Event Business Manager

Performance Review Institute (PRI); Marshall Township (PA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SAE ITC and PRI, in partnership with SAE International, seek an experienced events leader to own the P&L of a portfolio of industry conferences. You will set targets, promote effectively, and manage key accounts and speakers to deliver growth.

This hybrid role based in Warrendale, PA requires strategic oversight from planning through post-event analysis, with focus on attendance, revenue, and exceptional attendee experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years in event production or management with revenue accountability.
• Proven track record growing event attendance and revenue.
• Strong commercial instincts with focus on audience experience and brand health.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts and margins.
• Ability to build trust with sponsors, partners, speakers, and internal teams.
• Ability to drive change without always having direct authority over every function.

Responsibilities

• Own the P&L for an assigned event or portfolio, including budget, revenue targets, and profit margin.
• Collaborate with sales and marketing to set attendance and revenue targets and manage key accounts and speakers.
• Research and build go-to-market plans for each event, evaluating opportunities for growth and partnerships.
• Partner with content developers to craft strategy for keynotes and panels and recruit speakers.
• Monitor market trends, competitor events, and attendee feedback to identify risks and opportunities.
• Set attendee acquisition goals with marketing and monitor registration pacing.
• Maintain relationships with industry stakeholders, advisory committees, exhibitors and sponsors.
• Coordinate onsite operations to ensure the experience aligns with the event's strategic vision.
• Use post-event feedback and advisory input to inform next year's strategy.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (ITC), Performance Review Institute (PRI) and SAE International (SAE), deliver shared solutions to industry's common challenges.
Join us and create a higher standard for a better world.

The brightest minds in mobility come together at SAE International's Engineering Events to explore groundbreaking ideas, tackle industry challenges, and ignite new possibilities. Our conferences and expos include the WCX automotive world congress; COMVEC, the premier forum for the commercial vehicle community (trucking, construction equipment, agricultural machinery); AeroTech, showcasing the latest advances in aerospace and aviation technology; and nearly a dozen other industry-leading events.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Business & Financial Ownership: Own the P&L for an assigned event or portfolio of events, including budget, revenue targets and profit margin.
• Attendance and Sponsorship Growth: In concert with sales and marketing managers, set attendance and revenue targets, develop the promotion and sales strategy to deliver on those targets, and personally manage relationships with key accounts and speakers.
• Strategic Planning: Research and build the plan/go-to-market strategy for each event - evaluating opportunities such as new tracks, co-located events, industry partnerships, geographic expansion, or format changes.
• Content & Program Strategy/Execution: Partner with content developers and advisory groups to craft a strategy for keynotes and panels that keeps the event differentiated and relevant to its target industry. Establish session topics/themes, recruit key speakers, and write sales and marketing briefs to help the team effectively sell sponsorships and paid attendance, adhering to the requirements of the production schedule.
• Market & Competitive Analysis: Continuously track competitor events, industry trends, and attendee/exhibitor feedback to identify risks and opportunities for the portfolio.
• Marketing Oversight: Set goals and priorities for attendee acquisition and retention in partnership with the marketing team; monitor registration pacing and adjust tactics as needed.
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management: Serve as the primary relationship owner for industry stakeholders, advisory committees, tentpole speakers, and key exhibitors/sponsors.
• Onsite Leadership: Coordinate with operations teams to ensure the onsite experience matches the strategic vision of the event; be present onsite to manage VIP relationships.
• Post-Event Analysis: Use on-site focus group feedback, post-event survey data, and advisory group recommendations to inform the following year's strategy.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 6+ years of experience in event production or management with direct revenue accountability.
• Demonstrated track record of success growing event attendance and revenue.
• Strong commercial instincts paired with the ability to think about audience experience and long‑term brand health.
• Managing budgets, forecasts, and margin analysis.
• Ability to build trust with sponsors, partners, speakers, and internal teams.
• Driving change and continuous improvement without always having direct authority over every function involved.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with engineering- or technology-focused events is a plus but not required.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Hybrid work environment based in Warrendale, PA, combining office-based work with on‑site presence at managed events.
• Travel up to 25-30%, including on‑site attendance at managed conferences and expos to oversee the attendee experience and manage VIP relationships.

#SAE

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

SAE IndustryTechnologies Consortia (SAE ITC)enables organizations to define and pilot best practices. SAE ITC industry stakeholders are able to work together to effectively solve common problems, achieve mutual benefit for industry, and create business value.

The Performance Review Institute (PRI)is the world leader in facilitating collaborative supply chain oversight programs, quality management systems approvals, and professional development in industries where safety and quality are shared values.

SAE International (SAEI)is a global organization serving the mobility sector, predominantly in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries, fostering innovation, and enabling engineering professionals. Since 1905, SAE has harnessed the collective wisdom of engineers around the world to create industry-enabling standards. Likewise, SAE members have advanced their knowledge and understanding of mobility engineering through our information resources, professional development, and networking.

Fullsight is a shared services group working across three affiliate organizations, SAE ITC, SAE International, and Performance Review Institute (PRI), uniformly delivering HR, IT, Legal, Customer Success, Finance, and Procurement services, which enables us to distribute resources across all parts of our businesses.

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This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.