Firm Events Operations Director

New York, NY 

Premiere global law firm seeks a Firm Events Operations Director in the Firm Events Department in our New York office. Under the direction of the Director of Office Operations, the Director will primarily be responsible for the leadership, oversight and strategic development of client, partner, departmental and firm-wide events including functions hosted by Operations Team members, lawyers and, in some cases, clients and colleagues of the firm. The Director will be responsible for event strategy and development from vision planning and budgeting to details and logistics.

Responsibilities 

• Collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure complete understanding of the initiative and purpose of the event in order to develop a strategy and budget. Communicate and work effectively with operations departments to ensure all logistics are executed in a sophisticated and flawless manner.
• Working closely with the Director’s own Firm Events team to ensure that the details and logistics of the event are coordinated and planned seamlessly and align with the vision and budget agreed upon with the event stakeholders.
• Oversight of the myriad of details the Firm Events Department is responsible for to successfully execute many events such as client meetings, seminars, CLEs (small and large meetings with dinner receptions in NYC and Canada); internal lawyer training sessions, firm diversity networking events, legal recruitment events, firm-wide events, partner events (annual formal dinner and spring and fall meetings) and many other functions held at the firm, at outside venues and at partners’ homes.
• Building strong relationships between the Firm Events Department and other Operations Team members in which the Events Department works most closely, such as Business Development, Professional Development & Training, Legal Personnel, Legal Recruitment, Multimedia, Conference Services, Building Services and others departments.
• Keeping abreast of marketplace trends related to venues and vendors to provide relevant and innovative ideas and solutions; maintaining excellent working relationships with venue contacts and vendors.
• Concierge services to the firm, including working closely with the Business Development team in developing and providing gifts related to the firm’s fall client-gifting program, and working closely with partners and others to source Broadway and sporting event tickets and other gifts for client development needs.
• Procuring and maintaining a new database/software program as a depository for details related to all events, as well as maintaining the Firm Events Department budget and annual forecast requirements.
• Leading and managing the Firm Events team and raising the visibility of the Department. 

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Minimum of 15 years’ experience in a successful event planning role in a professional services environment.
• Strong managerial experience and proven ability to lead, coach, inspire and organize a team.
• Outstanding ability to inspire confidence, respect and trust across all levels of the firm and to create a team environment where ideas can be shared, questions can be asked and individuals are accountable for their own actions.
• Outstanding ability to motivate others across the Operations Team and collaborate well to produce a successful event.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with senior management, partners and firm clients.
• Extensive experience in developing, managing and maintaining budgets.
• Well-established venue and vendor relationships and extensive knowledge of NYC’s hotel, restaurant and entertainment industry.
• Ability to work in an environment with shifting priorities to meet time-sensitive deadlines, as well as manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Outstanding initiative and problem-solving capabilities with a resourceful and driven attitude.
• Genuine desire and energy to work with a “whatever it takes” approach to ensure success.
• Must be willing to work evening hours at event venues to ensure logistics are running smoothly.
• Must be willing to scout venues and attend events in NYC, as well as travel to Canada to develop and oversee events related to the firm’s Canadian practice (two times per year).