Senior Event Manager

William Reed; Brighton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Long service leave

Holiday purchase scheme

MeDay

Volunteering day

Hybrid working

Enhanced pension contributions

Life assurance

Cycle to Work

Job summary

William Reed in Brighton is seeking a Senior Event Manager to lead international conferences and summits, driving operational delivery from planning to execution. You will coordinate with commercial, marketing and customer experience teams to ensure sponsor-led events meet objectives and deliver exceptional attendee experiences.

The role requires managing multiple events, budgets, and stakeholder relationships while traveling internationally as needed and supporting post-event reviews.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering complex conferences, summits, or B2B events from planning through onsite execution.
• Strong sponsor relationship management and delivery against commercial commitments.
• Excellent project management with multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder management across sponsors, venues, suppliers and internal teams.
• Commercial awareness including budget management and supplier negotiations.
• Ability to identify risks and maintain high standards in fast-paced environments.
• Track record of coaching or mentoring colleagues and influencing others.
• Willingness to travel internationally and work outside normal hours.

Responsibilities

• Manage operational delivery of a portfolio of international conferences and summits to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery to high standards.
• Create and maintain event plans, timelines, and operational frameworks across the event lifecycle.
• Act as senior operational lead for assigned events through planning, delivery and post-event reviews.
• Partner with commercial, marketing, operations and customer experience teams to achieve business objectives.
• Manage relationships with sponsors, suppliers, venues, speakers and other stakeholders for seamless events.
• Oversee budgets, expenditure, and financial performance to ensure value delivery.

Skills

Event management

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Project management

Travel coordination

Job description

Senior Event Manager

Department: Event Operations

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Brighton

Description

As a Senior Event Manager, you'll play a key role in delivering high-profile international conferences and summits that bring together industry experts, innovators and decision-makers from across the food, agriculture and nutrition sectors. Taking ownership of operational delivery from planning through to execution, you'll create exceptional event experiences that drive engagement, strengthen communities and contribute to the success of our global portfolio.

Working closely with commercial, marketing and customer experience teams, you'll ensure sponsor-led events deliver exceptional experiences for attendees while meeting customer objectives and commercial commitments.

This is a 18-month fixed-term contract.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing the operational delivery of a portfolio of international conferences and summits, ensuring events are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard
• Creating and maintaining event plans, timelines and operational frameworks that support successful delivery across the event lifecycle
• Acting as the senior operational lead for assigned events, providing direction throughout planning, delivery and post-event review activities
• Partnering with commercial, marketing, operations and customer experience teams to deliver successful event outcomes and achieve wider business objectives
• Managing relationships with sponsors, suppliers, venues, speakers and other key stakeholders to ensure a seamless event experience
• Overseeing event budgets, expenditure and financial performance, ensuring effective cost control and value delivery

What You’ll Need

• Experience delivering complex conferences, summits, exhibitions or other B2B events from planning through to onsite execution
• Confidence managing sponsor relationships and delivering against commercial commitments within sponsor-led events
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders and deadlines simultaneously
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with confidence building relationships across sponsors, suppliers, venues and internal teams
• Commercial awareness, including budget management, supplier negotiations and an understanding of event profitability
• The ability to identify risks, make informed decisions and maintain high standards in fast-paced environments
• A track record of coaching, mentoring or developing colleagues, with the ability to positively influence those around you
• This role involves international travel and flexibility to work outside of normal business hours to support event delivery.

Benefits & Initiatives

• Generous annual leave –25 days plus standard England and Wales bank holidays for full-time employees
• Long service holiday reward – Receive an extra day's annual leave for each year of service after six years, up to a maximum of 30 days plus bank holidays for full-time colleagues
• Christmas office closure – Enjoy additional paid leave between Christmas Day and New Year's Day to cover discretionary office closure days
• Holiday purchase scheme – Buy up to three additional days' annual leave each year and spread the cost over up to six months
• MeDay – Take an additional paid day off to celebrate your birthday, a cultural or religious event, or another occasion that is meaningful to you
• Volunteering day – One paid day each year to support a charity, community group or cause close to your heart
• Hybrid and agile working – Flexible ways of working to help you balance work and life commitments (role dependent)
• Enhanced pension contributions – Benefit from employer pension contributions above the statutory minimum
• Life assurance – Providing financial protection and peace of mind for you and your loved ones
• Group Income Protection – Financial support if you're unable to work due to long-term illness or injury
• Family-friendly policies – Enhanced pay entitlements to support you and your family during important life events
• Health and wellbeing support, including:
  • Healthcare cash plan
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
  • Virtual GP service
  • Health and wellbeing resources and tools
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Supported by employee-led networks, with a culture where everyone feels welcome and valued. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer
• Cycle to Work scheme – Save money and support a healthier commute
• Electric Car scheme – Access an affordable and sustainable way to drive an electric vehicle