Program Manager, Events

Description

You will plan and run the company's events, both in person and online, to engage its community and strengthen relationships with customers and partners.

You will own the company's presence at Tier 1 trade shows, acting as lead planner, production owner and on-site contact.

You will work mostly on your own, taking programs from planning through execution and working with the Brand team and other departments to turn creative ideas into well-run experiences.

This is a hybrid role. You must live in the Chicago-land area to meet the requirement to be in the office 2 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Deliver smooth event experiences in person, virtually and in hybrid formats for participants, sponsors, vendor partners and staff.
• Lead production of the company's presence at Tier 1 trade shows such as Legalweek and ILTACON, from planning through execution, including floor space selection, contract negotiation and sponsorship packages.
• Own the full program lifecycle: write RFPs, set budgets, negotiate contracts, select sites, arrange attendee housing and specify meeting details such as catering, logistics, audio visual, space assignments and signage.
• Own booth production so that layouts, signage, demo areas, meeting spaces, hospitality and activations work together as one experience.
• Work with the Brand team to design trade show environments, bringing your own creative ideas and experiential suggestions and turning creative direction into functional physical spaces.
• Manage trade show budgets, exhibitor logistics and vendors, including booth build, drayage, AV and lead retrieval technology, to maximize ROI and brand impact at flagship events.
• Work with Sales and Demand Generation on lead capture, qualification and post-show follow-up, and track and report pipeline impact.
• Oversee every arranged detail on site: attend pre-con, confirm functions, check room setups, coordinate special events, ground transfers, VIP needs and meeting materials.
• Negotiate with vendors, outside providers and subcontractors with the event production team for the lowest cost and highest quality of service.
• Help plan logistics and create enablement content for staff and participants. Carry out approved promotion with the marketing communications team and set communication protocols with planning committees, vendors and program staff.
• Identify risks, dependencies and roadblocks early, develop solutions and keep key stakeholders informed.
• Track event trends and technology, including AI-enabled tools, and recommend improvements where useful.
• Lead post-event debriefs, gather stakeholder feedback and apply what you learn to future programs.
• Advise the team and step in to help meet project objectives and resolve problems.
• Apply the company's management competencies of personal learning, building high-performing teams, aligning goals with strategy and making effective decisions, and build your management skills over time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications or a related field, or at least three years of event or conference planning and execution with growing responsibility.
• Preferred: 5 to 7 years of program or event management, ideally in B2B technology, SaaS or professional services.
• Preferred: direct experience planning and leading a company's presence at Tier 1 trade shows, including booth management, floor space negotiation and sponsorship strategy.
• Preferred: familiarity with lead retrieval and booth technology, and experience working with Demand Generation on trade show lead follow-up and ROI reporting.
• Preferred: hands-on experience with event registration and management tools such as Cvent, and CRM platforms such as Salesforce.
• Preferred: experience coordinating and motivating event staff.
• Preferred: a record of success running multi-million dollar events with many stakeholders.
• Preferred: comfort using data and reporting tools to measure event performance and guide strategy.
• Preferred: meticulous attention to detail and a strong design eye.
• Preferred: a track record of initiative, creativity and self-motivation.
• Preferred: excellent organization, able to manage several projects at once.
• Preferred: strong collaboration skills across interdisciplinary teams.
• Preferred: proficiency with current project management tools.
• Preferred: ability to work well in a fast-paced, deadline-driven team with shifting priorities.
• Required skills: budget management, communication, event planning, marketing, professional presentation, public relations (PR), sales presentations, sponsorships, stakeholder management and strategic planning.

Conditions

Hybrid work, with the requirement to be in the office 2 days a week, so you must be located in the Chicago-land area.

The expected base salary range is $101,000 to $151,000.

The final offer depends on factors such as depth of experience, skill set, qualifications and internal pay equity. Hiring at the top of the range would not be typical, to leave room for meaningful salary growth in the role.

The company is committed to fair and equitable pay.

Benefits

• Total compensation also includes an annual performance bonus and long-term incentives.