Senior Event Planner

Vanguard; United States; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard is seeking a Senior Event Planner to shape and own the event strategy for its most complex and high-profile meetings and conferences. You will advise sponsors and senior leaders on objectives, audiences, experience design, and investment priorities, delivering memorable experiences across in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.

You will lead cross-functional teams, partner with sponsors to set scope and success measures, manage budgets and risk, and elevate playbooks and processes.

Qualifications

• Five years related work experience.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, high-profile meetings or events.
• Experience advising senior leaders and managing complex stakeholder, vendor, budget, and risk considerations.

Responsibilities

• Leads the most complex and high-profile events with minimal direction.
• Partners with sponsors and senior leaders to establish event strategy, objectives, audiences, experience principles, delivery format, investment priorities, and success measures.
• Establishes the strategic direction and decision framework for events and guides planners and partners to translate strategy into plans.
• Leads resolution of complex or ambiguous challenges affecting outcomes, investment, or viability, and advises on tradeoffs and contingencies.
• Evaluates event performance using data, costs, and outcomes and advises on future strategy and investment.
• Delivers executive-level communications regarding strategy, decisions, progress, risks, investment considerations, and outcomes.
• Establishes vendor and delivery strategies and directs external partners for complex events.
• Coaches event planners and promotes adoption of planning standards and playbooks.
• Leads improvements to event processes, policies, and operating models.
• Ensures Vanguard protocols are incorporated into event strategy and execution.

Skills

Event leadership

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Risk management

Senior leadership advisory

Education

Undergraduate degree

Job description

Senior Event Planner

Shapes and owns event strategy for the most complex and high-profile meetings and events. Advises sponsors and senior leaders on business objectives, audiences, experience strategy, success measures, and investment priorities. Influences business outcomes through strategic counsel, event design, and planning leadership. Events may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid.

Core Responsibilities

• Leads the most complex and high-profile events with minimal direction. Complexity may include executive or client audiences, business-critical objectives, substantial investment, reputational exposure, cross-functional business areas, sophisticated event production, or significant operational risk.
• Partners with sponsors and senior leaders to establish event strategy, including objectives, target audiences, experience principles, delivery format, investment priorities, and success measures.
  Provides strategic recommendations regarding event reguarding event scope, design, audience, delivery approach, investment, and expected outcomes. Applies business knowledge, event data, industry practices, and operational insight to guide decisions.
• Establishes the strategic direction and decision framework for events. Guides planners, stakeholders, and external partners in translating strategy into coordinated plans and experiences.
• Leads the resolution of complex or ambiguous challenges that may affect business outcomes, executive or client experience, reputation, investment, or event viability. Establishes the risk-management and contingency approach and advises leaders and stakeholders on tradeoffs, exposure, and recommended courses of action.
• Evaluates event performance using data, participant feedback, financial considerations, and business outcomes. Advises sponsors on future strategy and investment.
• Delivers executive-level communications regarding strategy, decisions, progress, risks, investment considerations, and outcomes.
• Establishes vendor and delivery strategies and directs external partners and interdisciplinary teams for complex events.
• Coaches event planners and promotes consistent adoption of planning standards, best practices, and emerging event approaches.
• Leads improvements to event playbooks, processes, policies, operating models, and planning standards.
• Ensures Vanguard protocols and controls are incorporated into event strategy and execution.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Five years related work experience.
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, high-profile meetings or events.
• Experience advising senior leaders and managing complex stakeholder, vendor, budget, and risk considerations.

Special Factor(s)

• Some travel required.
• Special hours may be required leading up to and during events.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.