Events Manager

Ad Astra Info Systems Llc•Overland Park, KS

About The Position

The Events Manager leads the strategy, planning, and execution of Ad Astra’s event portfolio. This role ensures our events drive brand visibility, deepen client relationships, and contribute to pipeline growth — while delivering professional, polished experiences. As a strategic function within Marketing, the Events Manager leads cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Client Success, key internal stakeholders, and external partners to align events to business priorities. The role is accountable for portfolio planning, budget recommendations, measurable impact contribution, and consistent, high-quality execution. Success requires strong strategic judgment, clear communication, and confidence operating in high-visibility environments.

Requirements

4–7 years of professional event management experience (conference experience required)
Experience owning multi-day conferences or large-scale events
Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and vendors
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect events to revenue, retention, and brand impact
Strong project management and organizational skills
Comfortable balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution
Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills
Experience working cross-functionally within marketing or corporate environments
Ability to operate independently and drive initiatives forward

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in event management, marketing, hospitality, or a related field
Experience in B2B or higher education markets
Experience with event platforms (e.g., STOVA or similar)
Experience aligning events to marketing campaigns and product launches

Responsibilities

Lead development of events strategy and annual events calendar, aligning all events to company priorities and marketing objectives.
Evaluate, recommend, and prioritize event investments (industry conferences, regional summits, owned events) based on marketing objectives, campaign alignment, lead generation opportunity, client engagement value, and internal stakeholder input.
Define clear objectives and success metrics for each event, including target audience, engagement goals, advocacy impact, and measurable outcomes.
Establish clear pre-, during-, and post-event activation plans.
Own the end-to-end strategy and execution of Ad Astra’s annual client conference, ASPIRE.
Develop the annual theme, structure, and attendee experience in collaboration with leadership and internal stakeholders.
Lead venue coordination, vendor management, sponsorship management, and production planning.
Align ASPIRE content to product roadmap, client engagement priorities, and advocacy goals.
Oversee promotion strategy and drive registration/attendance in partnership with the Marketing, Client Success, and Sales teams.
Ensure post-event reporting and follow-through.
Develop annual event budget recommendations. Use data and insights to inform decisions about event participation, sponsorship levels, and future investments.
Forecast, track, and manage event spend within the approved budget, providing regular reporting and proactively flagging risks or variances.
Negotiate vendor contracts and manage event-related procurement.
Identify cost efficiencies while maintaining experience quality.
Contribute to department OKRs through event-driven demo bookings, client engagement touchpoints, advocacy participation, and brand visibility.
Partner with Operations to track and report event performance metrics, conduct post-event analysis, and use insights to inform future strategy and investment decisions.
Lead end-to-end execution of all events, including logistics, vendor management, travel, staffing, registration, and onsite production (venue setup/teardown, AV, catering).
Collaborate with subject matter experts and internal stakeholders to source speakers aligned to business strategy and event messaging. Support content development and coordinate speaker logistics.
Manage registration platforms and event technology tools.
Partner with Design and marketing colleagues to ensure professional, brand-aligned experiences across all event touchpoints.
Create standardized processes and playbooks to improve event execution year over year.
Delegate and coordinate support resources as needed.
Establish and lead regular cross-functional planning touchpoints to ensure alignment, transparency, and timely execution.
Partner with Sales, Client Success, Product Marketing Manager, and Client Advocacy & Growth Manager to ensure event goals align with campaign strategy, pipeline generation target, and customer engagement needs.
Prepare and align company representatives on onsite event logistics, expectations, lead capture strategy, and follow-up processes.
Serve as the primary owner of event planning and execution.
Ensure timely communication with leadership regarding plans and progress.