JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE: SENIOR EVENT OPERATIONS MANAGER
On board experiential marketing
OBE is a global marketing agency that brings brands to life through culture-shaping experiences. For more than 30 years, we've partnered with iconic brands — including Nike, the NFL, JPMorganChase, Meta, Sephora, Starbucks, and Converse — to build community, create cultural relevance, and drive measurable business impact. With offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and London, we activate globally. OBE is also a founding member of The ADD Collective, extending our reach and resources while staying true to our core capabilities.
We've been recognized by Event Marketer as one of the best places to work in events — and we couldn't agree more.
The most important part of our business is our people. They are hardworking, imaginative, and make genuinely remarkable things happen. But behind every great activation is a human who deserves rest, connection, and a life outside of work. That's why we invest in recovery days, company offsites, happy hours, and the kind of friendly-but-competitive fitness challenges that bond teams for life.
We show up for each other — in open conversations that heal, inspire, and bring us closer. We want to hear about your lived experiences, your unconventional ideas, and the perspectives only you can bring. Being unapologetically yourself isn't just welcome here. It's part of the job.
SUMMARY OF POSITION
The Senior Event Operations Manager is an integral part of the Account Team, delivering an exceptional level of service and execution of programs on behalf of our clients. Responsible for generating and expanding our client accounts and relationships, which requires a comprehensive understanding of our clients’ business needs and a competitive landscape. They lead end-to-end project management on large-scale, complex programs, creative and strategic solutions to deliver on program KPIs. This position is accountable for financial and operational performance, managing program budgets and resource utilization. The Senior Event Operations Manager ensures that programs and marketing strategies successfully promote client brands, products, and services in accordance with client initiatives.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
- Demonstrate thought-leadership with insightful analysis of client objectives to develop innovative solutions that successfully deliver clients’ message and enhance the brand presence.
- Drive all client activations and program activities and ensure that they are planned, developed, staffed, and executed with the utmost professionalism, accountability, and timeliness.
- Develop and manage program SOWs ensuring resources, budgets, timelines, and deliverables stay aligned with terms of contract and client commitments.
- Lead weekly internal and external status meetings and deep dives. Manage the proper distribution of all communications and client/account team interface throughout engagement.
- Provide ongoing monitoring of expenses and actual costs for approved program budgets. Update client and obtain client approvals as needed. Reconcile all program expenses in partnership with program Production lead.
- Provide ongoing monitoring and guidance of creative deliverables, ensuring client review and approvals as needed in partnership with Creative, Production and Digital teams.
- Continuously optimize program processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Oversee the organization of internal and external workstreams and program documentation, ensuring the account team keeps materials current and accessible to cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously and supervise, mentor, and develop account personnel, including Event Operations Managers.
- Remain current with industry trends and technologies.
DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Education / Experience
- 5+ years of experience in project management, marketing, promotions, and events within an advertising, media, marketing, or experiential agency.
- Minimum 3 years of experience as a day-to-day client contact or Account Lead.
- Experience supervising and developing junior account staff.
- Strong project management capabilities, organization skills, attention to detail, and ability to juggle multiple projects in a demanding but highly collaborative environment.
- Experience working with tech clients is strongly desired
- Experience managing IRL experiential activations is required.
- BA/BS in marketing, business administration, communications, or related field.
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong communication skills with the ability to connect with others authentically while equally honoring and respecting diverse perspectives.
- Exceptional project management and critical thinking skills, with a drive to optimize processes.
- Ability to build trust and respect through coaching, communication, and listening.
- Think creatively, with a willingness to go beyond the expected and consistently strive for innovation.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and excellent organizational skills.
- Ability to effectively present and sell ideas, bring ideas to life through storytelling.
- Excellent ability to proactively identify issues/obstacles and create timely and effective solutions.
- Ability to manage multiple clients with potentially differing priorities, commitments, and deadlines.
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and in teams.
- Must be able to work in a collaborative manner both internally and with clients.
- Experience owning budgets and financial reporting across multiple concurrent programs.
- Ability to learn and navigate various office management platforms (inclusive of but not limited to Office 365, Keynote, Google Drive, Smartsheet, Slack, Zoom, etc)
Other Qualities and Skills
- Natural curiosity—the drive to always be learning and growing, professionally and personally.
- Team-oriented, driven, focused, passionate, and able to stay level-headed under pressure.
- Pro-active and Self-starter who takes the initiative on tasks and is solutions oriented.
- Comfortable with public speaking to both internal and external partners
- High energy and flexibility in working non-traditional hours as needed (some nights and weekends as deadlines dictate).
- Experience working with international teams and multiple time zones.
- Ability to lift up to 25 pounds and stay on your feet for extended periods of time.
- Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time (nationally and internationally).
Compensation Range: $95,000 - $110,000 annually. This is the pay range OBE believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the level of experience, relevant skills, professional certifications, market pay, and demand for the role. OBE reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. For this role, Benefits include medical/dental/vision insurance, employer-paid basic life and personal accident insurance. Also included: Annual Profit Sharing/Bonus Plan based on the company’s performance and your individual performance, 401(k), Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, PTO, STD/LTD insurance benefits.
On Board Experiential is An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age, or any other federally protected class.
5+ years project management in marketing/events, 3+ years client contact, experience supervising staff, managing IRL activations, BA/BS in marketing or related, ability to travel 50%, lift 25 lbs, and work flexible hours.
Key Responsibilities
- managing client activations
- developing program budgets
- supervising account personnel
Skills & Tools
Microsoft Office 365, Keynote, Google Drive, Smartsheet, Slack, Zoom
Job Details
- Category: Project and Program Management
- Seniority: Senior Level
- Commitment: Full Time
- Workplace: Remote — San Francisco, California, United States
- Salary: USD 95,000 – 110,000 / year
- Languages: English
Benefits
- Generous paid time off
- Retirement plan
About On Board Experiential
An award-winning experiential marketing agency creating meaningful brand experiences worldwide. — Industry: Media and Communications