Event Operations Lead

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Enhanced company pension

Private medical insurance

Health cash plan

Discretionary annual bonus

Life assurance

Sabbatical after 2 years

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

McLaren Automotive in the United Kingdom seeks an Events Operations Lead to own end-to-end planning and delivery of the Experiences portfolio, including high-profile global launches and hospitality programmes.

You will lead senior delivery teams, manage budgets and risks, collaborate with Brand, Sales and Engineering, and travel internationally to ensure exceptional customer experiences.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in event management or programme delivery with complex, high-profile events.
• Experience managing budgets and supplier contracts.
• Ability to lead cross-functional delivery teams and influence stakeholders.
• Experience with risk governance and compliance in live events.
• Strong project management and commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end planning, management and delivery of allocated events with budgets, quality, and customer experience accountability.
• Act as Event Lead on designated events with planning, stakeholder coordination, and post-event outcomes.
• Lead operational delivery workstreams across major global events and product launches.
• Develop delivery strategies and implementation plans aligned with programme objectives.
• Lead supplier selection, performance management and contract delivery.
• Manage budgets, forecasts and expenditure with governance and value delivery.
• Provide on-site operational leadership during live events.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders across Brand, Sales, Marketing and regional teams.

Skills

Event management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Vendor management

Risk management

Leadership

Project coordination

Communication

Microsoft Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

What to Expect

The Events Operations Lead is responsible for leading the operational delivery of McLaren's global Experiences portfolio and ensuring the successful execution of high-profile, complex and strategically important events.

The role provides senior operational leadership across the Experiences programme, taking full end-to-end ownership of selected events whilst leading delivery workstreams across major global launches, PURE experiences, hospitality programmes and client activations. Acting as the senior delivery authority beneath the Events Manager, the role is accountable for operational planning, supplier performance, budget control, risk management, delivery governance and live event execution.

The Events Operations Lead also plays a key role in establishing and improving event delivery standards, processes, planning frameworks and operational best practice across the Experiences function, helping create a scalable and resilient operating model capable of supporting future growth.

• Accountable for the end-to-end delivery of selected events and activations.
• Leads operational delivery across major global programmes, product launches and PURE experiences.
• Manages complex event budgets and supplier relationships.
• Leads Event Executives, Event Specialists, temporary resources, suppliers and agency teams across allocated projects.
• Responsible for delivery governance, operational standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Acts as the senior operational decision-maker for allocated projects, escalating only significant commercial, reputational or strategic risks.
• Requires regular international travel, live event leadership and occasional weekend work.

What You'll Do

• Own the end-to-end planning, management and delivery of allocated events and activations, with accountability for event objectives, budgets, quality, operational performance and customer experience.
• Act as Event Lead on designated events, holding full responsibility for planning, stakeholder coordination, supplier management, delivery execution and post-event outcomes.
• Lead operational delivery workstreams across major global events, product launches, hospitality programmes and PURE experiences.
• Develop delivery strategies, operational plans and implementation approaches that support programme objectives and business priorities.
• Exercise judgment and autonomy to adapt plans, reallocate resources and implement delivery solutions in response to changing event requirements.
• Develop and oversee project plans, critical paths, operational schedules, run sheets, risk registers and contingency frameworks.
• Lead supplier selection, performance management, commercial negotiation and contract delivery across assigned programmes.
• Manage operational budgets, forecasts and expenditure, ensuring effective financial control and value delivery.
• Approve and implement operational risk mitigation strategies within agreed governance frameworks.
• Lead venue, accommodation, transport, hospitality, fleet and logistics planning across multiple concurrent projects.
• Provide on-site operational leadership during live events, directing agencies, suppliers, production teams and support resources.
• Build strong working relationships with senior stakeholders across Brand, PR, Sales, Marketing, Engineering, CRM and regional teams.
• Lead post-event evaluations and ensure lessons learned are embedded into future planning and delivery activity.
• Drive improvements in event governance, templates, operating procedures, reporting standards and delivery processes across the Experiences function.
• Provide leadership, coaching and development support to Event Specialists, Event Executives and project delivery resources.
• Contribute operational insight and recommendations into future programme planning, capacity requirements and delivery priorities.
• Ensure all activity is delivered in accordance with McLaren brand standards, customer experience expectations, governance requirements and health and safety obligations.

What You'll Bring

• Significant experience in event management, experiential marketing, event operations, or programme delivery, with a proven track record of leading complex, high-profile or international events from planning through to post-event evaluation.
• Strong experience managing significant budgets, supplier contracts and agency relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional delivery teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience managing operational risk, governance and compliance within live event environments.
• Advanced project and program management capability.
• Strong commercial awareness and budget ownership experience.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience working within luxury, premium hospitality, automotive or lifestyle sectors preferred.
• Strong understanding of customer experience, brand standards and experiential delivery.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Personal Attributes

• Delivery leader with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Confident decision-maker capable of operating independently within agreed parameters.
• Calm and effective under pressure.
• Strong commercial and operational judgement.
• Highly organised and detail-oriented.
• Able to influence and lead without formal line management authority.
• Proactive, resilient and solutions-focused.
• Strong coaching and mentoring capability.
• Passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on raising standards and building capability.
• Strong understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the McLaren brand and its heritage.

What We'll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.