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A prominent cultural organisation is looking for a Senior Events Manager to join the team for the Glasgow 2026 Festival. This full-time role involves managing large-scale events and collaborating with various partners to enhance Glasgow's reputation as a leading event destination. Candidates should have extensive experience in event management, strong leadership skills, and proficiency in health and safety standards. Hybrid working options available.
Glasgow Life is looking for a Senior Events Manager - Glasgow 2026 Festival to join us on a 35hour full time, fixed term contract for a period up to 30th September 2026. As Senior Events Manager - Glasgow 2026 Festival you will be joining our in-demand Events team as part of a dedicated team supporting the delivery of Glasgow's commitments to hosting the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
More about our Events team
Glasgow Life is the strategic lead for events in the city. The team invests to attract, create and grow major cultural and sporting events. We deliver high-profile annual events, including the Merchant City Festival, Glasgow Mela, the World Pipe Band Championships and Glasgow's winter events. We also deliver one-off major events and programmes, most recently delivering the World Athletics Indoors Championships 2024, the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and European Capital of Sport 2023, with planning underway to host Glasgow 2026 and UEFA EURO 2028. Our team are the initial point of contact for events coming to the city. This includes working with local, national and international partners to maximise the economic, marketing and social benefits of events to the city. We aim to position and promote Glasgow as a world-leading event destination boosting the city's tourism profile, while driving positive impacts and legacies for local communities.
About Glasgow Life
Glasgow Life is the charity which inspires people to lead richer, more active lives through culture and sport. Simply put, we believe that everyone deserves a great Glasgow life. We do this by delivering innovative cultural and sporting programmes and events which improve the mental, physical, and economic well-being of Glasgow. Glasgow Life also creates unforgettable experiences for tourists, strengthening the city's visitor economy. We stage world-class events, conferences and festivals which enhance Glasgow's international reputation. Glasgow is the first city to be named European Capital of Sport twice sport and was also the first place in the UK to be named a UNESCO City of Music.
The role
As Senior Events Manager - Glasgow 2026 Festival, this role represents a unique opportunity for an exceptional candidate with a range of multi-disciplinary skills in festival programming and curation; event management and delivery; and place-based participatory programming to make a key contribution to maximising the opportunity presented by Glasgow's hosting of the Games to deliver on the objectives of the city's Culture, Events, and Physical Activity and Sport strategies.
The candidate
If you're interested in joining us as Senior Events Lead - Glasgow 2026 Festival you'll need:
Proven track record in leading the planning and delivery of large-scale, high-profile events or festivals with national or international significance.
Experience curating impactful festival programmes that deliver cultural value and community benefit.
Strong leadership in managing multi-partner projects, including governance, stakeholder engagement and reporting to city, national and international bodies.
Demonstrable experience managing teams and overseeing complex budgets of £1M+.
Excellent communication and reporting skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across sectors and seniorities.
In-depth knowledge of health, safety and event industry standards, including the Purple Guide, and proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.
You can read the full person specification for this role under the Job Attachments' section.
For Fixed Term Roles - If offer is made to internal employee (Glasgow Life or Council Family), at the end of the temporary period, eligible employees, if agreed will have a right to return to a role at their substantive grade within the council family.
We offer hybrid working for some roles, with teams working between the office and home. Your line manager will agree these days with you, if suitable. This balance enables you to continue much-needed collaborative working.
Our Albion Street office has great links to public transport as well as parking nearby.
We believe in the transformational power of the programmes and events we provide for the people and visitors of Glasgow. If you would like to be a part of what we do, we'd love to hear from you.
Important Dates: Closing date Sunday 17 August 2025 and interviews are provisionally scheduled for week commencing 25 August 2025.
Declaration of Interest applies.
Benefits at Glasgow Life
Diversity matters at Glasgow Life
We're determined to reflect the extraordinary diversity of Glasgow in our workforce. Glasgow Life is on a journey to develop a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. Where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We're a Disability Confident and Carer Positive employer and invite candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Read more about our commitment to equality and diversity on our website. https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/the-small-print/an-inclusive-employer
The following alternative Application Packs can be requested in other format for example, Braille, Audio and other languages. To request an alternative Application Pack please phone 0141 287 1054. Packs will be posted out to you 2nd class within 3 working days of receiving your telephone request. Please note the closing date of the job advert if requesting this to ensure that you give yourself plenty of time to complete your application form and return to us.
Please note that Glasgow Life, as an ALEO to Glasgow City Council, is currently completing a Job Evaluation exercise and introducing a new pay and grading structure which may impact on current salaries quoted in job adverts, see
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/jobevaluation for more information.
For further information about working for us please refer to our website https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/work-with-us