Director of Events & Program Mgmt

Purpose:The Director of Events & Program Management leads strategy, planning, and execution of all North America trade conferences, industry events, and corporate event participation. This role works closely with Marketing & Communications, Business Development, and operational leaders to elevate Avolta’s visibility and partnerships across the travel F&B and retail landscape.

Essential Functions:

• Develops and executes North America conference strategy, including trade shows, sponsorships, and industry events; manages all phases from concept to post-event analysis
• Partners with Business Development to align conference participation with commercial objectives, growth targets, and partnership goals
• Establishes and maintains brand standards and messaging across all event touchpoints, including booth design, presentations, collateral, and digital presence to position Avolta as a leader in travel F&B and retail
• Identifies high value speaking roles, sponsorship opportunities, activations, and thought leadership platforms; secures participation and prepares leaders for maximum impact
• Owns conference budget planning, forecasting, and management; tracks expenses against budget, reconciles post-event costs, and identifies savings opportunities while maintaining quality standards
• Manages relationships with vendors, agencies, and third-party partners including exhibit fabricators, production partners, logistics vendors, and conference organizers; negotiates contracts and oversees delivery
• Directs end-to-end event logistics including booth design, material production, shipping, staffing assignments, meeting agendas, and on-site execution
• Develops post-event analysis framework to measure performance, ROI, lead generation, partnership outcomes, and brand impact; provides recommendations for continuous improvement
• Prepares executive briefing materials, talking points, meeting agendas, and internal communications to support leadership participation and cross-functional coordination
• Maintains centralized event and conference calendar with detailed tracking of commitments, deadlines, costs, and key contacts; provides cross-functional visibility and alignment across all business units and functional areas
• Coordinates signature company initiatives including Hall of Fame recognition events, North America holiday celebrations and team-building events, and annual Avolta Day activities

Reporting Relationship: The Director of Events & Program Management reports to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment:

• Education and Experience: The combination of education and professional experience must exceed 8 years:
  • In a technical role: Requires 8 years of experience engaged in event, conference, or experiential marketing experience, preferably in a matrixed or multi-location organization  
    • A bachelor’s degree in a program related to the functional area can count for 3 of the eight-year requirement
    • An MBA or a master’s level degree in a program related to the functional area can count for an additional 2 years of the eight-year requirement
  • In the industry: 3-5 years of Hospitality, F&B and/or Retail experience
• Specialized Skillset/Competencies/Traits:
  • Proven experience leading large-scale conferences, trade events, or experiential activations from concept to execution
  • Exceptional project management and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple complex events simultaneously
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive-level content
  • Strong financial and vendor management experience, including budgeting and negotiation
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with project management software preferred
  • Business acumen and also has the mindset required to understand the long-term implications of event and conference planning and to advance the organization’s goals
  • Demonstrated history of understanding the needs of the business, stakeholders, the employee population and individual circumstances
  • Demonstrated history of creating and maintaining positive work environments
• Location/Travel:
  • This role is based at the North America Support Center in Bethesda, MD
  • This role requires travel up to 40%, including extended days surrounding major conferences