Director, Event Services

First Global Management Services, Inc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance with BUPA

28 Days Annual Leave

Personal Volunteer Day

Wellness Stipend

Headspace access

Cycle to Work Scheme

Pension Scheme Enhancements

Discretionary Bonus Structure

Global opportunities across locations

Job summary

FIRST, a global brand experience agency, seeks a Director of Event Services to lead the Event Management and Production teams across the region. You’ll motivate teams, embed FIRST brand values, and operate as an embedded team member for Fortune 500 technology clients.

You will drive client strategy, manage budgets, and report on program status while expanding service offerings and ensuring high-quality delivery across multiple channels and events.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in a similar role.
• Experience overseeing a large team and working in a global organisation.
• Strong change management background.
• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Excellent project and task management skills, including experience in conference planning, experiential events, digital events, and/or production.
• Experience managing direct reports and processes in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• Experience implementing and maintaining SOPs.
• Self-directed with ability to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Event Management and Event Production teams within a regional/ campus remit.
• Act as primary escalation point and ensure effective client communications and reporting.
• Drive growth strategy, streamline processes, and implement best practices.
• Lead recruitment, staffing, and budget management for the regional team.
• Collaborate with data, finance and operations to ensure accurate reporting and invoicing.
• Mentor and develop team leads, embedding FIRST brand and cross-functional capabilities.
• Maintain client relationships and manage expectations through regular updates.
• Support successful onboarding and training of teams and wider agency resources.

Skills

Leadership

Change management

Project management

Conference planning

Experiential events

Digital events

Production

Staff management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

Building a Brand Starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilized three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specializing in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognized for excellence, recent honors include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

What You Would Get To Do

The Director of Event Services is responsible for the overall management of the Event Management and Event Production team within a specific remit (regional and/or by campus). The ideal candidate will motivate colleagues in ways that enhance working relationships, foster a team-based approach to situations, and embody the FIRST brand, working as an embedded team member at a well-known Fortune 500 technology company.

Your Contributions

Client Management

• Primary point of contact for the client, overseeing the Event Management Program and responsible for regular reporting to the client, including weekly team and program status updates
• Identify new and alternative ways of approaching FIRST’s service offering to clients by collecting feedback, identifying trends, and implementing change
• Develop a strategy for growth and ensure FIRST is seen to be a strategic advisor, providing proactive (or forward-thinking) guidance and direction
• Partner with leadership and delivery teams to conduct quarterly account reviews with account leadership and client stakeholders
• Proactively look for ways to streamline processes, identify best practices, and new solutions
• Meet with key stakeholders to build and maintain effective working relationships through weekly meetings and management of the event pipeline
• Work closely with the Global Account Director and with the wider agency office for additional services outside of the in-house remit
• Report status and manage client expectations on production escalation and issues
• Support the roll out of the event management program as per remit - ensuring processes are in place, teams are properly onboarded and trained
• Provide input for programmatic improvements and enhancements, and build relationships with other support teams to ensure appropriate communication across all support functions

Team Management

• Serve as the primary escalation point for the Event Management and Event Production teams in the region.
• Serve as a local expert on FIRST processes, and assist teams in navigating successful support from clients and FIRST
• Infuse the FIRST brand by creating a positive mindset within the team and lead the integration of wider agency skills and resources into relevant projects and events
• Provide support and mentorship to Event Production and Event Management Team Leads
• Be solutions-driven and support the wider team
• Monitor day-to-day challenges to identify ways to improve efficiencies and processes, as well as implement training for both Event Management and Event Production teams
• Ensure the team is providing value to clients and offering value-adds where possible
• Manage regional team engagement and budget
• Provide regular updates to the client on recruitment status for open roles
• Partner with the FIRST People & Culture team on all company initiatives and employee relations matters
• Focus on retention of talent through maintaining team welfare, gathering feedback, and enhancing a positive working atmosphere

Staffing Management

• Monitor & forecast team capacity levels to ensure proper staffing and reporting
• Support key projects on-site as needed to evaluate staffing levels
• Support in monitoring and re-engineering of current teams by identifying gaps and/or opportunities, driving efficiencies, and implementing best practices
• Provide reports that aid in optimum resourcing and staffing

Data, Commercials & Finance

• Understand data requirements and actively collaborate with the Data team to ensure delivery of accurate reports
• Collaborate with the Account Operations team to ensure charges to the client are accurate and make adjustments to fees as appropriate
• Review and approve freelancer and supplier invoices and time-worked entries
• Troubleshoot any invoice issues with suppliers, freelancers, and the Finance team

What We Are Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in a similar role
• Experience overseeing a large team and working in a global organisation
• Strong change management background
• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Excellent project and task management skills, including experience in conference planning, experiential events, digital events, and/or production
• Experience managing direct reports and processes in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Experience implementing and maintaining SOPs
• Self-directed with ability to work independently

At FIRST, we believe that the passion, creativity, and commitment of our teams drive our success. That’s why we offer a range of benefits and perks to support your personal and professional growth

• Private Medical Insurance with BUPA from day one
• 28 Days Annual Leave PLUS Bank Holidays
• Personal Volunteer Day
• 20 Days of Sick Pay Each Year
• Enhanced Parental Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Wellness Stipend
• Complimentary access to Headspace, Rocket Lawyer & Maven
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season Ticket Loan
• Mobile Phone Allowance
• Pension Scheme Enhancements
• Discretionary Bonus Structure
• Global Opportunities: With a presence in 7 countries worldwide, including headquarters in London, New York, and Singapore, you may have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different locations.

#LI-TS1 #LI-Hybrid

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If any candidate feels that they are unable to meet the requirements of the role, please get in touch to discuss adjustments or other suitable roles.