Sr. Manager, Event Marketing

The American Institute of Architects•Washington, DC

8d•$92,000 - $108,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Event Marketing leads attendee-focused marketing strategy and execution for AIA’s signature events, including the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design, the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit, and the AIA Leadership Summit. The role drives event awareness, registration, and engagement across channels. It also leads local marketing for AIA’s Global Campus for Architecture & Design (GCAD), a cultural and programming space in Washington, DC, to grow visibility, community partnerships, and the programming pipeline through omnichannel marketing campaigns. Reporting to the Senior Director, Marketing, the position works closely with Events, Communications, Digital, Creative, and Content teams, and partners with the Director, Strategic Partnership Marketing on sponsor- and partner-facing event experiences. The role also supports cross-functional planning, audience and campaign analysis, and optimization, while championing equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in AIA’s marketing and experiences. The position is based in the Washington, DC metro area (DC, Maryland, or Virginia) and requires regular on-site presence at GCAD and/or AIA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Applicants outside the DC metro area are not eligible.

Requirements

Experience in event marketing, attendee acquisition, or association/membership event promotion.
Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple initiatives and cross-functional stakeholders simultaneously.
Strong knowledge of CRM, marketing automation, analytics, and digital marketing platforms.
Experience with tools such as Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, GA4, CMS platforms, SEO, and paid media platforms.
Strong social media and content strategy experience.
Experience building influencer or ambassador programs.
Ability to represent AIA locally at community events and partner meetings.
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, public relations, business development, or a related field.
Minimum 5–7 years of experience in event marketing, community marketing, or a similar role.
Must reside in the DC metro area (DC, Maryland, or Virginia); applicants outside the area are not eligible.

Nice To Haves

Experience building or growing a marketing presence for a venue, cultural institution, or community space.
Advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Lead marketing campaigns to grow attendance, awareness, registration, and engagement for AIA’s signature events across channels.
Develop event personas and audience-expansion opportunities, and align messaging, value propositions, calls to action, and customer journeys to attract new attendees and build loyalty.
Conduct customer and competitor analysis to position events competitively, including brand, messaging, and pricing.
Partner with program leads, Events, and Communications teams on themes, content, speakers, and experiences that resonate with target audiences and drive attendance.
Recommend pricing and promotional strategies for attendee segments to increase registration and meet revenue goals.
Develop and execute registrant email journeys, including registration confirmations, pre-event communications, onsite updates, and post-event follow-up.
Coordinate marketing deliverables for event websites, registration platforms, and event apps, ensuring alignment with campaign strategy.
Monitor the events landscape and bring best practices and new ideas to event experiences and campaign development.
Manage campaign plans and timelines with Events, Marketing, and cross-departmental teams.
Analyze event marketing performance, establish benchmarks, and communicate findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
Coordinate onsite marketing deliverables, including signage, booth and exhibit materials, and mainstage production.
Ensure cohesive brand experiences at in-person and virtual events in collaboration with the Events team.
Manage event marketing agency and vendor relationships.
Lead local marketing for GCAD to increase awareness and community engagement and position it as a destination for architecture, design, and cultural experiences.
Support venue rental marketing and manage GCAD’s web presence, email, and paid media promotion.
Support GCAD’s social media strategy, content calendar, and recurring content series in partnership with the Social Media team.
Build and manage an influencer and ambassador program to support GCAD awareness.
Build strategic partnerships with architecture firms, universities, museums, arts organizations, Business Improvement Districts, nonprofits, and community organizations.
Collaborate with the Global Campus programming team to inform the program and event pipeline in alignment with AIA’s strategic and operating plans.
Collaborate with the Marketing Specialist and Marketing Operations on project management and cross-functional coordination.
Work with Marketing and Communications leadership on the annual MarCom calendar and project planning.
Collaborate with the Director, Strategic Partnership Marketing on marketing for sponsor- and partner-facing event experiences.
Analyze audience behavior, engagement trends, and campaign results to optimize ROI; use testing strategies such as A/B testing, segmentation, and personalization.
Communicate findings and actionable recommendations to cross-departmental stakeholders.
Foster belonging, collaboration, accountability, and innovation; ensure campaigns reflect the diversity of the profession and communities AIA serves; and champion equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Represent AIA locally at community events and partner meetings.

Benefits

Medical and dental coverage.
401(k).
Flexibility.
Paid time off.
Flexible spending accounts.
Life insurance coverage up to 2x salary and disability plans at no cost.
Tuition and membership reimbursements.
Employee Assistance Program for employees and family members.
SmartBenefits transportation program, including up to $55 monthly in public transportation benefits and pretax METRO parking.
Computer purchase program.
Fitness club discounts.
Prepaid legal services program.
Identity theft protection.