Senior Director, Event Operations & Program Management
About The Position
Bentley is seeking a senior event operations leader to define and lead how our global events are planned, managed, and delivered at scale. This role will own the operational strategy and execution for Bentley’s event portfolio, including flagship events, hosted regional programs, and marquee industry events, ensuring that every program is delivered with rigor, efficiency, and consistency. The right person will bring structure to a growing function, establishing the frameworks, financial discipline, and delivery models required to support high-quality, complex events globally. This is a critical leadership role within the Global Events team, partnering closely with Experience Design, Audience Engagement, Creative, Sales, and Product and Industry Marketing to ensure Bentley’s events are not only compelling, but operationally sound and scalable.
Requirements
- 15+ years of experience in event operations, production management, or large-scale program delivery
- Proven track record managing complex, global events (10,000+ attendees) within the enterprise technology space
- Deep experience with event budgeting, financial planning, and cost management
- Strong expertise in vendor management, contract negotiation, and partner strategy
- Experience building and leading teams and operational frameworks in evolving environments
- Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple large-scale programs simultaneously
- Strong communication skills and ability to work across cross-functional, matrixed organizations
- High level of attention to detail and commitment to execution quality
- Familiarity with event technologies, registration systems, and operational tools
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or equivalent experience
Responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end operational model for Bentley’s flagship events, from early planning through onsite execution and post-event wrap
- Define and implement planning frameworks, timelines, and delivery standards across the event portfolio
- Ensure all events are executed with consistency, quality, and operational discipline
- Serve as the operational lead for flagship events, with accountability for overall program delivery from planning through execution
- Own the integrated event plan, ensuring all workstreams, timelines, and dependencies are clearly defined and actively managed
- Partner with Experience Design and Audience Engagement leads to translate strategy into coordinated, executable plans
- Drive cross-functional alignment across all contributing teams, ensuring clarity on roles, responsibilities, and deliverables
- Identify risks early, resolve dependencies, and ensure teams stay on track to deliver against key milestones
- Act as the central point of coordination across internal teams and external partners to ensure a cohesive, well-executed program
- Lead event budgeting, forecasting, and financial tracking across programs
- Establish clear processes for budget management, reporting, and accountability
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization, scale efficiencies, and vendor consolidation
- Oversee the Global Event team’s ecosystem of agencies, production partners, and suppliers
- Lead sourcing, contract strategy, negotiation, and performance management
- Ensure partners are aligned to Bentley’s standards, timelines, and expectations
- Build a strong, scalable partner model that supports global delivery
- Build and lead a high-performing event operations team, setting clear roles, expectations, and ways of working
- Establish best practices across planning, project management, and execution
- Create structure and consistency across a function that is evolving and scaling
- Act as a key partner across the events organization, ensuring alignment between operations, experience, and audience strategy
- Oversee all core operational elements, including venue strategy, registration, housing, transportation, and onsite logistics
- Ensure strong coordination across internal teams and external partners to support seamless delivery
- Maintain a high bar for quality while balancing complexity, timelines, and budget constraints
- Lead post-event operational reviews, capturing insights, challenges, and opportunities
- Translate learnings into clear improvements and repeatable best practices
- Drive year-over-year gains in efficiency, quality, and execution
Benefits
- An attractive salary and benefits package.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
