POSITION OVERVIEW Reporting directly to the Vice President, Brand, Events and Partnerships, the
Manager, Partnership Activation and Events Experience is responsible for the planning and execution of BDC's national portfolio of events, partnership activations and sponsorships. Her mandate covers the organization's corporate events, the production of business and partner events held in BDC's Squares in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver as well as in other locations across Canada, the activation of national and regional partnerships and sponsorships, as well as operations supporting the delivery of nearly
1,500 events and activations annually.
This role provides leadership to a multidisciplinary team of 17 employees and acts as a strategic partner to senior management in the planning, arbitration and execution of high-profile, high-reputational initiatives.
The incumbent of the position leads four complementary areas of activity:
- Activation of partnerships and sponsorships, including the planning, coordination and execution of national and regional activations aimed at maximizing brand visibility, target customer engagement and business benefits;
- Corporate events, including but not limited to Board meetings, Annual General Meeting, leadership meetings, executive events and other strategic corporate initiatives;
- Business events and management of the Squares, including the programming, production and operation of BDC's Squares in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, as well as the delivery of on- and off-site partner and client events across Canada;
- Event and marketing operations, including operational governance, processes, vendors, technologies, tools, and capabilities necessary for the efficient and consistent delivery of the business portfolio.
In collaboration with the National Sponsorships and Events and Partnerships and Field Marketing teams, he or she also strategically manages relationships with external partners, sponsors, suppliers and internal stakeholders in order to optimize the participant experience, business impact, operational performance and the influence of the BDC brand.
CHALLENGES TO BE MET - Lead the strategy, governance and execution of the national portfolio of more than 1,500 events, activations and sponsorships per year.
- Advise and influence senior management in the planning and execution of high-profile corporate initiatives.
- Oversee the delivery of BDC's most strategic corporate events, including events for the Board of Directors and senior management.
- Ensure the success of partnership and sponsorship activations in order to maximize brand visibility and business impact.
- Lead operations and optimize the use of BDC's Squares in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
- Ensure a distinctive and consistent event experience for customers, partners, employees, and other stakeholders.
- Drive the continuous improvement of processes, tools, technologies and practices to increase operational efficiency.
- Manage budgets, strategic suppliers and performance indicators to ensure the achievement of business objectives.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with external partners, key sponsors and suppliers.
- Engage, mentor and develop a pan-Canadian team of 17 employees while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR - University degree in marketing, communications, event management, administration or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in managing events, sponsorships, partnerships or brand activations, including several years in a leadership role.
- Demonstrated experience in managing complex portfolios on a national scale and delivering high-impact events.
- Solid experience in managing and developing multidisciplinary teams.
- Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with high-level leaders and stakeholders.
- Excellent project management, strategic planning and prioritization skills.
- Strong customer focus, results and operational excellence.
- Experience in managing large budgets and monitoring performance indicators.
- Ability to operate in a dynamic environment where priorities can change rapidly.
- Excellent communication skills in French and English, both oral and written.
Assets- Experience in managing event spaces or business centers.
- Experience in business transformation, continuous improvement or implementation of new technologies.
- Knowledge of the financial services industry, B2B marketing, or the Canadian entrepreneurial ecosystem.
