Event Strategy Manager

Shepard Exposition Services; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Shepard Exposition Services seeks an Event Strategy Manager to transform insights into creative event strategies, attendee journeys, and sponsor activations for strategic accounts. The role blends strategic thinking with creative design to develop themes, experiences, and measurable value for clients and sponsors.

You will translate data into compelling concepts, present ideas with decks, collaborate across Sales, Production, Concept Design, and Marketing, and contribute to new business pitches

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in experience design, event creative, or related field.
• Ability to translate audience data and insights into creative strategy and activations.
• Experience contributing to new business pitches, RFPs, or proposals is highly preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; dynamic presenter to diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, AI-powered tools, and presentation software.

Responsibilities

• Develop and present experience concepts using visual storytelling, decks, and storyboards.
• Collaborate with production, sponsorship, and Concept Design teams to execute concepts.
• Manage experience deliverables, including decks, design summits, and attendee journeys.
• Contribute to RFP responses, pitches, and client proposals with experience solutions.

Skills

Experience design

Strategic thinking

Creative strategy

Presentation skills

Collaboration

Storytelling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Experience Design, Marketing, Communications, or related field

Tools

Canva

Adobe Creative Suite

AI-powered tools

Presentation software

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Event Strategy Manager transforms event insights, audience research, and client objectives into creative event strategies, experience designs, and engagement activations for Shepard’s strategic accounts. This role combines strategic thinking and creative expertise to develop themes, attendee journeys, sponsorship opportunities, and experiential concepts that enhance engagement, strengthen event performance, and deliver measurable value for clients, attendees, and sponsors.

Key Contributions of the Role

Strategic Account and Creative Strategy Support - 25%

• Support creative strategy for an assigned portfolio of strategic accounts, aligning experience concepts with each client’s business objectives.
• Translate data and insights, voice-of-customer research, and success plans into creative experience with Event Strategy.
• Support client discovery sessions with Event Strategy to understand goals, audience dynamics, and desired outcomes.
• Align internal teams, such as the Sales, Account Production, Concept Design, and Marketing teams, so client objectives carry through execution.

Insight-to-Design Translation - 20%

• Analyze audience needs, market trends, survey data, and event performance metrics to identify what is and isn’t working for each event.
• Develop and design experiences that align with each client’s brand, including themes, attendee journey maps, floor plan concepts, networking ideas, activations, and technology integrations that resonate with target audiences and drive engagement.
• Shape sponsorship activations that clients can sell and sponsors can measure with Event Strategy.

Experience Design and Execution - 25%

• Develop and present experience concepts using visual storytelling, ideation decks, and concept storyboards for internal and client audiences.
• Collaborate with production, sponsorship, and Concept Design teams on approved concepts and ensure designs are carried out as intended.
• Manage experience deliverables, including concept decks, design summits, and attendee journey maps, while maintaining quality standards and meeting project deadlines.

New Business Development - 15%

• Contribute experience solutions to RFP responses, pitches, and proposals that align with client discovery findings.
• Present experience concepts, recommendations, and case studies to prospective clients.
• Build strong client relationships by demonstrating industry expertise and providing thoughtful, actionable recommendations.

Measurement, Innovation and Continuous Improvement - 15%

• Define success metrics and evaluate the effectiveness of experience design initiatives.
• Collect and synthesize attendee and exhibitor feedback with Event Strategy Insights to refine future experience.
• Stay current on event experience, engagement, and technology trends and recommend innovative solutions that enhance Shepard’s offerings.
• 3–5 years in experience design, event creative, event production, event marketing, an experiential/creative agency, or related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to translate audience data and event insights into creative strategy, activations, and environments.
• Experience supporting creative or experience deliverables across multiple accounts or projects at the same time.
• Experience contributing to new business pitches, RFPs, or proposals strongly preferred.
• Creative, solution-oriented problem solver with strong strategic and analytical thinking.
• Strong organizational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; dynamic presenter to audiences of all levels — internal teams, executives, and clients.
• Ability to communicate creative ideas visually; comfortable building and presenting ideation decks and concept visuals.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, AI-powered tools, presentation software, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Commitment to staying current on event experience, audience engagement, and industry trends.
• Bachelor’s degree in Experience Design, Marketing, Communications, or related field.

Aligning With Our Values for Success

• Demonstrate Core Values of Caring, Commitment, Integrity, Spirit, Responsiveness, Inclusivity, and Teamwork.
• Ability to perform as a responsible ESOP owner by making daily decisions to benefit the client and the company.
• Treat all internal and external customers with courtesy and respect, as outlined in our Blue Diamond Customer Service Program.

Please note that the roles and responsibilities outlined in this job description are not exhaustive and may be subject to change. Additional tasks may be assigned as needed to meet the evolving needs of the company.

EOE Language

Shepard is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, color, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military status, veteran status, non‑disqualifying physical or mental disability, or any other non‑merit factor. All employment decisions are made based on business need, job requirements, individual qualifications, and merit.