team are based in Bristol, Stratford upon Avon and North Devon. We also have offices in London, San Francisco and Singapore.

We work with a range of B2B clients across most industry sectors, from leading brands through to Government departments, and our events include anything and everything, from conferences and exhibitions, through to product launches, brand activations and roadshows.

Role

About the role…

We are seeking an Event Director to join our team on a fixed-term basis. This role is ideal for professionals experienced in Event Director or Event Producer roles, who thrive on delivering large-scale events to the highest standard. In this role, you will oversee the planning, development, and execution of events scheduled for early 2025.

You will work collaboratively with internal and external teams to deliver high-quality solutions that meet client expectations.

Reporting to the Group Event Director (GED), you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of event delivery, driving quality, efficiency, and client satisfaction. This is an excellent opportunity for a driven professional looking to showcase their leadership and event management expertise.

Key responsibilities:

1. Working with clients at a strategic level to develop event formats, campaign messages, content and programming, KPIs and objectives.
2. Directing and managing project teams on the planning and delivery of events and projects, from ideation and conception to delivery and completion.
3. Managing project profitability and team resource capacity in line with business objectives and client expectations.
4. Demonstrate commercial awareness in the creation, management and reconciliation of budgets, providing updates to the client and reporting to the management team for P&L, forecasting etc.
5. Contract negotiation with 3rd parties.
6. Briefing and working with Exhibitions, Creative, and Production teams on project execution, understanding the requirements and ensuring solutions are fit for purpose.
7. Client relationships – building, maintaining and developing strong relationships and managing expectations.
8. Identifying the need for freelance resource and work with GED to secure.
9. Overseeing project timelines, ensuring milestones are met by the team. Identifying risks and mitigating actions.
10. Creating management plans and technical run sheets for use on-site, including resource planning.
11. Health & Safety and security management – working closely with specialists as required.
12. VIP & VVIP management including Royalty, Ministers, C-suite delegates and talent as required.
13. On-site event delivery – UK and overseas. Sometimes working weekends and evenings as required.
14. Managing best practice across event delivery, particularly sustainability.
15. Post event evaluation – provide guidance to ensure the team are analysing data and collating reports.

The person:

1. Demonstrates a commitment to delivering high-quality work with enthusiasm and care.
2. Has experience managing multi-day conferences with substantial production elements.
3. Comfortable overseeing budgets of £500K+ and managing complex financial planning.
4. Experienced in coordinating numerous events for diverse clients.
5. Adapts well to challenges and embraces problem-solving opportunities.
6. Possesses a strong industry track record and a robust professional network.
7. Maintains composure under pressure, handles multiple tasks efficiently, and delivers work with excellent attention to detail, even under tight deadlines.
8. Communicates effectively with clients, suppliers, and colleagues, building strong and positive working relationships.
9. Proficient in writing, administrative tasks, and using Microsoft Office tools such as Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
10. Open to travel within the UK and internationally for short periods, as required.
11. Brings leadership experience, including line management and mentoring team members.
12. Comfortable leading discussions and conference calls with confidence.
13. Proactively identifies solutions and makes quick, informed conclusions when necessary.
14. Can manage complex budgets and provide timely, accurate financial reporting.
15. Demonstrates relevant experience in a similar role or equivalent capacity.

Benefits

What we offer:

For starters, you get 25 days holiday, which goes up to 29 after 2 years. There’s a company pension scheme, cycle to work scheme, and an extensive employee discount scheme that will save you money on everything from gym memberships to eating out.

We play hard. We throw awesome seasonal staff socials, finish early on Fridays in the summer, and we close every year between Christmas and New Year.

We’ll look out for your wellbeing. There’s a medical plan that pays cashback on your dental treatment, glasses, physio and things like that; plus, it features an employee assist programme with a 24hr GP hotline and wellbeing support service. And if you refer a friend to come and work for us, we’ll pay you a finder’s fee.

The serious stuff:

We take the serious stuff seriously. You’ll be given access to the learning and development you need to grow and progress. And we have clear codes of conduct and policies on issues like equality, diversity & inclusion, and sustainability. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed (Level 1) Employer. As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we have committed to ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible, communicating and promoting vacancies, offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job and anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required. If you have a view or an idea, we’ll want you to be involved in helping us always be better.

Please note that our offices will shut on Tuesday 24th December 2024 until Thursday 2nd January 2025. Therefore, please understand that whilst we are still accepting applications, these will now be reviewed after 2nd January 2025, but we will endeavour to get back to you as early in the New Year as possible.