Event Director - Space Tech Expo USA

Informa Markets, a division within Informa, creates global platforms for industries to trade, innovate and grow. We organise over 450 large-scale branded and transaction-led events in over a dozen specialist markets. These are typically not-to-be-missed live and on-demand B2B events where industries convene and people gather to do business.

We also provide data and digital content, as well as year-round online platforms where companies showcase their businesses and products and buyers conduct research, generating valuable leads.

This role is based in our Chicago office.

As the Event Director- Space Tech Expo USA, your role is to strategically build and expand both live and virtual event portfolios. You'll drive the tactical implementation of these strategies alongside your show team, ensuring that results align with established KPIs and financial objectives. Acting as the 'face' of the brands, you'll cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders across the board, including exhibitors, attendees, and association partners.

You will be accountable for, and evaluated based on, the financial, operational, and customer performance of the events. This responsibility will require you to make informed decisions that lead to commercially successful and financially viable products for customers. Your focus will be on increasing market presence, engaging the community, and delivering an outstanding customer experience.

Role Accountability and Duties:

Strategy and Growth

• Develop long and short-term strategic plans for events – both physical and virtual
• Manage tactical implementation of strategic plans
• Deliver on financial, operational and customer oriented-brand objectives (e.g., new business and customer retention, NPS, customer satisfaction)
• Build strategies to seize new market opportunities, or grow the brand(s) into adjacent sectors or customer segments (across geographies, platforms, and verticals) in collaboration with the Portfolio Director.
• Support the development of event/product pricing strategies, based on strategic layout of an event space, product bundling options, value-based pricing and commercial drivers
• Support the development of key strategic partnerships and management of association relationships

Quality and Innovation

• Lead the delivery of outstanding customer experience, working with the team to create innovative and interactive experiences at the events
• Drive creative and new ideas to engage customers at and around the events. Prototyping new ideas and innovative approaches.
• Challenge current restrictions in thinking to increase engagement of the event for the customer

Operational Leadership

• Manage P&L in collaboration with the Portfolio Director, functional budget holders and Finance
• Provide accurate and timely reporting of KPIs and forecasts
• Provide monthly reports and high-level leadership reports as required
• Manage collaboration across the business functions of Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, IT and Registration
• Responsible for overall customer experience
• Line management of Sales managers through regular 1:1’s, professional development, and coaching and mentoring
• Monitor team and individual performance against targets, KPIs, and MBOs
• Support on the recruitment and assessment of new hires to the team
• Support where necessary in the annual financial planning and quarterly forecasting meetings reviews

Execution

• Monitor and manage the day-to-day execution of events across Marketing, Sales, Operations and more
• Provide guidance in the development of all marketing, experiential, and partner programs
• Help guide the development of all live content and conference programming
• Manage the development and execution of all operationally related programs 

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading exhibitions, preferably in B2B sector
• Strategic planning experience
• Experience leading teams and acting as an inspirational leader with charisma and energy
• Ability to develop relationships at senior level and support the management and interaction with of high value customer accounts
• Experience of reporting, budgeting / forecasting
• Experience of building trusted internal relationships and maintaining an open two-way conversation to ensure overall brand (event/product) and business success
• Ability to collaborate with multiple internal stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal skills and public speaking skills
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at an Informa event – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.

We work hard to make sure Life at Informa is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s some of what you can expect when you join us. But don’t just take our word for it – see what our colleagues have to say at LifeAt.Informa.com

Our benefits include:

• Great community: a welcoming culture with in-person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active colleague groups and networks promoting a positive, supportive, and collaborative work environment
• Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too
• Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms and on-demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. When it’s time for the next step, we encourage and support internal job moves
• Time out: 15 days PTO rising to 20 after three years and 25 after six years, plus 10 national holidays, a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year
• Competitive benefits, including a 401k match, health, vision and dental insurance, parental leave and an ESPP offering company shares at a minimum 15% discount
• Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, free access to a wellness app and more
• Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programs
• As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world

The salary range for this role is $85,000- $125,000 based on experience. 

This posting will automatically expire on 03/20/2026.

We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. If it sounds like a match and you have most – although not all – of the skills and experience listed, we welcome your application.

If you would like to request reasonable adjustments or accommodations to assist your participation in the hiring process and, or in the advertised position, please inform the appropriate Talent Acquisition Partner for the role once they have been in touch. Your request will be reviewed and considered in confidence. At Informa, you'll find inclusive experiences and environments where all perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed. As part of this approach and our diversity and inclusion commitments, we are also formally an Equal Opportunities Employer. This means we base decisions on relevant qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on the basis of key characteristics and statuses, including all of those protected by law. Ask us or see our website for full information.

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