Event manager job profile | Prospects.ac.uk

If you have excellent organisation and interpersonal skills and thrive in a fast-paced environment, consider a career as an event manager

As an event manager, you'll plan and organise promotional, business and social events. You'll manage the entire process from the planning stage, right through to running the event and carrying out the post-event evaluation. The role is primarily hands-on and often involves working as part of a team.

You'll be responsible for ensuring events are delivered on time and to budget. Events play a huge part in the success of a brand or an organisation and you'll need to ensure that the event is marketed properly, and the expectations of the target audience are met and, preferably, exceeded.

Types of event

There are a range of activities that come under events management. These include:

meetings - such as conferences, seminars, symposia, training courses and workshops
exhibitions, trade and consumer shows - this can include business to business (B2B), business to consumer (B2C), product launches, campaign/road shows and expos
corporate events - such as business development, client hospitality, teambuilding, leadership training and award ceremonies
cultural or community events
major sporting events - for example, the Olympics, Ryder Cup and the London Marathon
charity fundraising events and galas
festivals - covering a range of subjects such as art, music, theatre, film, food and drink, literary and science
music and live performances - ranging from huge concerts to more intimate gigs
social - this can include private parties, weddings and other special social events.

Responsibilities

As an event manager, you'll need to:

liaise with clients to find out their exact event requirements and produce a detailed proposal (including timelines, venues, suppliers, legal obligations, staffing and budgets)
research venues, suppliers and contractors, then negotiate prices and hire
negotiate prices with clients and finalise the details of what is included in the package
ensure clients sign their contracts and make payments on time
manage suppliers and all event logistics (for example, venue, catering, travel and accommodation)
liaise with sales and marketing teams to publicise and promote the event
manage all pre-event planning, organising guest speakers and delegate packs
coordinate suppliers, handle client queries and troubleshoot on the day of the event to ensure that all runs smoothly and to budget
manage and coordinate a team of staff, giving full briefings and delegating work
organise facilities for car parking, traffic control, security, first aid, hospitality and the media
make sure that insurance, legal, health and safety obligations are followed
oversee the dismantling and removal of the event and clear the venue efficiently
produce post-event analysis and evaluation to improve future events
develop and maintain ongoing good relationships with clients and suppliers
research opportunities for new clients and events.

Salary

Salaries for entry-level events roles typically range from £18,000 to £22,000.
With experience, you can expect to earn between £22,000 and £26,000.
Event managers typically earn from around £28,000 to in excess of £40,000. The higher salaries are usually for senior event managers or directors with extensive experience and an impressive track record.

Salaries vary depending on your location (salaries in London and other major cities in the UK typically pay more), the sector you work in, the size and type of employer, and your level of experience.

The type of event you work on can also affect salaries. For example, music events can attract high earnings during the festival season. Corporate events, trade shows and exhibitions can also provide a good income.

Additional benefits, which can increase your overall salary, include performance-related pay, commission and bonuses as well as a pension, sick pay and annual, maternity and paternity leave.

Experienced freelance event managers can command higher earnings, but work may be unpredictable, and you will have to spend considerable time on the financial and marketing aspects of the business. You also won't have the usual benefits of employment such as sick pay and annual leave. You may, however, have more freedom to work on a range of projects.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll generally work normal office hours. However, you will often have to work extra hours closer to the event to ensure deadlines are met and during the event to ensure it goes smoothly. This may include evenings and weekends.

Part-time work is possible. There may be some opportunities for hybrid or remote working.

What to expect

Although the work is largely office based, you'll need to travel to visit clients, partners, sponsors, venues and other suppliers. You may need to work outside to plan and deliver an event, such as an outdoors concert, sporting event or festival.
Jobs are available throughout the UK, often in larger towns and cities, or locations with large conference and event venues.
Self-employment and freelance work are possible once you've got experience and an established network of contacts.
You may be physically active during the working day.
Depending on the kind of event you're working on, you may need to spend time away from home either in the UK or abroad.

