Manager, VIP Dinners Events Practice

Landmark Ventures • New York, NY

2d • $85,000 - $100,000 • Remote

About The Position

Landmark Ventures is a premier event production and execution powerhouse with over 20 years of experience in crafting high-impact custom events, exclusive dinners, and VIP summits. We excel at transforming ordinary events into extraordinary experiences, partnering with some of the world’s most prominent companies and brands to foster meaningful connections and deliver measurable business outcomes. We are seeking a dynamic, driven, professional, detail-oriented and trustworthy Manager or Senior Manager to support the continued growth and success of our thriving Events Practice.
The Manager is responsible for leading and managing the entire event planning lifecycle for Landmark’s Dinners. The Manager will work closely with clients, venues, vendors, internal teams, and stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality events that meet Landmark’s and the client’s objectives and exceed expectations. This role demands excellent project management skills, creativity, and the ability to juggle multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Requirements

• 4-6 years direct experience working in a events
• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality, business or related discipline or equivalent relevant experience
• Venue and vendor contracting and negotiations skills and experience
• In-depth understanding of restaurant groups and hotel brands
• Strong time management and ability to multi-task, monitor and manage multiple priorities, and meet timelines.
• Comfortable in a dynamic environment, dealing calmly and effectively with situations under deadlines.
• Embrace a "work athlete" mentality—innovative, focused, and able to adapt quickly while being open to coaching and feedback.
• Possess a proactive, “get things done” attitude, with a sense of urgency in all tasks.
• Capable in both Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs)
• Comfort spending time on email, on the phone, on Zoom, and in-person every day to collaborate with colleagues and clients.
• Demonstrate strong organizational abilities with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and be self-driven within a team structure.
• Ability to quickly establish trusting and productive relationships with the executive team, vendors, staff, and partners
• Ability to travel as needed
• Candidates must be authorized for employment in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Venue & Vendor Procurement: Research & Sourcing: Conduct comprehensive, time-sensitive research to identify suitable venues and vendors that align with the event’s objectives, budget, and theme, sourcing options from a diverse range of venues, including hotels, restaurants, and unique spaces (e.g., rooftop venues, art galleries).
• Vendor Evaluation: Identify and evaluate vendors for essential services, such as catering, entertainment, audio-visual, florists, décor, and transportation, ensuring all specialized needs are met.
• Deadline Management: Work under tight deadlines, managing simultaneous research projects to deliver high-quality options within 24 to 48 hours when necessary.
• Data Organization: Maintain a repository of venue and vendor information, ensuring accessible data on capacity, availability, services, and pricing.
• Response Compilation: Compile and summarize venue and vendor responses, capturing relevant details.
• Comparison and Recommendations: Prepare detailed comparison decks or spreadsheets highlighting pros and cons and present recommendations based on thorough research to facilitate decision-making by clients or internal stakeholders, ensuring all necessary information is provided for informed decisions.
• Venue & Vendor Contracting & Negotiations: Lead contract negotiations with venues and vendors to secure favorable terms, including pricing, services, and cancellation policy. Review and clarify terms and conditions to avoid misunderstandings and manage any potential contract modifications or amendments.
• Financial Oversight & Budget Tracking: Oversee financial aspects related to venues and vendors, including paying deposits and ensuring timely payments according to contract terms. Track and monitor all related costs, ensuring that event budgets are adhered to. Collaborate with the finance team to ensure accurate recording of expenditures and to resolve any discrepancies. Monitor and regularly update actual spending against the budget throughout the planning process, making adjustments as needed to stay within financial limits. Provide regular budget updates to manager, ensuring full transparency on costs incurred and any expected variances. Reconcile final budgets post-event, ensuring all invoices are accounted for and discrepancies are resolved in a timely manner.
• Food and Beverage Menu Planning: Collaborate with venues, caterers, and food vendors, to develop menus and meeting specifications for the dinner, considering dietary restrictions, attendee preferences, and event considerations. Estimate and price out food and beverage options and costs, ensuring the offerings fit within the event’s budget without compromising quality or attendee satisfaction.
