Lead planning excellence. Drive delivery standards. Inspire an outstanding event team.
Warwick Conferences delivers exceptional meetings and events in a world‑class academic setting. We are now seeking a Commercial Event Manager to lead our Event Management function from contract confirmation through to event delivery, ensuring every event is operationally robust, financially controlled and consistently exceptional.
This is a senior leadership role within Event planning — distinct from the Commercial Sales function — focused on delivery governance, team performance and client experience once business is secured.
Role
As Commercial Event Manager, you will lead the Event Management team, taking strategic and operational responsibility for how contracted events are planned, coordinated and delivered. Working alongside a dedicated Commercial Sales Team, you will:
- Oversee the structured handover of business into Event Management
- Lead planning standards and processes
- Ensure operational feasibility and financial control
- Act as senior escalation point for complex or VIP events
While the team manages short‑lead enquiries and VIP university bookings, this represents a small and specialist element of the function. The core purpose of this role is leadership of event planning and delivery excellence — not reactive sales conversion.
Key Responsibilities
Event Planning & Delivery Leadership
- Own the post‑contract event lifecycle from confirmation to completion
- Embed clear planning frameworks, timelines and accountability
- Ensure alignment between client expectation, operational capability and budget parameters
- Drive continuous improvement across systems, processes and service standards
Team Leadership & Capability Development
- Line manage the Senior Event Manager and in turn the Event Management team
- Set clear performance standards across planning quality and delivery accuracy
- Develop team capability through coaching, structured development and performance reviews
- Foster a calm, confident and collaborative culture
Commercial Governance (Post‑Contract)
- Protect profitability through disciplined planning and cost‑awareness
- Ensure billing accuracy, contract compliance and revenue relevance
- Work in partnership with Revenue and Operations to optimise yield within contract terms
- Champion a seamless client experience throughout planning and delivery
- Act as senior escalation point for high‑profile or complex events
- Use insight, feedback and NPS to refine service standards
- Represent Event Services in cross‑functional forums
Cross‑Functional Partnership
- Maintain strong working relationships with Sales, Revenue and Operations
- Ensure structured and effective handover from Commercial Sales
- Provide delivery insight into future sales and operational planning
Strategic Planning
- Ensure essential strategic activities are aligned with business objectives
Essential Qualifications
- Significant experience in senior event management
- Proven leadership of large event planning teams
- Strong commercial awareness within a post‑contract delivery environment
- Deep understanding of event logistics, planning systems and operational coordination
- Confident stakeholder management across multiple departments
- Highly organised, resilient and calm under pressure
- Experience using CRM and event management systems (e.g. Kinetic, Delphi, Mews)
- Educated to A Level or equivalent professional qualification
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