Senior Experiential Manager

About VML

VML is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

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 hospitality/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 12 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.

Day to day you will:

• 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.
• 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.

What We’re Looking For:

• 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.
• Line management experience.
• The desire to immerse yourself in our agency environment and to contribute to the wider agency culture.

Bonus Points:

• Familiar with/previous experience working within the F1 world, ideally within a hospitality/events context.

Why Join Us?

At VML Live, we are committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued and heard. We believe that this commitment inspires growth and delivers equitable outcomes for our people, our clients, and the communities we serve. We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That’s why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.