The Opportunity Kargo is looking for a strategic, hands-on leader to own and elevate our global experiential footprint. The Senior Director, Global Experiences sets the vision, strategy, and standard of excellence for how Kargo shows up at every touchpoint - from marquee industry stages and flagship sponsorships to intimate client dinners and regional activations spanning North America, EMEA, and APAC. This is a leadership role: you'll build and scale a global events strategy, own a multi-market budget, manage vendor and agency partnerships, mentor a growing team, and act as a trusted advisor to sales and executive leadership on how experiential drives pipeline and brand equity. You'll report directly to the VP of Global Experiences and serve as a key strategic partner across Marketing, Sales, and Creative.
The Daily To-Do - Lead Kargo's global experiences strategy - owning calendar of flagship events, marquee sponsorships, trade show presences, and regional activations that align to company growth goals and brand positioning.
- Serve as the senior strategic partner to sales and marketing leadership, translating business priorities into experiential programs that measurably increase pipeline, deepen customer relationships, and elevate Kargo's presence in market.
- Own the global experiences budget end-to-end - building the business case, forecasting spend across regions, tracking ROI, and reporting results and recommendations directly to executive leadership.
- Lead vendor and partner strategy worldwide, negotiating high-value contracts and building long-term relationships that give Kargo leverage, favorable terms, and priority access at top-tier venues and industry events.
- Direct end-to-end program management for signature events and activations - from concept and creative direction through on-site execution and post-event impact analysis - while building the systems and playbooks that let the broader team scale.
- Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing experiences team, setting standards for craft, project management rigor, and creative ambition.
- Partner with Creative Services to define the visual and narrative identity of every experience - invitations, signage, digital promotion, and on-site brand moments - ensuring every touchpoint feels distinctly Kargo.
- Own the strategy behind guest experience: VIP and client engagement, invitation and RSVP strategy, and moments that turn attendees into long-term Kargo champions.
- Represent Kargo's Global Experiences function with senior stakeholders, industry partners, and cross-functional leaders, and support the VP on trade show sponsorships, speakership strategy, and executive-level deliverables.
- Establish and evolve the measurement framework for experiential impact, bringing a data-informed point of view to what's working, what isn't, and where to invest next.
Qualifications - 7+ years of progressive experience in event marketing, experiential, or brand activations, including experience leading global or multi-region programs; ad tech, media, or B2B SaaS experience a strong plus.
- A track record of owning strategy and budget for a significant events portfolio, with the financial acumen to build, defend, and optimize a global spend plan.
- Proven people leadership - experience building, managing, and developing a team, with a coaching style that raises the bar on craft and accountability.
- Executive presence and polished communication skills; comfort presenting strategy and results to senior leadership and representing the brand with clients and partners.
- A strong external network of vendors, venues, and industry partners, with sharp negotiation instincts and a bias toward value and efficiency.
- A strategic, entrepreneurial mindset paired with the willingness to be hands-on when it counts - this leader can zoom out to set direction and zoom in to solve the on-site problem no one saw coming.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and modern event/project management tooling.
- Flexibility for evening, weekend, and travel commitments as the global calendar demands.
In accordance with applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency laws, the anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for variable compensation - either the Kargo Sales Incentive Plan (sales roles) or an annual discretionary bonus (all other roles). Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, education, and skills.
U.S Salary Range
$150,000-$170,000 USD
