Senior Event Manager in Manchester

Are you an ambitious events leader with a passion for creating high-impact experiences that shape perceptions, build partnerships and drive economic growth? Marketing Manchester is seeking an experienced Senior Events Manager to lead the development and delivery of a diverse portfolio of events that champion Greater Manchester as a world-class destination to visit, meet, invest, study and do business.

Working across both Marketing Manchester and Invest Manchester, you will be responsible for delivering events that support the region's visitor economy, business tourism, international engagement and investment ambitions. From major conferences, industry showcases and trade missions to investor receptions, business networking events and stakeholder engagement programmes, you will play a key role in bringing Greater Manchester's story to life on a national and international stage.

Reporting to the Head of International Engagement and Delivery, you will lead a team of event professionals and work closely with senior public and private sector stakeholders, commercial partners, civic leaders and businesses to deliver exceptional events that strengthen Greater Manchester's reputation, attract investment and create lasting economic impact.

Lead the development and implementation of effective events that deliver the strategic priorities set out by the Internationalisation and Marketing Advisory Board.

• Identify and develop opportunities to build strong relationships and leverage commercial opportunities with partners and senior stakeholders.
• Take a lead role in liaising with stakeholders to secure relevant input and approval of strategies and marketing collateral.
• Lead the evaluation of events to ensure they are aligned to, and deliver, the objectives of the Marketing Manchester Business Plan.
• Proactively work with colleagues across the business, including Finance, Design and Marketing, to ensure all event activities are delivered on time and within budget.
• Lead a team of event professionals, including line management of Events Executives and Assistants, as well as managing external contractors.
• Ensure the events team maintains product knowledge and develops intelligence around industry trends, best practice, competitor analysis and current health and safety frameworks.
• Take the lead in ensuring event activity is aligned to the Manchester Brand and reflects our values, working with the Head of International Engagement and Delivery to ensure compliance.

About You:

• Extensive experience of working in event management across a number of different formats and environments.
• Skilled in running multiple large, high-profile events that engage businesses, stakeholders and media at the highest level.
• Proven experience managing multifaceted budgets that take into account all potential scenarios.
• Confident in creating risk assessments for events that protect the interests of the business.
• Experienced in managing both internal and external teams.
• Motivated, resilient and enthusiastic, with the drive to make things happen.

Skills Required:

• Able to plan for and mitigate risks associated with attendance at national and international events.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to secure priority for Greater Manchester and its stakeholders at high-profile events.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present event strategies to internal and external stakeholders.
• Confident managing complex stakeholder relationships, influencing senior stakeholders and working in partnership.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to maintain quality of delivery under time pressure.

We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.

At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.

Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.

We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community. If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.

We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact careers@growthco.uk or call us on 0161 237 4447.

GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process.

All GC colleagues will work in line with the Health and Safety at work act and the GC Health and Safety Policy.