Head of Event Operations
19 days ago
City of London
• Business: emap, • Brands: Construction News, New Civil Engineer, Ground Engineering, Local Government Chronicle, Nursing Times, • Base Location: Fleet street /Hybrid ( 3 days in the office), • Employment Type: Full time, Permanent, • Salary: £ Competitive + 30% Bonus The Head of Event Operations is accountable for the end-to-end operational management and delivery of all events within the portfolio, including awards, conferences, and careers fairs. The role ensures consistently exceptional standards across every aspect of event delivery, while driving efficiency, scalability, and cost effectiveness. Responsible for designing, implementing, and continually improving operational frameworks, processes, and supplier partnerships, the Head of Event Operations creates a robust, best-in-class delivery model that supports a superior customer experience before, during, and after each event. The role plays a critical part in safeguarding quality, managing risk, and enabling teams to deliver seamlessly at pace. With responsibility for the leadership, recruitment, and development of the event operations team, the role ensures the right capabilities, structure, and culture are in place to deliver excellence across the portfolio. Working closely with internal stakeholders across events, sales, marketing, and editorial, the Head of Event Operations provides strong operational leadership, governance, and oversight to support the successful execution and continuous evolution of the events business. Key Responsibilities: Operational Leadership & Governance • Provide senior operational leadership across the full events portfolio, ensuring consistently high standards of delivery across awards, conferences, careers fairs and bespoke events., • Establish clear operational governance, standards, and best-practice frameworks to support high-quality, scalable event delivery., • Ensure all events are delivered on time, on budget, and in line with brand, quality, and customer experience expectations. Budget Management & Cost Control • Create, own, and manage detailed operational budgets for all events, ensuring budgets and operational folders are accurate, current, and well-governed., • Track, forecast, and report operational costs on a monthly basis, proactively identifying risks, variances, and cost-saving opportunities., • Ensure all venue and supplier payments, deposits, and contractual obligations are managed accurately and in line with agreed terms., • Drive cost efficiency without compromising quality or customer experience. End-to-End Event Delivery & Project Planning • Build and oversee detailed end-to-end project delivery plans for all events, from initial planning through to post-event debrief and evaluation., • Ensure effective coordination of logistics, production, and customer-facing operations across all event phases., • Lead the onsite delivery and execution of events, ensuring a seamless, professional experience for all stakeholders. Customer Experience & Service Excellence • Develop and implement a clear strategy to enhance the end-to-end customer journey for delegates, sponsors, speakers, judges, and award guests., • Own the operational delivery of a high-quality customer experience before, during, and after events., • Author and implement customer service communication plans for each event, ensuring clarity, timeliness, and a consistently high standard of service., • Define, measure, and continuously improve service standards through SLAs, feedback, and targeted performance objectives. Supplier & Venue Management • Lead venue procurement processes to secure appropriate venues that deliver best value, quality, and service across the annual events calendar., • Build, manage, and continuously develop strong supplier relationships to support high-quality event delivery., • Regularly audit and review supplier performance, ensuring services are delivered to agreed standards and identifying opportunities for improvement or optimisation. Resource Planning & Team Leadership • Plan, schedule, and deploy operational resources effectively to meet delivery deadlines and maximise team efficiency., • Recruit, lead, develop, and retain a high-performing event operations team, fostering accountability, capability, and engagement., • Set clear expectations, objectives, and development plans to drive consistent performance and continuous improvement. Onsite Leadership & Execution • Take overall responsibility for onsite operational planning and delivery, ensuring smooth execution, rapid issue resolution, and strong leadership presence., • Ensure teams and suppliers are fully briefed and aligned to delivery plans, service standards, and contingency arrangements. Compliance, Risk & Safety Management • Ensure full compliance with all relevant legislation, regulations, and internal policies across the events portfolio, including health & safety, insurance, and risk management., • Own and oversee risk assessments, method statements, and contingency planning to safeguard customers, teams, and the business. Skills and Experience: • Proven experience in a senior event operations role within a commercial events, publishing, or information-led business., • Strong track record of delivering complex B2B events across multiple formats, including conferences, awards, exhibitions, careers fairs, and virtual or hybrid events., • Demonstrable experience leading and developing event operations teams, including line management of teams of three or more, with a focus on performance, capability, and engagement., • Extensive experience in end-to-end event operations, including venue sourcing, supplier management, logistics, onsite delivery, and post-event evaluation., • Strong understanding of operational budgeting, forecasting, and cost control, with experience managing operational budgets and maintaining financial discipline., • Clear evidence of strategic thinking and operational planning, with the ability to design scalable processes, frameworks, and delivery models that support business growth., • Strong working knowledge of health & safety, risk management, and compliance, supported by IOSH or an equivalent recognised Health & Safety qualification., • Experience working effectively with cross-functional stakeholders including sales, marketing, editorial, and commercial teams., • Confident user of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and experienced in working with event technology and virtual event platforms., • Organised, detail-oriented, and delivery-focused, with the ability to manage multiple events and priorities in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments. Core Competencies: Operational & Financial Management • Strong capability in owning and managing operational budgets, with the ability to forecast accurately, control costs, and take decisive action to address variances while maintaining quality and service standards. Commercial Judgement & Brand Alignment • Commercially aware and outcome-focused, with the ability to balance commercial objectives with brand values, customer experience, and long-term portfolio integrity. Stakeholder Influence & Collaboration • Highly effective at influencing and aligning senior stakeholders across multiple functions to deliver commercially successful events, often within complex or matrixed environments. Leadership, People & Capability Development • Proven ability to lead, motivate, mentor, and coach operational teams, creating a high-performance culture focused on accountability, development, and continuous improvement. Project Management & Delivery Excellence • Exceptional organisational and project management skills, with the ability to plan, coordinate, and deliver complex events against fixed deadlines, budgets, and quality benchmarks. Communication, Credibility & Presence • A first-class communicator with gravitas, authority, and influence, able to build credibility and trust at senior levels both internally and externally, including with suppliers, venues, and partners. Personal Attributes: • Confident, autonomous, and resilient, able to take ownership of complex operational delivery and lead calmly under pressure., • Articulate and credible, with a polished presence and the ability to operate effectively at senior management level., • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, building trust and collaboration across teams, stakeholders, and suppliers., • Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail, maintaining high standards across multiple events and workstreams., • Proactive and solutions-focused, bringing curiosity, sound judgement, and creativity to problem-solving and continuous improvement., • Calm, adaptable, and effective in fast-paced environments, comfortable managing competing priorities and working flexibly to meet business needs. Benefits: emap is part of Metropolis Group. Together we are committed to providing a happy and healthy place to work, so we offer fantastic benefits and perks to our employees. • 25 days of annual leave, with the option to buy or sell additional days. Pro-rata for part-time employees., • One additional day of leave per year- Celebration Day, • Health plan, • Life assurance, • Private virtual GP access, • Seasonal flu jabs available at the office, • Continuous learning & development opportunities, • In-house Excellence Awards and other innovation projects, • Cycle-to-work scheme, • Discounted gym memberships, • Retail discount vouchers, • Rail season ticket loans, • Pension scheme, • One paid volunteer day per year, • Annual Summer & Winter Celebrations, • Work from home during August, • Income protection and more
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