Senior Event Director

Senior Event Director

Mass Participation & Sporting Events | 2027 | Part-time, Fixed-term/Freelance

The Opportunity

We're working with an established live events agency looking for an experienced Senior Event Director to take a leading role across its mass participation and sporting events portfolio during 2027.

This is a great opportunity for someone with a strong background in large-scale outdoor events, particularly running, walking, cycling and charity challenges, to oversee three flagship running events while providing senior operational guidance across a wider programme of sporting and fundraising events.

You'll be joining an established team with experienced event professionals, trusted suppliers and existing delivery plans in place. The focus is on providing confident senior leadership, taking ownership of key operational areas and ensuring events are delivered safely, successfully and to a consistently high standard.

The Role

Event Director – Flagship Running Events

You'll hold overall operational responsibility for three established mass participation running events.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading operational planning, budgets and delivery across all three events.
• Overseeing site layouts, venues, start/finish areas and event infrastructure.
• Managing suppliers, contractors, local authorities and key stakeholders.
• Leading Event Management Plans, safety documentation and risk management.
• Reviewing traffic management, route planning and logistics.
• Overseeing event build, live delivery and breakdown, providing senior leadership on event days.
• Coordinating workstreams covering volunteers, stewarding, branding, signage, water stations and sponsor activations.

Senior Oversight

You’ll also provide guidance and senior support across a wider programme of mass participation events.

This will involve:

• Supporting the team with priorities, workloads and delivery deadlines.
• Reviewing event plans, budgets, schedules and operational documentation.
• Identifying risks and resolving complex operational challenges.
• Providing senior stakeholder and supplier support where needed.
• Mentoring and developing team members, sharing your experience and knowledge.

About You

• Significant experience in a senior event management or Event Director position.
• A strong track record delivering large-scale outdoor, sporting or mass participation events.
• Particularly relevant experience across running events, half marathons, cycling, walking or charity challenges.
• Excellent operational knowledge, including logistics, health and safety, risk management and event documentation.
• Confident managing budgets, suppliers, contractors and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working with local authorities, councils and Safety Advisory Groups.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to support and develop an established team.
• Highly organised, pragmatic and solutions-focused, with the confidence to take ownership and make decisions under pressure.

Contract & Working Arrangements

• Engagement: Part-time, fixed-term or freelance.
• Duration: Ideally January to September 2027, potentially extending into October.
• Working pattern: Approximately 3-4 days per week, with flexibility around the event calendar.
• Location: London / Hybrid, with a flexible approach to office attendance.
• Travel: Site visits, stakeholder meetings and event attendance required.

This is a great chance to take ownership of some well-established, high-profile mass participation events, working alongside within an established and capable team while bringing your experience to a varied and rewarding sporting events portfolio.

We're open to discussing the right working arrangement for an experienced individual who can make an immediate impact.