Senior Experiential Manager

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

We are looking for a Senior Experiential Manager to deliver an exciting role with a major F1 team partner. The role will see you working as part of a dynamic agency team managing global activations, partnership rights and assets, digital projects and events for a global client. We are looking for someone who will hit the ground running and create an immediate impact within our agency and across our client accounts.

The Senior Experiential Manager will play a key role within a wider collaborative team of approximately 15 people. The core team delivers hospitality programmes at F1 races around the world on behalf of the client, in addition to internal events and F1 team HQ events. Ideally, you should be familiar with and passionate about sports sponsorships and F1, along with demonstrating a solid understanding of brand awareness and executing events, particularly guest hospitality programmes, to a high level.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Show senior leadership throughout the account team and deliver to the highest standards on behalf of the agency and our client at events.
• Demonstrate a solutions-driven focus and think on your feet to prevent problems from occurring before they happen.
• Support the Account Director in leading and motivating the team to deliver successful Client hospitality programmes and race activations.
• Liaise directly with senior client and quickly establish ‘trusted advisor’ status.
• Manage, influence and maintain a productive partnership with the core client and regional/end market offices.
• Lead key aspects of our client’s global events calendar across the year where required – the majority of your events work will be based around delivering F1 race hospitality programmes as part of a wider events team, so a strong understanding of and experience in hospitality logistics is essential.
• Guide the client’s partner agencies to ensure consistency throughout their global events programme and local partnership activations.
• Expand our current business relationships by identifying and securing growth opportunities as part of the dedicated client project/s and across the wider business.
• Coordinate and collaborate with cross-discipline team members to ensure that all parties are on track and kept up to date with project requirements, deadlines and schedules.
• Prepare status reports by gathering, analysing and summarising relevant information.
• Facilitate change requests whilst ensuring that all parties are informed of any impacts to schedules/budgets.
• Conduct post-event evaluations for all events, identifying successful and unsuccessful elements and room for improvement.
• Manage budget negotiations with Clients/suppliers and manage timely reconciliation of costs.
• Manage hospitality suppliers (transportation, accommodation, photography) and ensure events are GDPR- and H&S-compliant.
• Review client activation proposals and coordinate approvals with key stakeholders, including the F1 team.
• Manage display/partnership asset requests and accompanying activation plans against partnership guidelines.
• Willingness to travel when required and for long periods where necessary.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English with impeccable attention to detail.
• Professional experience and proven track record in full event delivery for major hospitality programmes in sport.
• Strong budgeting/finance skills within a major events background.
• Ability to work independently while delivering high-quality work on deadline.
• Team player with a positive attitude and ability to lead and inspire a team.
• International mindset with the ability to operate in global regions simultaneously.
• Excellent organisation skills; confident in managing multiple work streams across various projects.
• Enthusiasm, energy and an innovative approach to the role.
• Confidence and professionalism to engage with clients at a senior level.
• The desire to immerse yourself in our agency environment and to contribute to the wider agency culture.

PREFERABLE ATTRIBUTES

• Familiar with/previous experience working within the F1 world, ideally within a hospitality/events context.
• Ability to write and speak a leading foreign language.

In addition to the day-to-day, this role offers the opportunity to become a part of an ambitious and hardworking team with a passionate, nurturing and trusting culture. We provide competitive benefits, a flexible working model and initiatives that support your career and wellbeing and enable creativity to flourish including; holiday (+bank holidays and your birthday off), gym membership, ClassPass, HeadSpace, Private Medical insurance to name a few.

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At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond.

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