Operations Director (Events)

KnoWho; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

KnoWho is seeking an experienced Operations Director to join a growing events and technical production business and shape what comes next. You will sit on the Strategic Leadership Team and oversee Event Management, Creative, Technical, Warehouse and AV Hire.

You will lead through department heads, drive efficiency, improve profitability, and ensure quality and client experience as the business scales. A wealth of senior leadership and a passion for technology will help propel growth.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in events, AV, production or similar fast-paced environment.
• Commercially minded with understanding of costs, margins and resource utilization.
• Proven problem solver who improves systems and processes.
• Calm and decisive under high workloads.
• Direct, honest communication and ability to lead through managers.

Responsibilities

• Lead through department heads to align teams and avoid silos.
• Oversee Event Management, Creative, Technical, Warehouse and AV Hire.
• Drive resource planning across people, freelancers, equipment and facilities.
• Improve efficiency, utilisation and profitability while maintaining client experience.
• Introduce better systems, processes and reporting; champion AI and automation.

Skills

Operations leadership

Commercial awareness

Problem solving

Communication

Leadership

Team development

Quality & safety

AI & automation curiosity

Strategic thinking

Tools

AI & automation

Job description

We’re looking for an Operations Director to join a growing events and technical proudction business and help shape what comes next.

This is a big role.

You’ll sit on the Strategic Leadership Team and have overall responsibility for making sure the operational side of the business works brilliantly from Event Management and Creative through to Technical, Warehouse and AV Hire.

The business already has a strong reputation for delivering great events, excellent AV and, importantly, looking after its clients properly. Now they’re at the stage where they need someone who can bring structure, accountability and smart thinking to the next phase of growth.

What will you actually be doing?

You’ll be leading through a team of department heads and managers, making sure everyone is pulling in the same direction rather than operating in silos.

You’ll be looking at:

• How the operation works day to day and how it could work better
• Bringing Event Management, Creative, Technical, Warehouse and AV together as one team
• Resource planning across people, freelancers, equipment and facilities
• Improving efficiency, utilisation and profitability
• Making sure quality and client experience never get lost as the business grows
• Supporting senior client relationships where your operational experience adds value
• Introducing better systems, processes and reporting
• Looking at where technology, automation and AI can genuinely make a difference
• Driving continuous improvement rather than accepting "that’s how we’ve always done it"
• Supporting the continued growth of both the Nottingham and Birmingham operations
• Taking ownership of the company's ISO frameworks across quality, H&S, environmental and information security

There’s also a big people and culture piece.

You’ll lead through department heads rather than micromanaging, helping managers become stronger leaders, creating accountability and making sure people have the support and clarity they need to do their best work.

Who are we looking for?

Someone who is comfortable operating at a senior level but isn't afraid to get stuck in when required.

You’ll probably be:

• An experienced operations leader from events, AV, production or a similarly fast-paced environment
• Commercially minded, with a good understanding of costs, margins and resource utilisation
• A natural problem solver who enjoys making things work better
• Calm and decisive when things get busy
• Direct, honest and straightforward in how you communicate
• Someone who can challenge constructively without creating unnecessary drama
• Comfortable leading through managers and department heads
• Interested in technology and genuinely curious about how AI and automation can improve the operation
• Strong on quality, safety and compliance
• A big believer in good customer service and long-term relationships
• Someone who can balance people, clients, commercial performance and operational excellence without losing sight of any of them

You don't need to be the finished article in every single area.

What matters is that you've got the seniority, commercial awareness and operational brain to take ownership, bring people with you and help a successful business become even better.

Senior leadership position with genuine influence over the future direction of the operation

If you're an experienced Operations Director / Head of Operations / senior operational leader within events, AV, production or a related environment and fancy being part of a business that's growing, we'd love to hear from you.