Location : San Diego, CA, United States
Small Description:
The Marketing Event Specialist, Staff will be responsible for planning, managing, and executing marketing events and initiatives from concept through completion. This role serves as a key point of contact for internal stakeholders, vendors, agencies, and cross-functional teams, ensuring events are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with organizational and brand objectives. The position requires strong event management, project management, budgeting, vendor negotiation, technical event production, and problem-solving skills. The specialist will independently manage complex events, oversee event logistics and AV production, coordinate vendors and partners, track financials, and provide onsite leadership and support.
Job Responsibilities:
- Manage and execute end-to-end event planning and production activities.
- Independently execute events or work collaboratively with internal and external teams.
- Serve as the primary contact for assigned key event projects.
- Understand stakeholder objectives and translate their vision into successful event experiences.
- Manage all aspects of event functions and step into operational roles as needed.
- Develop event scopes, objectives, visions, budgets, plans, timelines, and execution strategies with internal clients.
- Plan and coordinate multiple events and projects simultaneously.
- Research, negotiate, and contract event venues.
- Develop menus and coordinate food and beverage requirements.
- Source, negotiate, and manage vendors for staffing, décor, lighting, entertainment, AV, security, promotional items, signage, transportation, and other event requirements.
- Manage agencies and third-party partners involved in event execution.
- Provide regular communication and status updates to internal and external project teams.
- Participate in cross-functional meetings and provide recommendations and solutions.
- Coordinate with international offices and cross-functional departments as required.
- Ensure events are produced according to established plans, objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
- Manage event automation technology platforms and related processes.
- Oversee technical event production, including AV, video, lighting, staging, electronics, and product experiences.
- Lead complex AV requirements with vendors and communicate technical requirements effectively to stakeholders.
- Demonstrate knowledge of products, electronics, packaging, shipping, basic carpentry, and AV equipment.
- Perform event manager responsibilities independently with minimal direction.
- Take initiative in identifying assignments, risks, opportunities, and required actions.
- Track all event financial activities, including iProc creation and follow-through, purchase orders, invoices, reporting, and budget reconciliation.
- Develop and monitor event budgets and ensure appropriate financial controls.
- Support other event managers and planners on larger or more complex projects.
- Provide pre-event planning and onsite support for major events and initiatives.
- Motivate, guide, supervise, and support team members by example.
- Anticipate delays, risks, and unforeseen challenges and communicate changes proactively.
- Analyze challenging situations and recommend appropriate solutions.
- Drive issue resolution and ensure event deliverables remain on track.
- Develop creative solutions and implement event management best practices.
- Apply event industry knowledge to complex stakeholder, partner, and vendor requirements.
- Develop and improve event processes, metrics, and operational practices.
- Ensure compliance with brand, digital team, and organizational guidelines.
- Provide leadership and vision for major projects and event initiatives.
- Challenge and evaluate issues using facts, details, and multiple perspectives.
- Collaborate effectively with internal teams, vendors, agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Travel as required for events, including occasional weekends and holidays.
- Drive a personal vehicle when traveling to an offsite event where transportation is not provided.
Skills:
- Strong end-to-end event management experience.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Strong cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience developing, managing, and reconciling event budgets.
- Strong vendor sourcing, negotiation, contracting, and management experience.
- Advanced knowledge of audio/visual event production.
- Knowledge of video, lighting, staging, and AV equipment.
- Ability to lead complex technical requirements with AV vendors.
- Strong understanding of event logistics, operations, and onsite production.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative management style.
- Ability to work independently with minimal direction.
- Ability to anticipate issues and develop solutions under challenging conditions.
- Ability to motivate, guide, supervise, and support teams.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage deadlines.
- Ability to work effectively with internal clients, agencies, vendors, partners, and international teams.
- Strong understanding of organizational effectiveness and operations management.
- Ability to evaluate situations from multiple perspectives.
- Ability to communicate recommendations using facts, details, and data.
- Willingness and ability to travel for events, including weekends and holidays when required.
- Ability to drive a personal vehicle for offsite events when transportation is not provided.
Education/Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in communication or marketing
- Proven professional experience in event management, marketing events, experiential marketing, trade shows, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience managing events independently from planning through execution.
- Experience managing complex events involving multiple stakeholders, vendors, agencies, and internal teams.
- Strong project management experience with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Experience with event budgeting, purchase orders, invoicing, financial tracking, and budget reconciliation.
- Experience negotiating and managing venues and third-party vendors.
- Demonstrated knowledge of AV, video, lighting, staging, and technical event production.
- Experience leading or coordinating teams during event planning and onsite execution.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to develop creative solutions and implement event-management best practices.
- Experience working in a cross-functional corporate environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite.
- Experience with Airtable and Cvent preferred.
