Associate Director, Hospitality

Wasserman•New York, NY

32d•$95,000 - $120,000

About The Position

THE·TEAM operates at the epicenter of sports, music and entertainment, serving talent, brands and properties on a global scale. Our brands and properties division works with iconic brands and rights holders, supporting business growth through all marketing disciplines. We're a trusted partner to every major league, team and venue, building meaningful connections between brands, properties and fans. Headquartered in Los Angeles, THE·TEAM's presence spans 28 countries and more than 70 cities, including New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris and Sydney. For more information, please visit the.team. Job Overview: Wasserman is looking for a driven and enthusiastic event associate director to produce and oversee events from strategy through completion and aid in enhancing Wasserman’s visibility in the marketplace. This senior role will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of a key retainer client in addition to showcasing outstanding, forward-thinking service and organizing memorable high-touch events that meet quality expectations.

Requirements

Robust experience managing multiple direct reports
Proven experience as an event planner or organizer, preferably in the high-end hosting space
Impressive portfolio of previously managed events
Self-starter who requires little to no supervision to meet and carry out event and service responsibilities
Excellent customer service, time management and communication skills
Basic sales skills and ability to build productive business/vendor relationships
Ability to identify and maximize event opportunities
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects independently
Up-to-date and informed knowledge of the sports and entertainment industries
High level of initiative and interpersonal skills and ability to work well independently and in a team environment
Genuine passion for hospitality, events, and hosting
Negotiation experience
Self-motivation, enthusiasm and willingness to learn
Strong attention to detail and highly organized
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (extensive expertise in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel) and knowledge of common event management software
Understand basics of marketing and promotion techniques
Ability to assess a situation and quickly recommend solutions
Working knowledge of project management fundamentals
Must be able to multi-task and be flexible enough to react under fast-paced, stressful circumstances and tight deadlines
Must be flexible and willing to travel (multi-day, weekends and short-notice travel expected)
Minimum 7 years of experience in high-end event management, hospitality, and/or corporate events industry, preferably in sports or entertainment
Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, marketing or related field

Nice To Haves

Hospitality certification is a plus

Responsibilities

Act as a subject matter expert on corporate event management, B2B hosting, hospitality, and relative industry knowledge
Showcase forward-thinking initiative to identify the best strategic opportunities and deliver best-in-class solutions to the client
Develop and deliver polished client deliverables and other critical framework materials to support client decision-making
Sole oversight of multiple direct reports, providing impactful leadership, motivation, direction and support for client objectives and individual career paths; May also involve freelance support team members and other internal service experts
Lead responsibility of annual hospitality strategy laddering up to parent partnership strategy and objectives
Ideation, operations, oversight and delivery of numerous hospitality projects, informed by established hospitality strategy
Manage large-scale project budgets from initial build through reconciliation
Maintain a working relationship with existing partners, vendors, and properties on behalf of the client and Wasserman
Oversight of all aspects of the event planning process, including project plans, partner and vendor relationships, event communications, hotel contracts, decor, catering, entertainment, transportation, invitee lists, special guests, gifting and amenities, promotional materials, and more
Set, communicate and maintain timelines on every project to remain ahead of client expectations
Research, planning, and execution of site visits on behalf of client and projects
Manage and oversee event on-site execution, including set-up, staffing, guest logistics, stakeholder communications, vendor organization and problem-solving
Core knowledge of all Wasserman service offerings, including proactive identification of when to involve related teams in project-related or independent needs
Collaboration with other Wasserman service teams as necessary based on project need
Anticipate challenges and proactively handle any arising issues across various entities to ensure flawless execution
Deliver quality events that meet (and hopefully exceed) client expectations
Provide feedback and periodic reports to stakeholders as necessary
Conduct post–event evaluations and recaps to showcase event success and ROI
Understand the landscape of our client’s business/sector, as well as the industry contexts for their investments
Confidently comprehend the role of hospitality programs as it relates to individual client business objectives and the “big picture”
Garner strong client and partner relationships for future events, including possessing a strong working knowledge of Wasserman capabilities to further these opportunities