Event Specialist

POD Marketing; Calgary; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading marketing agency in Calgary is seeking an experienced Event Planner to oversee corporate events across North America. Responsibilities include managing budgets, vendor relations, logistics, and executing events from concept through delivery. The ideal candidate has 2+ years of experience in event planning and a background in hospitality or business administration. This position offers a collaborative environment, growth opportunities, and work-life balance.

Benefits

Three weeks paid vacation

Twelve flex days

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• Legally able to work in Canada and located in Calgary, AB.
• 2+ years in event planning or conference management.
• Proven experience planning and running large events.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end event planning for all corporate events.
• Manage budgets, timelines, and vendor contracts.
• Coordinate logistics, technology, and staffing needs.

Skills

Event planning

Budget management

Negotiation skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration

Diploma in Hospitality or related field

Job description

Event Planner

Who Are You?

You’re experienced in planning and executing complex events and can take an event from idea to delivery without hand-holding. You’re independent, resourceful, and genuinely enjoy solving problems in real time. You stay calm under pressure, think fast on your feet, and love the challenge of negotiating with vendors, juggling logistics, and keeping everything moving. You like being the person who “just figures it out,” and you take pride in flawless execution, thoughtful details, and creating memorable experiences.

What's The Role?

This role leads the planning and execution of all corporate events across North America, including two conferences, meetings, client workshops, prospect events, internal retreats, and team experiences. You’ll handle everything from early scoping and budgeting to vendor management, logistics, coordination, schedules, run‑of‑show documents, and onsite execution. You’ll be the point person, the planner, and the problem‑solver from start to finish.

Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end event planning for internal and external events of all sizes
• Manage budgets, timelines, run sheets, vendor contracts, and all event logistics
• Negotiate with venues, hotels, caterers, and third‑party providers to secure quality and value
• Develop clear event strategies, scopes, and themes based on audience and objectives
• Coordinate travel, accommodations, materials, technology, and staffing needs
• Oversee registration, guest communications, itineraries, and onsite support
• Anticipate risks and solve problems quickly and independently
• Ensure every event reflects our brand, values, and commitment to exceptional experience
• Conduct post‑event reviews, reporting, and improvement recommendations

Required Experience & Skills

• Legally able to work in Canada and located in Calgary, AB.
• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Business Administration, Communications, Hospitality, or a related field, or equivalent corporate experience
• 2+ years in event planning, conference management, hospitality, or a related role (serving or bartending experience is considered a strong asset)
• 2+ years of experience in customer service or hospitality (serving or bartending experience is considered a strong asset)
• Proven experience planning and running large events, preferably with travel involved
• Strong negotiation, vendor management, and budget management skills
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects
• Comfortable working independently and making decisions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to travel across North America as required

Who is POD Marketing?

POD Marketing is a full‑service agency that works across marketing, consulting, and HR to help clients solve real business challenges.

Behind that work is an incredible group of people. We put just as much care into supporting our team as we do our clients, creating an environment where people feel trusted, supported, and inspired to do their best work. This role is part of our Corporate Services team at Head Office, the group that keeps POD running smoothly by supporting HR, Learning and Development, Finance, IT, and Company Culture across all divisions.

At POD, culture isn’t about perks (though we have those too). It’s about how you feel at work: accepted for who you are, encouraged to grow, and surrounded by people who want to see you succeed. That approach has earned us multiple awards, including recognition as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures.

To learn more about our culture, watch this video: https://youtu.be/1WZ8tAnATNs, visit the POD Marketing YouTube channel and check out our reviews on Glassdoor.

What's in it for You?

At POD Marketing, we work hard, have fun, and genuinely support each other. We believe people do their best work when they feel valued, trusted, and balanced; and we’ve built an environment that makes that possible.

You’ll enjoy three weeks of paid vacation, twelve flex days, a Passion Day to spend however you choose, and a company‑wide MeMonday to prioritize mental health. We offer a thirty‑day remote work policy for when you need a change of scenery, twenty‑six hours of paid volunteer time each year, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, and spending accounts.

Growth and development are part of life here. You’ll have access to mentorship, leadership programs like LEAD, and ongoing learning opportunities designed to help you grow your skills and career. You’ll also have regular one‑on‑one check‑ins, quarterly performance conversations, and a culture of continuous feedback that keeps you supported and clear on expectations.

Our downtown Calgary office is bright, modern, and stocked with good coffee, snacks, and great people. We offer discounts with local vendors and a culture that’s collaborative, energetic, and built on trust and respect.

How to Apply

At POD, we believe “that most job requirements and conceptual knowledge are easily trainable. But you can’t teach drive, ambition, or passion.” (Take a look at this article, Finding Your Unicorn, written by our President, Kevin Wilhelm). Our hiring managers consider alignment with our core values and passion for our company culture to be as valuable as experience and education.

Finding the right fit is important to us, and we put real care into reviewing applications. This is your chance to show us who you are: your voice, your attention to detail, and your excitement about joining the team. Take a few extra minutes to help us see why this opportunity is the right fit for you.

We often see strong candidates miss out because of preventable issues like missing cover letters, referencing the wrong job title or company, or submitting unedited AI‑generated content. We encourage the use of AI to streamline your process, but your application should still reflect your voice and accuracy. If this role excites you, let that show in how you apply.

A few tips to stand out:

• Submit an up‑to‑date resume that highlights the skills and experience we are looking for
• Include a personalized cover letter or a video cover letter (one is required, both are not necessary)
• Share why this specific role excites you and how your background connects to it
• Make sure your application is error‑free (especially the basics like company name and job title)
• Answer the application questions with intention. Your responses don’t need to be long; quality over quantity matters!
• If you use AI, review and edit so it sounds like you and is factually correct (no - passion and innovation are not our core values, no matter what ChatGPT tells you)
• Review the posted salary range before you apply and make sure it aligns with what you’re comfortable with
• If you choose to submit a video cover letter, keep it short and engaging (under 2 minutes, please!)

Always apply through our website: https://www.podmarketinginc.com/careers/ . We will reach out by email if you are selected for the next step. Either way, we appreciate your interest and the time you spent getting to know us.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At POD Marketing, we believe in creating an inclusive work environment, which is why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider and evaluate all qualified candidates based on their qualifications without discrimination based on race, colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.