Qualifications

Although you don't need a specific degree subject to become an event manager, the following degree, HND or foundation degree subjects are useful:

events management
business and management
hospitality management
hotel or catering management
leisure and tourism
marketing
sport management.

Employers are more interested in your skills, personal qualities and experience in the industry.

Entry without a degree is possible and you can work your way up from an assistant position, gaining experience as you progress. It may be useful to take the Level 2 Certificate in Event Planning, although not essential.

It's also possible to take a Level 3 Event Assistant apprenticeship (equivalent to A-level), combining paid work with part-time study, allowing you to learn on the job.

You can also take short skills or professional courses in event management that focus on key aspects of event planning, such as budgeting, client management, logistics and marketing. Courses are run by organisations such as Event Academy, Event Crowd and The Institute for Event Management. Research courses thoroughly to ensure they meet your career aims.

Some people move into event management from related areas such as marketing, hospitality, travel, charity fundraising, PR or arts administration.

There is no typical route to becoming an event manager and most organisations will recruit as vacancies arise.

Skills

You'll need to have:

organisational skills and attention to detail
communication and interpersonal skills
teamworking skills and the ability to lead and motivate a team
negotiation skills when looking for the best price from venues, suppliers and contractors
customer service skills
time-management skills and the ability to work under pressure in a busy, face-paced working environment to ensure the efficient running of an event
project management experience and the ability to prioritise your workload
problem-solving skills and diplomacy
sales and marketing skills to promote the event and attract sponsorship
the ability to manage budgets
a flexible and adaptable attitude
a target-driven and proactive approach to work
administrative and IT skills
commercial and business awareness
self-motivation and enthusiasm.

You will usually need a full driving licence.

Work experience

Relevant experience, either paid or voluntary, and knowledge of the industry is essential to enter this competitive field. Some degrees have an optional year in industry, and this can be a great way of getting practical experience and making industry contacts. Others will have shorter work placement opportunities, either in the UK or abroad.

Many events organisations also offer work placements and internships. You could also approach them to ask about work shadowing opportunities to help you get an idea about the role of an event manager. For a list of events companies, see the Power of Events website.

Make the most of your time at university by organising events for a student society, for example, or for charities or other organisations and clubs you have links with. You could also volunteer to work on a large event or exhibition as part of the crew.

Experience in the hospitality industry or in a sales, marketing or customer service role is also useful.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

You can work in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors for event management companies, in-house organisations or freelance. Typical employers include:

charities
conference and exhibition centres
events venues
hotels
large commercial organisations
local authorities
music, literary, film and theatre festivals
public attractions
public relations (PR) agencies
specialist event management consultancies
universities.

Look for job vacancies at:

Specialist recruitment agencies also handle vacancies. See, for example:

LinkedIn is an effective way of finding contacts within the industry. You could also try making targeted, speculative applications to companies.

Professional development

As a new event manager, you'll typically develop your skills and knowledge by working alongside more experienced colleagues. Opportunities for training depend on your employer and may include short courses, run either in-house or externally. Sessions covered may include:

customer care
event marketing and copywriting
finance
health and safety
IT
project management
sales and sponsorship.

Professional bodies also provide relevant events, courses and seminars. These include:

Membership of a relevant professional body is also useful for keeping up to date with the latest industry news, networking and developing contacts.

You may decide to take a Masters degree in an aspect of events management such as international/global events management or managing live events or festivals.

It may also be useful to take a course in health and safety. The EPC (Emergency Planning College), for example, offers courses in crowd and event safety.

Career prospects

Event management is a competitive career and promotion will depend on:

the type of events you work on
the type and size of organisation you work for
how quickly you can develop the key skills and qualities needed to succeed
your ability to develop a strong network of contacts
your track record.

Promotion may involve moving from an assistant post to team leader, which may include managing a small team, and then on to the role of manager, then senior manager or director. With experience you can take on responsibility for large-scale events, which are more complex to manage, involve high-profile clients and include bigger budgets.

Career progression is likely to involve changing jobs, moving to a larger company. Alternatively, you could become a freelance event management consultant or set up your own events management business.

Event manager