Interim International Event Operations Director

Russam; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 148,000 - 221,000; Full time

Job summary

Russam is seeking an exceptional Interim Operations Director / Event Programme Leader to take a critical leadership role within a global conferences and events business operating across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The role is hybrid and involves international travel.

The successful candidate will work directly with the CEO, taking ownership of operational continuity and coordinating a team of specialists across event production, commercial activity and operational support during a period

Qualifications

• Substantial international event management experience in major conferences, exhibitions or large B2B events.
• Operational leadership at Director/COO/MD level or equivalent.
• Experience managing multiple events across international locations.
• Knowledge of event production, logistics, venues, sponsors and delegates.
• Ability to lead teams through disruption and deliver under time pressure.
• Understanding sponsorship, ticketing, sales and event profitability.
• Experience rebuilding teams and introducing effective processes.
• Strong stakeholder management and confidence to work with a CEO.

Responsibilities

• Take immediate leadership of international conference and event operations, ensuring continuity of major scheduled events.
• Assess operational priorities, identify risks and implement recovery plans.
• Oversee event production, venues, suppliers, speakers, sponsors, delegates and schedules.
• Lead and coordinate existing operational teams, plus interim resources as required.
• Restore accountability, reporting structures, workflows and processes.
• Work with commercial and sales leadership to protect sponsorship revenue and client relationships.
• Support rebuilding organisational capability and transition to a sustainable leadership structure.

Job description

Home > Vacancies > Interim International Event OperationsDirector

Interim International Event OperationsDirector

Our client is a major International Conferences & Events company. This role will be hybrid but involve international Travel | Immediate Requirement.

Russam is seeking an exceptional Interim Operations Director / Event Programme Leader to take a critical leadership role within a global conferences and events business operating across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

This is an urgent assignment requiring an experienced, hands-on executive who can quickly take control of complex international event delivery, stabilise operations and lead a business through a period of significant organisational change.

The successful individual will work directly with the CEO, taking ownership of operational continuity and coordinating a targeted team of specialists covering event production, commercial activity and operational support.

Role & Responsibilities

• Take immediate leadership of international conference and event operations, ensuring continuity of major scheduled events.
• Assess operational priorities, identify risks and implement practical recovery plans.
• Oversee event production, venues, suppliers, speakers, sponsors, delegates and delivery schedules.
• Lead and coordinate existing operational teams, alongside additional interim and specialist resources as required.
• Restore clear accountability, reporting structures, workflows and operational processes.
• Work closely with commercial and sales leadership to protect sponsorship revenue, client relationships and future event pipelines.
• Support the rebuilding of organisational capability and the transition to a sustainable permanent leadership structure.

The Desired Candidate

We are particularly interested in executives who can demonstrate:

• Substantial international event management experience, ideally within major conferences, exhibitions, trade shows or large-scale B2B events.
• Proven operational leadership at Director, COO, Managing Director or equivalent level.
• Experience managing multiple simultaneous events across different international locations.
• Strong knowledge of event production, logistics, suppliers, venues, delegate management and commercial partnerships.
• The ability to lead teams through disruption, rapidly establish priorities and deliver under significant time pressure.
• Commercial understanding of sponsorship, ticketing, sales and event profitability.
• Experience rebuilding teams, introducing effective processes and managing operational transformation.
• Excellent stakeholder management, judgement and communication skills, with the confidence to work directly with a CEO.

The Individual

We need a calm, decisive and resourceful leader who is as comfortable making strategic decisions as they are resolving practical delivery challenges.

This is not a purely advisory or consulting assignment. We are looking for someone who has personally delivered large international events, understands the operational detail and can immediately take ownership.

Candidates should ideally be UK-based, or internationally mobile, and available for extensive travel to locations including Dubai, Europe and Asia.

We are also interested in experienced interim specialists who can provide targeted support in:

• International event production and delivery
• Sponsorship sales and commercial leadership
• Event programme management and operational coordination
• Process reconstruction, team rebuilding and knowledge transfer

Location: UK / Hybrid, Europe, US, AsiaInternational, with significant travel

Start: Immediate / As soon as possible

Duration: Initial recovery and transition assignment, with scope to be agreed

Remuneration: Competitive interim day rate, dependent on experience and responsibilities

We welcome confidential discussions with senior international events professionals who have the experience, availability and appetite to take on a challenging and business-critical assignment.