• Event Specifications and Banquet Event Orders (BEO): Create detailed dinner specifications independently outlining the event requirements, including room setup, audio-visual needs, catering, and special accommodations. Review, revise, and approve Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) independently to ensure that all dinner-related needs are accurately documented and fulfilled by the venue.
• Headcount Monitoring: Working in collaboration with the team, monitor headcount fluctuations in the days leading up to the dinner and adjust logistics, banquet orders, vendor orders, seating arrangements, and materials to reflect accurate attendee numbers, optimizing both costs and guest experience.
• Vendor & Venue Coordination and Communication: Serve as the primary contact for all venue and vendor communications, ensuring clear and consistent updates on the event timeline, setup, and logistics. Coordinate delivery schedules, event setup, and tear-down with all third-party vendors, including caterers, A/V teams, florists, decorators, transportation providers, and security personnel. Maintain regular touchpoints with the venue management to address any changes or issues that arise during the planning phase and event day.
• Space Plotting, Flow Management, & Layout: As needed, support design the physical layout of the dinner space to ensure a comfortable and engaging attendee experience.
• Site Visit Coordination & Calendaring: As needed, schedule and conduct site visits with key stakeholders, clients, and internal teams to review venue spaces, layout options, and logistical flow.
• Basic Audio-Visual (A/V) Planning: Work with A/V vendors and technical teams to plan and coordinate essential A/V requirements, such as microphones, projectors, screens and sound systems.
• Vendor Management & Oversight: Manage additional vendors required for dinner success, such as furniture rental companies, and specialty vendors (e.g., for swag bags, décor, entertainment).
• Creation of Event Preparation Documents Staffing Guides and Communication: Assist in preparing staffing guides for third-party staff, email communications, and schedules that ensure all team members understand their roles, responsibilities, and event-day expectations.
• Shot List: As needed, create comprehensive shot lists for photographer, ensuring that all key moments are captured.
• Contingency Planning: Develop contingency plans for all aspects of the event, identifying potential risks (e.g., weather, vendor delays) and outlining response protocols to minimize disruption.
• Event Supply Inventory and Ordering: Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all event supplies with third-party vendor, create packing lists and develop packing/shipping plan, ensuring that items are ordered and available as needed.
• On-Site Materials Preparation: Ensure that all necessary event materials (e.g., printed materials) are properly prepared, packed, and shipped to the venue on time.
• Shipment Management: Schedule and manage the shipping logistics of event supplies, ensuring tracking and on-time delivery.
• Secure and manage on-site third-party staff, including interviewing, hiring, and training for specific duties. Prepare training documents to streamline staff onboarding and ensure smooth operations.
• Provide on-site support for VIP dinners, as needed, including setup and breakdown, including food and beverage oversight, registration support, room arrangements, table settings, and coordination with venue staff.
• Troubleshooting: Demonstrate flexibility and composure by quickly identifying and resolving unexpected challenges to maintain a seamless event experience. while exhibiting flexibility and composure in unforeseen circumstances.
• Continuously identify and refine internal processes related to event planning and execution, including project plans, timelines, and logistics schedules. Identify areas for improvement to streamline operations and increase efficiency for future events.
• Client Call Participation: Actively engage in client calls, offering knowledgeable insights and recommendations on event planning, logistics, and operations. Address client concerns with practical solutions, ensuring they feel supported throughout the planning process. Provide strategic recommendations based on industry best practices and previous experiences, and clearly outline, document, and assign action items from calls. Follow up promptly to maintain accountability.
• Ongoing Client Communication: Maintain regular communication with clients during the planning process, providing updates, addressing questions, and reinforcing their vision. Incorporate client feedback into event planning to respect their preferences. After the event, conduct follow-up calls to gather feedback, discuss successes, and identify areas for improvement, strengthening the client relationship for future opportunities.
• Potentially oversee 1-2 additional staff members responsible for sourcing and procurement for VIP dinners, providing guidance, delegation, and support to ensure smooth operations.
• Monitor staff performance and assist with on-the-spot training or adjustments to maintain high-quality service standards.

Benefits

• highly competitive compensation package
• the unique opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s leading business personalities making a tangible difference every day.
• champions personal and professional growth

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level