Head of Partnerships and Events

About The Institutes

Located in beautiful Malvern, Pennsylvania, The Institutes® are a not-for-profit comprised of diverse affiliates that educate, elevate, and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by our nearly 20 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting, and preventing losses to create a more resilient world.

Additionally, we understand the importance of work-life balance—in 2024 Philly.com named us a Top Workplace for the ninth year and USA Today named us a USA Top Workplace for the second year. We provide excellent benefits and a friendly, team-focused work environment to drive employee engagement.

Head of Events and Partnerships

The Head of Events and Partnerships will be responsible for overseeing the strategic planning, execution and operation, and management of both the Enterprise Events and the Partnerships team (sponsorship sales).

This role will blend event strategy and sales team leadership to drive brand awareness and customer engagement across the Institutes enterprise. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in managing high-profile events, a deep understanding of sales operations in support of events, and the ability to lead and motivate a diverse team.

The role directly oversees events, meetings, webinars, business development and partnerships departments (approximately 20 employees, primarily in Malvern, PA) to ensure a coordinated advancement of the organization’s mission and priorities through external channels. These departments are responsible for the successful planning and execution of 20 in person events, conferences and tradeshows and 200 webinars, podcasts, and virtual programming per year.

What You’ll Do:

Event Strategy

• Holistic View & Vision: possess a strategic enterprise vision, which includes the ability to scan the market, identify emerging trends, and anticipate future needs to ensure the organization serves our customers. This role will require a forward-thinking mindset to navigate the dynamic landscape of events and partnerships effectively.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Lead the team responsible for development and execution of global events, including in-person events, meetings, trade shows, webinars, and podcasts.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management: Ensure the management of vendors, venues, and event suppliers aligns with larger strategy and efficiencies in operation of events.
• Budget Management: Manage event budgets, ensuring that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Marketing & Promotion: Work closely with the marketing team to create event-specific marketing strategies, including campaigns, materials, etc. to maximize engagement and ROI.
• Post-Event Analysis: Lead the collection of feedback and analyze event data to measure success, identify areas for improvement, and make recommendations for future events, both at the individual level and in an effort to understand and refine Enterprise strategy.

Sales Team Leadership

• Team Development & Training: Lead and mentor a high-performing global sales team, providing ongoing management and training to improve skills and performance.
• Sales Strategy & Targets: Collaborate with senior leaders to define sales strategies, set targets, and ensure alignment with overall company objectives.
• Performance Monitoring: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate individual and team performance, implement corrective actions as needed, and recognize top performers.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with marketing and business unit teams to ensure alignment between sales initiatives and the company’s broader goals.
• Sales Operations Management: Oversee and implement sales processes, tools, and systems to ensure efficiency, informed data driven decisions, and scalability across the sales team.

Required Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term plans that align with organizational goals.
• Leadership: Inspires, motivates, and develops team members to achieve their full potential.
• Adaptability: Able to adjust strategies and tactics based on evolving business needs and market conditions.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across departments and regions, ensuring alignment and driving collective success.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze data and trends to make informed decisions and adjustments to event and sales strategies.

What We’re Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field (MBA or similar advanced degree is a plus).
• Minimum 7 years of experience in event management, preferably in a global or multinational context.
• Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) preferred.
• Experience in sales leadership or sales team management, with a track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets.
• Proven experience in managing cross-functional teams and projects across multiple regions.
• Experience in both in-person and virtual event management, including large-scale trade shows, conferences, and corporate events.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of event related platforms, such as Cvent and Passkey.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency with CRM software (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) and event management platforms.
• Experience with budgeting, financial forecasting, and ROI analysis.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, global environment and work effectively under pressure.
• Languages: Fluency in English required; additional languages are a plus.

The Best Part? The Benefits!

To enforce the importance of work-life balance, employees enjoy excellent benefits, including:

• 401(k) plan with company contribution up to 16%
• Generous time off package that includes paid vacation, personal, sick and holidays
• Paid maternity and parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
• On our Malvern campus: Free lunch every day when working on campus, onsite fitness center, and a beautiful 1.25-mile walking path!