Associate Director, Hospitality

Wasserman•Brooklyn, NY

About The Position

THE·TEAM is seeking a driven, enthusiastic event associate director to produce and oversee events from strategy through completion and enhance the company’s visibility in the marketplace. This senior role leads day-to-day operations for a key retainer client, provides forward-thinking service, and organizes high-touch events that meet quality expectations. The role leads hospitality strategy and its execution across numerous projects, including budgets, partners, vendors, event planning, site visits, and on-site delivery. It also manages direct reports, cultivates client and partner relationships, collaborates with THE·TEAM service teams, and evaluates event outcomes and return on investment. The position requires at least seven years of relevant experience and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, marketing, or a related field. Multi-day, weekend, and short-notice travel is expected.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience in high-end event management, hospitality, and/or the corporate events industry; sports or entertainment experience is preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, marketing, or a related field.
Experience managing multiple direct reports.
Proven experience as an event planner or organizer and an impressive portfolio of managed events.
Ability to work independently with little to no supervision.
Excellent customer service, time management, and communication skills.
Basic sales skills and ability to build productive business and vendor relationships.
Ability to identify and maximize event opportunities.
Ability to prioritize and independently manage multiple projects.
Up-to-date knowledge of the sports and entertainment industries.
Strong initiative and interpersonal skills, and ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Genuine passion for hospitality, events, and hosting.
Negotiation experience.
Self-motivation, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly extensive expertise in PowerPoint and Excel, and knowledge of common event management software.
Understanding of basic marketing and promotion techniques.
Ability to assess situations and quickly recommend solutions.
Working knowledge of project management fundamentals.
Ability to multitask and remain flexible in fast-paced, stressful circumstances and under tight deadlines.
Flexibility and willingness to travel, including multi-day, weekend, and short-notice travel.

Nice To Haves

Experience in sports or entertainment events.
Hospitality certification.

Responsibilities

Serve as a subject matter expert in corporate event management, B2B hosting, hospitality, and related industry knowledge.
Identify strategic opportunities and deliver best-in-class solutions to clients.
Develop polished client deliverables and framework materials to support client decision-making.
Oversee and lead multiple direct reports, providing motivation, direction, and support for client objectives and individual career paths; work with freelance support and internal service experts as needed.
Lead the annual hospitality strategy in alignment with the parent partnership strategy and objectives.
Develop, operate, oversee, and deliver hospitality projects informed by established strategy.
Manage large-scale project budgets from initial development through reconciliation.
Maintain relationships with partners, vendors, and properties on behalf of the client and THE·TEAM.
Oversee all aspects of event planning, including project plans, partner and vendor relationships, communications, hotel contracts, decor, catering, entertainment, transportation, invitee lists, special guests, gifting, amenities, and promotional materials.
Set, communicate, and maintain project timelines to stay ahead of client expectations.
Research, plan, and execute site visits for clients and projects.
Manage on-site event execution, including setup, staffing, guest logistics, stakeholder communications, vendor coordination, and problem-solving.
Understand THE·TEAM’s service offerings and identify when related teams should be involved; collaborate with those teams as project needs require.
Anticipate and address challenges across involved parties to support flawless execution.
Deliver events that meet or exceed client expectations.
Provide stakeholder feedback and periodic reports as needed; conduct post-event evaluations and recaps to demonstrate success and ROI.
Understand clients’ businesses, sectors, industry contexts, and the relationship between hospitality programs and client business objectives.
Build client and partner relationships for future events and identify opportunities based on knowledge of THE·TEAM’s capabilities.