B2B Event Lead (Conferences & Awards focus)

twentysix; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Hello, thank you for your interest in this role! Prolific North, the go-to news publisher for the North’s creative, marketing and tech sectors is looking for an experienced event lead to join our team on a full time basis.

If you have a passion for all things media and events, you are creative, hard-working, independent and ambitious, please read on.

Prolific North is an independent news and events company based in Manchester established in 2013. Across our team of fourteen, we’re committed to shining a spotlight on the work, people, companies and stories that make the North a powerhouse. We cover the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, the North East and, more recently, Scotland.

Our news coverage, research, and editorial features bring almost 1.5 million visitors to our website every year and a combined social following of 60k across all our platforms including our loyal email subscribers. Every year we bring together thousands of the very best Northern talent at our live events and highly anticipated annual awards galas including the Northern Marketing Festival, Digital City Festival, Prolific North Live or the Tech Awards to name a few.

As our Event Lead, you'll play a key role in shaping the future of Prolific North. You'll lead the strategy and execution of our diverse portfolio of 25+ B2B events, including conferences, awards ceremonies, roundtables, and networking events.

What does the role look like on a daily basis?

• Conduct research to identify industry trends, event content and potential partners or industry speakers
• Negotiate and manage contracts with suppliers (AV, venues, etc.)
• Manage event budgets and timelines
• Oversee event registration and on-site logistics
• Collaborate with internal teams (marketing, sales, editorial) to achieve event objectives
• Provide exceptional customer service to guests, partners and sponsors
• Report on event performance and KPIs
• Contribute to our commercial strategy: work with MD and Commercial Director to identify, develop and maximise new opportunities for events

What are we looking for?

• 5+ years of experience in end-to-end event management
• Proven ability to produce large-scale B2B events and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Excellent organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Strategic thinking and ability to work collaboratively to bring our value proposition to life
• Collaboration and Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work cross-functionally with different internal teams (sales and marketing) to deliver KPIs
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and adapt to change
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, you’re confident speaking to external stakeholders on the phone, pitching ideas in meetings, giving your colleagues constructive feedback, and can manage customer expectations effectively
• You’re super comfortable with digital work (you’ll need to learn how to use several events management platforms and websites)
• You’re knowledgeable about the digital, tech and marketing sectors in the UK (ideal, but not essential).
• Some experience with Adobe (InDesign, Illustrator) and/or Canva would be ideal

Our culture

Whilst Prolific North has been around for 11 years and is now an established media entity within the North, we are a small team of 14 people eager to get stuck in and get things done. On our best days this is how we’d describe our culture and values:

• Prolific mindset: we are driven, resourceful and resilient, we embrace challenges, continuously seek knowledge, and prioritise progress over perfection to achieve ambitious goals and deliver exceptional results. We are prolific: productive, creative, inventive
• Strength of character: we value integrity, honesty, and open communication. We encourage diverse perspectives and share opinions with empathy, respect, and good intent.
• Having fun: We cultivate a positive and supportive environment where teamwork, camaraderie, and mutual respect thrive. We believe in celebrating achievements, providing constructive feedback, and fostering an enjoyable workplace.

Benefits

• Bonus scheme related to targets.
• 20 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Early end-of-year shutdown (approximately 2 weeks).
• Flexible working arrangements: a mix of office-based (Mondays and Thursdays in Manchester) and remote working.
• Opportunities for professional development; In this role you will report to the managing director and oversee one event coordinator

How to apply

If this role and our culture resonate with you, please get in touch with me, Alexandra: [emailprotected] with your CV, a link to your LinkedIn profile and tell me what makes you the right person for this role.

Our hiring process

• Informal chat with our Managing Director about your interest in the role. This is a chance for us to get to know you.
• A second interview with a task where you'll present to our Managing Director and Commercial Director.
• Meet the team. A chance to get to know the wider team and see if Prolific North is the right fit for you.

Flexible working arrangements: the usual working hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (36 hours per week) but may vary based on event delivery. We get together regularly on Mondays and Thursdays at our Manchester city centre office space and you’re free to work from wherever you like (including the office) the remaining three days of the week. However, during busy event periods, more days working within the office may be required.

We welcome applications from everyone and are keen to build a diverse and truly inclusive team.