Director of Special Events & Experiences

Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission; Hot Springs (AR); On-site; USD 52,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission seeks an experienced Events Manager to lead conception, planning, and execution of special events at Visit Hot Springs facilities, including conventions, meetings and entertainment events. The role requires strong leadership, budgeting, stakeholder coordination, and travel as needed.

You will manage timelines, vendor relations, client communications, and post-event follow-up, ensuring objectives are met and events run smoothly.

Qualifications

• Must have leadership, organizational, communication, public speaking and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in event planning, hospitality, convention centers, arenas, tourism or meetings.
• Experience preparing media kits, promotional materials, proposals or presentations.
• Excellent oral and written communication.
• Strong ability to read business documents.
• Ability to work with diverse groups and maintain professional relationships.
• Numerical skills for budgets, pricing, discounts, and financials.
• Ability to analyze information for timing, staffing, resources and operations.
• Proficient PC skills: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, email.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and flexible schedules (nights, weekends, holidays).
• Willingness to travel and reliable transportation.

Responsibilities

• Conceive, design, coordinate, and execute Visit Hot Springs special events.
• Develop timelines, production plans, and operational requirements.
• Coordinate meetings with partners, sponsors, vendors, boards, and stakeholders.
• Direct vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, sponsors and partners during events.
• Serve as primary event contact for groups and activities in the facility.
• Coordinate events from booking through move-in, operation, move-out and follow-up.
• Meet with clients to define objectives, requirements, schedules, room configurations, equipment, staffing.
• Establish load-in, setup, rehearsal, event, strike, and load-out timelines.
• Ensure client requests are communicated to departments and fulfilled.
• Prepare event information and correspondence materials.
• Assist with oral bid presentations to boards, organizations and groups.
• Track commitments, deadlines, deliverables, and sponsorship obligations.
• Assist with event budgets, expenses, POs, invoices and financial reporting.
• Maintain detailed event files, timelines, floor plans, schedules and orders.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Communication

Public speaking

Problem-solving

Decision-making

Event planning

Hospitality

Budgeting

Reading business documents

Diversity & relations

Analytical thinking

PC literacy

Time management

Travel readiness

Job description

Hot Springs Advertising & Promotion Commission seeks an experienced Events Manager to lead conception, planning, and execution of special events at Visit Hot Springs facilities, including conventions, meetings and entertainment events. The role requires strong leadership, budgeting, stakeholder coordination, and travel as needed.

You will manage timelines, vendor relations, client communications, and post-event follow-up, ensuring objectives are met and events run smoothly.