Experiential Event Director

Substance Global; New York (NY); Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Substance Global is seeking an experienced Event Director to lead end-to-end experiential campaigns and live events for US/UK markets. This hands-on leadership role balances strategic thinking with production excellence, client management and financial accountability.

You’ll work remotely with NY-based teams, coordinating with Account, Creative, Production and Social groups from planning through post-event evaluation, ensuring events are on brief, on budget and delivered to the highest

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading the end-to-end delivery of live events, experiential campaigns and brand activations US/UK market.
• Strong project management, production and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Commercial confidence and experience managing budgets, forecasting costs, negotiating with suppliers and protecting profitability.
• Excellent client-facing communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading, motivating and developing teams in a fast-paced agency or experiential environment.
• A strong understanding of social-first campaigns, content capture and the integration of digital and live experiences.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to stay calm under pressure and make confident decisions.
• A passion for creativity, innovation and delivering exceptional experiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead event delivery: Oversee the planning and execution of experiential campaigns and live events, managing timelines, production schedules, logistics and multiple projects simultaneously, across the UK and USA.
• Own budgets and profitability: Manage event budgets, forecasts, supplier costs and financial reporting, ensuring projects remain commercially sound and deliver against agreed targets.
• Manage clients and stakeholders: Build trusted relationships, lead delivery meetings, manage expectations and confidently navigate challenges throughout the event lifecycle.
• Lead teams and suppliers: Mentor Event Producers and Project Managers, allocate resources effectively and build strong relationships with venues, production partners and suppliers.
• Champion creative excellence: Work collaboratively with Creative, Social and Production teams to bring ambitious ideas to life, integrating social-first content, influencer activity and audience engagement into the event experience.
• Oversee risk and compliance: Ensure appropriate health and safety planning, risk assessments, contingency plans and operational processes are in place for every event.
• Drive growth and improvement: Contribute to new business pitches, identify opportunities to grow client relationships and use post-event insights to improve future delivery.

Skills

End-to-end event delivery

Project management

Budget management

Client relationship management

Team leadership

Social-first campaigns

Decision making under pressure

Creativity & innovation

Job description

Working Arrangement: Remote but must be New York based

Reports to: SVP of Marketing

Who We Are

Substance Global is an independent, insights-driven digital marketing agency specialising in Entertainment Experiential Events providing creative, social services for social first campaigns across brands, media and industries.

Founded in 2003, we’ve grown to a team of 80+ people across London, Los Angeles, Singapore and Buenos Aires. We believe great work comes from great people, bringing together creativity, collaboration and innovation to deliver meaningful impact for our clients.

Our independent spirit drives our people, passion and purpose. We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive and supportive culture where everyone can thrive.

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced, highly organised and commercially minded Event Director to lead the end-to-end delivery of exciting experiential campaigns, brand activations and live events.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can turn ambitious creative ideas into exceptional experiences, balancing strategic thinking with outstanding production, strong client relationships and financial accountability.

Working closely with our account, creative, production and social teams, you’ll oversee projects from initial planning through to live execution and post-event evaluation, ensuring every event is delivered seamlessly, on brief, on budget and to the highest standards.

What You’ll Do

• Lead event delivery: Oversee the planning and execution of experiential campaigns and live events, managing timelines, production schedules, logistics and multiple projects simultaneously, across the UK and USA.


• Own budgets and profitability: Manage event budgets, forecasts, supplier costs and financial reporting, ensuring projects remain commercially sound and deliver against agreed targets.


• Manage clients and stakeholders: Build trusted relationships, lead delivery meetings, manage expectations and confidently navigate challenges throughout the event lifecycle.


• Lead teams and suppliers: Mentor Event Producers and Project Managers, allocate resources effectively and build strong relationships with venues, production partners and suppliers.


• Champion creative excellence: Work collaboratively with Creative, Social and Production teams to bring ambitious ideas to life, integrating social-first content, influencer activity and audience engagement into the event experience.


• Oversee risk and compliance: Ensure appropriate health and safety planning, risk assessments, contingency plans and operational processes are in place for every event.


• Drive growth and improvement: Contribute to new business pitches, identify opportunities to grow client relationships and use post-event insights to improve future delivery.

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience leading the end-to-end delivery of live events, experiential campaigns and brand activations US/UK market.


• Strong project management, production and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.


• Commercial confidence and experience managing budgets, forecasting costs, negotiating with suppliers and protecting profitability.


• Excellent client-facing communication and stakeholder management skills.


• Experience leading, motivating and developing teams in a fast-paced agency or experiential environment.


• A strong understanding of social-first campaigns, content capture and the integration of digital and live experiences.


• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to stay calm under pressure and make confident decisions.


• A passion for creativity, innovation and delivering exceptional experiences.

Above all, you’ll bring a can-do attitude, a collaborative spirit and the drive to turn ambitious ideas into brilliant experiences.

Life at Substance

We’re a growing, friendly and diverse team that values people as much as the work we create.

Our values — Agile, Collaborative, Courageous, Creative, Honest, Passionate, People First and Responsible — shape how we work and how we treat one another.

We believe in flexibility, work-life balance and creating an environment where people can do their best work. We’re continually evolving our people-first initiatives and benefits to support our team at every stage of their careers and lives.

Fancy Joining Team Substance?

We’d love to hear from you!

Our recruitment process is designed to minimise unconscious bias. CVs are anonymised before review, allowing us to focus on skills, experience and aptitude. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to interviews and/or role-related assessments, evaluated against consistent criteria.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

Ready to create experiences that make an impact? We’d love to meet you.