Senior Events Manager - Whiskey Portfolio

This role is office/hybrid with a base location at our Louisville, KY office.

What the Role Is

The Senior Events Manager will assist in managing and developing national and local events that enhance the brand image of our whiskey portfolio and key brands, by owning the execution and on-site management of these events. This position will be tasked with researching event opportunities as they arise and analyzing the event fit within the overall portfolio/brand events strategy. Creativity, project management skills and vision are critical to success in this role and will help drive events as an opportunity to amplify our brands’ visibility and engagement among key consumers.

How You Will Spend Your Time?

• Research and evaluate event opportunities as they arise, understanding if they fit the overall portfolio/brand events strategy, recommending the appropriate participation level and brand activities.
• Develop and manage the whiskey portfolio events’ calendar
• Will implement the event plan for each event, monitoring timeframes and budgets and delivering on each event’s objectives.
• Manage all branded events developed through sponsorships or public relations efforts, including negotiation of branded presence, fees, on-site activation and coordination with vendors and event organizations.
• Monitor event participation to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
• Work across the American Whiskey brand teams to understand brand standards and ensure that event set-up and execution meets those standards.
• Meet with sponsors and organizing committees to plan scope and format of events, to establish and monitor budgets, or to review administrative procedures and event progress.
• Coordinate all event details including hotel management, AV services, catering and banquets, securing talent, transportation, procurement and shipping of assets and other special needs, negotiating and managing against stated budgets.
• Attend site inspections for upcoming events and develop an initial event plan for approval by Brand Team and Corporate Events Team.
• Responsible for managing on-site event activation, including arrival of materials, hiring of staff or training of hired staff and execution of event set-up.
• Responsible for event administrative duties such as keeping inventory of materials for events, preparing materials and clean-up/storage of materials post-use, and overseeing shipping of materials ensuring efficiencies and cost effectiveness.
• Develop key vendor relationships to further partnerships and agreements and effectively manage on-site presence.
• Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.

Who You Are…

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business or related field; or equivalent relevant experience
• Three to five (3-5) years of large-scale event planning experience that required strong project management skills
• Experience in distilled spirits industry at a supplier, distributor or an establishment that holds a liquor license preferred
• Ability to effectively negotiate
• Thorough understanding of industry sampling and 3-Tier system
• Ability to translate brand objectives into event execution.
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Creative thinking as it relates to developing, designing, and creating new themes, event ideas, and possibilities.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills, focused on considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Strong ability to be collaborative and work with others. Role will work across several brand teams, sales teams and have a matrix reporting structure, reporting into both Brand Team and Corporate Events Team
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and easily prioritize.
• Excellent time management skills, utilizing time productively to act against event plans without delay, but with good judgement.
• Ability to represent the company and communicate with people internally and externally.
• Ability to work a flexible, but challenging schedule, including evenings and weekends; while still managing day hours to meet with teams at corporate headquarters.
• Ability to travel domestically up to 30-40% of time

Physical Requirements

While performing duties of job, employee is often required to stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle and move boxes from storage facilities, in and out of vehicles and events, and use of computer. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Benefits

• Paid Vacation
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Health, Dental & Vision eligibility from day one
• FSA/HSA
• 401K match
• EAP
• Maternity/Paternity Leave

Heaven Hill and its affiliates are committed to fostering a diverse workforce as an Equal Employment Opportunity company. We invite applications from candidates of all backgrounds, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, natural origin, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic.