Head of Event Operations

GovNet Communications; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK event management firm is seeking a Head of Event Operations to lead the planning and execution of exhibitions in Healthcare, Education, and Tech sectors. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7 years' experience in event operations, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects. This role offers a salary of £50-60k per annum, flexible working options, and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid working

Annual bonus scheme

25 days holiday increasing with service

Health Cash Plan

Learning and development time

Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in event operations.
• Excellent negotiation skills required.
• Familiarity with the UK events landscape is important.
• Proven experience managing supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Oversee delivery of exhibitions on time and within budget.
• Manage team to ensure operational excellence.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers and venues.
• Deliver post-event reporting for continuous improvement.

Skills

Event operations management

Budget management

Negotiation skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

CAD experience

Event strategy development

Education

IOSH qualification

NEBOSH qualification

Tools

SAAS tools (Swapcard, FFAIR, Venue Portals)

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Event Operations to lead the planning and execution of GovNet’s portfolio of small to mid-sized Exhibitions and Confexes. With a focus on the Healthcare, Education, and Tech sectors, this role is perfect for an ambitious operations professional who thrives on delivering exceptional event experiences while driving innovation, efficiency, and growth in an agile business.

Role overview

As Head of Event Operations, you will oversee the end-to-end delivery of multiple exhibitions and Confexes, ensuring that every event runs on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality. You’ll manage a team of two, fostering collaboration and professional development while ensuring operational excellence across all projects.

You’ll also be responsible for managing supplier and venue relationships, optimising and creating floorplans, and introducing new features and technologies that enhance customer engagement. Working collaboratively with Sales, Content, and Marketing teams, you’ll align operational excellence with commercial goals – ensuring every event strengthens the GovNet brand and supports the company’s long-term growth.

About Us

At GovNet, we take pride in creating vibrant communities through events, exhibitions, conferences, and training courses that serve diverse industries, ranging from education to healthcare to emerging technologies. We are passionate about understanding and addressing the evolving challenges faced by these communities and strive to deliver impactful solutions. With a proven track record across various markets, we are dedicated to enhancing the sectors we serve.

Duties include

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of multiple exhibitions, ensuring events are delivered on time, within budget, and to agreed quality standards.

• Drive the evolution of shows from shell‑scheme layouts to feature‑rich, experiential environments that elevate delegate, exhibitor, and sponsor engagement.

• Take ownership of event budgets: negotiate supplier contracts, control costs, and identify efficiencies without compromising customer value.

• Partner with Heads of Content, Marketing, and Sales to ensure operational delivery enhances the overall show experience and aligns with commercial goals.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with contractors, freelancers, and venues, ensuring consistency, accountability, and scalable delivery across the portfolio.

• Deliver clear post‑event reporting and insights, providing data‑driven recommendations for continuous improvement and portfolio growth.

• Proactively anticipate challenges, resolve issues under pressure, and maintain trusted relationships with sponsors, partners, and venues.

Essential skills and requirements

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in event operations, with a focus on exhibitions and conference delivery.
• Proven experience managing budgets and supplier relationships.
• Excellent negotiation, leadership, and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Familiarity with the UK events landscape and relevant regulations.
• IOSH qualification.
• CAD experience for floorplan drawings.
• Line management experience.

Desirable skills

• NEBOSH qualification.
• Experience developing and implementing commercially driven event strategies.
• Experience using data and insights to inform operational decisions.
• Experience using SAAS Tools – i.e. Swapcard, FFAIR, Venue Portals

What We Offer

• Salary of £50‑60k per annum.
• Flexible, hybrid working (work from home 3 days a week).
• Annual bonus scheme.
• Summer and EOY Parties, and team socials.
• Work from abroad for up to 2 months a year.
• 25 days holiday (increasing 1 day per year to a max of 30 days).
• Up to 3 days off for your birthday, wedding or moving house.
• Westfield Health Cash Plan and lifestyle discounts.
• Summer half‑day Fridays.
• Dedicated time for your learning and development.
• 37.5‑hour week.
• Tech scheme & cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Workplace Nursery Scheme.
• Group Life Assurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Pension Scheme.

Our Values

🙌Back Your Team: We support one another, building strong, collaborative relationships.

💫Immersed in the Market: We stay deeply engaged with the industries we serve, ensuring we deliver tailored solutions.

🎇Fearless Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions, embrace challenges, and continuously seek growth through feedback.

🤸♀️Always Agile: We remain adaptable, ready to evolve with the ever‑changing landscape of our business.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected under UK law.

If you require any adjustments during the application process, please let us know, and we will be happy to try andaccommodate your needs.