Event Director - Transport and Logistics Events at dmg events

Job Specification:

Management

• Lead and manage a team to develop our existing event in South Africa, as well as our events in West and East Africa (Transport Evolution Africa, West Africa and East Africa) and to explore opportunities to launch transport and logistics events in other countries.
• Identify new event ideas or profiles for existing events that provide additional revenue streams.
• Lead and develop relationships with key market-players across the entire value-chain.
• Manage Transport events including P&L’s, setting budgets, scheduling, and resourcing in tandem with the VP.
• Submit timely and accurate reporting.
• Ensure all targets are met and or exceeded through direct or indirect support and intervention.
• Accurately forecasts and maximises revenues and manages costs
• Help coach and mentor team members to enable them to reach their full potential. Supports team members in achieving developmental goals.
• A team player, willing to assist where necessary to ‘get the job done’ and ensure that each event project is delivered successfully.   
• Ensures monthly project meetings take place and that all key milestones across operations, sales and marketing are met for the transport events, to a high standard and in a timely fashion.

Content and stakeholder relations

• Understand the key internal market drivers to develop the content of all expos, ensuring each event is appropriately content driven, timely and focused.
• Work with the content producer to plan, monitor and research development of advisory boards, work with content producer to identify and acquire speakers for the events.
• Produce coherent brand strategy to maintain and increase relevance to market.
• Validate ideas and launch new events
• To manage relationships with key industry stakeholders, such as industry associations and relevant government bodies, to ensure that we develop strong relationships with these organisations. Ensure that agreements are put in place (at least 6 months prior to each event) with these organisations and that we are leveraging these relationships to secure sales, market the events and tailor the content programme to the industry’s needs.   

SPEX

• Ensures that buy-side and sell-side audiences are thoroughly profiled and categorised and holds sales accountable for the effective coverage of all categories.
• Ensures that all events in the portfolio have high quality value propositions, sales plans, sales briefs, and effective launch meetings.
• Ensures the CRM (Sales Force) is used effectively within the portfolio to drive accurate forecasting and maximise revenue performance.
• Participate in effective pipeline meetings.
• Check-in weekly with Sales team to review, validate and test pipelines.
• Sets targets for sales campaigns and monitors activity and revenue milestones to their achievement.
• Is able to support the sales team in attending meetings with key strategic clients, and in developing customised solutions for these companies to ensure that they exhibit and/or sponsor the event(s).
• Acquire and manage the agent network, ensuring that the agents are supported and are meeting the targets set for them.

Marketing

• Working closely with the Marketing team to ensure effective marketing of events.
• Ensures team has effective data strategy to meet objectives.
• Providing clear briefs and ensuring campaigns are on schedule and cost effective.
• From market research, supervise copy for all promotional literature, website, and all print and digital promotional campaigns.
• Identify new routes to market to develop brand extension.
• Review all marketing strategies and plans and ensure that these align with the overall event strategies.
• Ensure that media partnerships are put in place with the right partners, and that all deliverables included in the agreements with these media houses are being met.
• Ensure that all design and CI elements are consistent, across all marketing mediums, and in line with the approved look and feel of each event.

Project management

• Host ongoing meetings and check-ins with the various functions to ensure that the projects are running on track.
• Lead the team onsite, dealing with stakeholders to ensure strong and successful delivery of the event.
• Oversee post show reports, and analysis. (Internal and external).

Operations:

• Work with Head of Operations to ensure that there is an operations strategy in place (at least 9 months prior to each event).
• Ensure the operations plan is being delivered in a satisfactory and timely manner.
• Ensure that the Operations team takes responsibility of all relevant Health & Safety issues relating to both the floorplan and exhibition.
• Appoint contractors/suppliers with the operations team as required ensuring the highest quality show features and design within the allocated budget.

Skills

• Strong project management, planning and organizational skills.
• Extensive client networking and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and management skills.
• Able to provide clear and effective communication of ideas, processes, and targets.
• Excellent negotiation and financial management skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and proven track record of selling to key accounts.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work with budgets and proven track record in achieving, or exceeding, P&L targets.