Events Director

Exit Five; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company contribution

Charitable giving match

Up to $300 monthly coworking stipend

Continued education allowance

Paid Fridays off

Sabbatical every five years

Paid time off during holidays

Job summary

Planning Center seeks an Events Director to own strategy and execution for large-scale in-person customer events. You’ll lead a small team and partner with Marketing leadership to turn ambitious ideas into high-impact experiences for tens of thousands of churches.

You will oversee sponsorship programs, vendor selection, and budget management, and you’ll coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional events while maintaining a strong focus on customer impact and company goals.

Qualifications

• Experience owning strategy and execution for large software user conferences.
• Proven ability to manage complex logistics for events (venues, AV, F&B, registration).
• Experience selecting and managing contractors and vendors within budgets.
• Experience developing sponsorship/exhibitor packages and driving sales.
• Ability to translate vision into concrete plans, budgets, and timelines.
• Proven coaching and leadership of direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Own events end-to-end: format, program, venue, logistics, and show flow.
• Translate vision and goals into concrete plans, schedules, and budgets.
• Select and manage vendors and contractors, negotiating contracts within budget.
• Run the show on site, coordinating with staff and third parties.
• Build systems and processes that support repeatable events.

Skills

Event strategy

Vendor management

Sponsorship sales

Budgeting

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Job description

About Planning Center

Planning Center exists to help churches build stronger, more connected communities.

Since 2006, over 80,000 churches have trusted our tools to care for their people—whether that’s communicating with their congregation, organizing important information, or coordinating the details that make ministry happen.

We’re an independent, profitable company with no outside investors. That means we get to focus on building products thoughtfully, caring for our team well, and making decisions for the long term.

Our team is fully remote, working together daily through tools like Slack, Asana, Linear, Notion, and Zoom. Three times a year, we gather in Carlsbad, CA to connect in person, strengthen relationships, and align on where we’re headed.

About the Work

As the Events Director, you'll own strategy and execution for large-scale, in-person customer events from planning through show day. Leading a small team, you’ll partner closely with the Director of Marketing and company leadership to turn ambitious ideas into high-impact experiences for tens of thousands of churches.

Responsibilities

Customer Event Ownership

• Own events end-to-end: format, program, venue, logistics, and overall show flow
• Translate vision and goals set by the Director of Marketing and company leadership into a concrete plan, schedule, and budget
• Select and manage all vendors and contractors (e.g., venue, production, AV, catering), negotiating contracts within the approved budget
• Run the show on site, coordinating every moving part with company staff and third parties
• Build the systems and processes that support strong, repeatable events over time

Sponsorship & Exhibitor Relations

• Own sponsorship and exhibitor strategy, packaging, and pricing
• Drive sponsor and exhibitor sales, sourcing and closing partners
• Manage sponsor and exhibitor relationships and fulfillment before, during, and after events

Team Leadership

• Work with the Event Marketing Manager to ensure success at other industry events and sponsorships
• Support external events during user conference off season
• Use the Event Marketing Manager's support (along with contractor and freelance resources) to staff events appropriately
• Coach and develop your direct report(s), setting clear goals and feedback

Budget & Vendor Management

• Own execution of the budget allocated by company leadership, including all contractor and vendor negotiations
• Build and maintain a trusted network of vendors and freelancers who can support large-scale events

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with the Director of Marketing and company leadership on vision and budgets
• Coordinate with other Marketing Team members on content, messaging, and materials for events
• Report regularly on planning progress, budget status, and key milestones

What You Bring

• Several years of experience owning strategy and execution for a software company's user conference (experience with general event planning, hospitality, church conferences, and weddings will not translate)
• Track record managing complex logistics (e.g., venues, AV, F&B, registration, show flow) for large-scale events
• Experience selecting and managing contractors and vendors, holding partners accountable to budget and vision
• Experience developing sponsorship/exhibitor packages and driving sponsor sales for a conference or similar event, including managing those relationships through fulfillment
• Comfortability translating vision into concrete plans, budgets, and timelines
• Demonstrated ability to coach and manage direct reports while carrying heavy individual ownership
• Calm, organized, and decisive presence under pressure
• Strong communication skills to clearly represent vision internally and externally

Who We Look For

The best fits for any role on the Planning Center team are people embodying our Core Values:

• Engage with Humility - We actively participate with openness and receptiveness. We are ready to listen, learn, and speak thoughtfully and kindly—regardless of skill level, expertise, and place on the org chart.
• Invest in our team - We give our time and energy to our team’s success—improving collaboration with effective communication, making space for diverse perspectives, sharing knowledge, and asking questions.
• Do Our Best Work - We aspire to do our best possible work—continually looking for ways to improve the quality of our individual output and contribute to our team's overall success and growth.
• Focus on Customer Impact - We advocate for our customer’s best interests in our decision-making—we can trace the goal of every project back to creating positive value for our customers.
• Think Holistically, Work Iteratively - We focus on taking practical steps towards our goals with an awareness of the broader context—thinking big, working small.

We believe the strongest teams are made up of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to cultivating that diversity here at Planning Center. We're building an inclusive, supportive place for you to do your best work. Planning Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program.

The Hiring Process

During the hiring process, you’ll have a chance to interact with several members of our team. We want this process to feel clear, respectful, and human—you’re getting to know us just as much as we’re getting to know you.

Applications will be accepted until September 18, 2026 at 8:00am PT. We review applications on a rolling basis and may close the posting early once we’ve built a strong pool of candidates, so we encourage you to apply early!

Below is an outline of the steps in our hiring process.

• Step Two: Initial phone screen with someone from our Talent Acquisition team to get to know one another and discuss work and culture
• Step Three: An initial interview with a few people from our Marketing team
• Step Four: An interview with other Marketing team members
• Step Five: A cross-functional interview with a few employees across Planning Center
• Step Six: Pending all goes well, we'll extend an offer

Compensation & Logistics

• This is a US-based role; candidates must reside in and be authorized to work in the United States(we are currentlyunable to offer employment to those with H-1B visas)
• Candidates must be willing to travel three times each year to connect with the rest of the team
• The annual salary range for this position is $130,000 - $150,000

Benefits

We love our team. It's one of the core pillars that guides how we work, which is why we invest deeply in your well-being, growth, and balance. Here are some highlights (you can explore all our benefits here):

Get paid:

• 401(k) with a 3% company contribution
• Charitable giving match up to $2,000/year
• Up to $300 monthly coworking stipend
• Allowance for continued education

Get out:

• Paid Fridays off, all year long!
• A month-long sabbatical every five years
• A week off between Christmas and New Year's
• A paid week each year to serve with a globally focused nonprofit
• Two weeks of paid vacation (growing to three over time)

Be healthy:

• 95% medical and 100% dental premium coverage
• $200/month toward physical fitness and mental health
• Paid sick time