Director of Events

Access Destination Services•Orlando, FL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Events (DOE) is responsible for setting the strategic direction and leading the overall management of the Events team to ensure operational excellence across all programs within the Southeast territory. In this role, you will lead a team responsible for delivering complex corporate meetings, incentives, and large-scale programs across the Southeast territory, ensuring programs meet Access standards for quality, profitability, and client satisfaction. You will oversee team structure, performance, and program assignment while ensuring exceptional client delivery, strong financial outcomes, and seamless collaboration across departments. The DOE partners closely with Sales, Creative, and executive leadership to drive innovation, support territory growth, and cultivate a strong, solutions-oriented team culture. This position plays a critical role in ensuring programs are executed at the highest level while meeting revenue, profitability, and client satisfaction goals.

Nice To Haves

7+ years of experience in event management, ideally within hospitality or destination management
Proven experience leading and developing event teams, including direct management of Event Managers or senior event professionals
Deep knowledge of the Orlando market and strong vendor/hotel connections
Experience overseeing multiple concurrent programs and managing event team performance against revenue or profitability targets
Excellent time management, communication, and organizational skills
Passion for creating exceptional event experiences

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development
Lead and mentor Senior Managers, Event Managers, and Event Associates while fostering professional growth and long-term engagement
Champion a culture of creative excellence, accountability, and continuous learning through coaching and regular team alignment
Partner with Talent Operations and executive leadership to recruit, onboard, and develop a diverse pipeline of future leaders
Leverage KPIs and performance data to guide coaching, development planning, and succession strategy
Program & Operational Oversight
Provide strategic oversight of event execution across the Southeast territory, ensuring operational excellence and consistency across all programs
Review program strategies and event plans prior to execution to ensure alignment with client objectives and Access standards
Provide leadership on complex or high-profile programs, including executive-level client engagement when needed
Oversee event staff readiness, ensuring clear communication, strong documentation, and seamless on-site execution
Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, scalability, and program efficiency
Client & Vendor Relationships
Serve as an executive-level point of contact for high-value or strategic client relationships, ensuring exceptional service delivery and program outcomes
Oversee client experience quality across all programs within the territory, ensuring alignment with Access standards and brand expectations
Build and maintain strong relationships with hotels, venues, and key vendor partners across the Orlando market
Partner with the Supplier Partnerships team to strengthen vendor strategy, sourcing, and procurement practices
Support sustainability and responsible sourcing initiatives in collaboration with vendors and internal teams
Financial Performance & Budget Ownership
Own overall team financial performance, including revenue growth, gross profit targets, and KPI achievement
Oversee Statements of Work (SOWs), program budgets, and financial reporting for strategic programs
Review program budgets and costing strategies to ensure events meet profitability targets while maintaining client experience standards
Provide leadership on pricing strategy, upselling opportunities, and resource allocation
Partner with leadership to improve forecasting accuracy and financial accountability
Productivity & Operational Scalability
Lead department-wide capacity planning through forecasting, workload balancing, and program assignment
Implement scalable processes that increase operational efficiency while maintaining event quality
Align team resources with territory demand and seasonal program fluctuations
Drive a culture of sustainable performance and operational discipline
Risk Management & Contingency Planning
Establish and maintain risk management standards across event operations
Approve contingency budgets and response protocols for operational risks
Partner with Sales, Creative, and Operations leadership to align mitigation strategies
Provide executive leadership during program escalations or client incidents
Ensure learnings from operational challenges are translated into improved processes and SOPs

Benefits

Certified as a Great Place to Work – 3 years in a row and counting!
50+ years in the industry!
Women-owned and women-led
Fun, creative, and supportive culture
Focus on recognition and employee value – including annual and quarterly awards
Paid day off to serve your local community
Annual all-company retreat to connect, learn, and have fun together
Annual qualifier-based incentive trip for top performers (certain departments eligible)
Regional team outings
Monthly companywide meetings to connect, learn, and celebrate wins
Highly competitive total compensation, including strong base salary and quarterly bonuses
Very strong performance-based quarterly commission plans
401k with company match (eligible after 1 year – up to 4% of salary matched, vested immediately)
Monthly cell phone stipend
Work from home opportunities and flexibility (including full home office setup)
Flexible schedule opportunities
Generous PTO
Sick days
9 full holidays
5 half days off prior to holidays to unplug early
2 floating holidays off to be used on holidays of your choice
½ day Fridays in July & August (based on achievement of goals)
Extensive menu of health plans to choose from
Paid parental leave
Pet insurance program
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
Mentorship program
“Masterclasses” in industry/department-specific topics
State-of-the-art technology platforms and tools – including training
Annual and monthly meeting content that focuses on professional development