Manager, Event Operations & Technology
About The Position
The Manager, Process Optimization (Event Operations & Technology) uses data-driven, fact-based analysis to deliver process improvements and meet project objectives that improve cost, customer satisfaction, stakeholder experience, and functional value across the event operations lifecycle. The role maximizes the effectiveness and financial return of assigned event processes, technology platforms, and performance analytics. It governs and continuously improves the event operations and technology ecosystem while establishing a disciplined framework for measuring program impact and return on investment. This is a hybrid position, onsite in Lake Forest three days per week. It may also be remote for out-of-state team members. The role leads and develops the Event Operations & Technology team and provides operational oversight for assigned event workstreams, including registration, sourcing and housing, event websites, and vendor management for larger Grainger events.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Information Systems, Marketing, or another related field.
- 5+ years of experience in process optimization, operations, technology enablement, data analysis, or related work.
- Experience leading and developing teams by setting expectations, providing feedback, allocating work, and maintaining a collaborative structure.
- Experience managing multiple event operations and technology projects simultaneously, including timelines, budgets, and cross-functional coordination, while adapting to changing priorities.
- Experience building relationships with internal event stakeholders and external event vendors, negotiating terms, and addressing contractual and operational risks.
- Experience implementing and optimizing event management and registration platforms, defining user and data requirements, and managing operational readiness, integrations, security, and continuous improvement after implementation.
- Experience using event data and metrics to measure program performance, guide future planning, and present proposals and post-program analyses to senior leadership.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary business owner for assigned event process and technology platforms, overseeing configuration, deployment, data management, security, user access, and operational readiness in partnership with technology teams.
- Establish and maintain process and system governance, scalable event processes, workflows, playbooks, training resources, and user documentation to drive adoption, compliance, and consistent practices across supported event teams and stakeholders.
- Drive continuous improvement through performance analysis, process optimization, automation, and enhancement of event planning, reporting, and operational tools in collaboration with functional and technology teams.
- Partner with Analytics, Automation, Technology, and functional teams to define event data, integration, technology, and reporting requirements; understand upstream and downstream event operational processes; and evaluate business impacts that support event program objectives.
- Develop analyses, dashboards, and reporting solutions using key performance indicators and return-on-investment measures to assess event program performance, identify operational risks and opportunities, and provide actionable recommendations to event stakeholders and senior leadership.
- Lead and develop the Event Operations & Technology team by setting expectations, providing feedback, allocating work, and maintaining a collaborative structure aligned to departmental objectives and operational priorities.
- Maintain a centralized repository of event processes, best practices, templates, and tools.
- Provide operational oversight for assigned event workstreams, including registration, sourcing and housing, event websites, and vendor management for larger Grainger events.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans starting on day one of employment.
- Six free sessions each year with a licensed therapist.
- 18 paid time off days annually for full-time employees, prorated based on employment start date.
- Six company holidays per year.
- 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, with no employee contribution required.
- Employee discounts.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Student loan refinancing.
- Free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
- Maternity support programs and nursing benefits.
- Up to 14 weeks of paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks of paid leave for non-birth parents.
- Incentive target of up to 15%, based on individual and company performance objectives and program terms.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
