Company: Gowling WLG

Location: Toronto, ON

Expected salary:

Job date: Thu, 05 Sep 2024 04:28:53 GMT

Job description: ABOUT GOWLING WLGAt Gowling WLG, our dedication to excellence and quality service begins with our people. As a global law firm with offices across Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we pride ourselves on sourcing and retaining top talent who bring energy, passion and commitment to the delivery of outstanding client service.Employee satisfaction is important to us. We work hard to ensure that our people are motivated, engaged and empowered. We are guided by our firm’s Core Values – The Power of Teamwork, Always Striving to be Better, We all Bring Something Different – in all that we do.Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an integral part of our firm’s core values. We are always striving to build a more equitable, engaging and rewarding workplace by attracting and retaining talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. Our aim is to help everyone reach their full potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.Our diverse group of legal professionals, law students, law clerks, paralegals, legal administrative assistants and business services team members work together, and are respected and valued for their individual contributions.PROFILEEvents have the power to connect, build relationships, shape perceptions, demonstrate expertise and transcend boundaries. At Gowling WLG, events are a core component of client engagement and our go-to-market strategy. To us, an event isn’t a moment-in-time; it’s an opportunity to engage, delight and create memorable experiences for our clients and people before, during and after each interaction.We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative National Events Specialist to join our Business Development & Marketing team. We are looking for someone who is passionate about delivering excellence and making a meaningful impact for our clients, people and Firm. To you, status quo isn’t an option. You believe that the best events are experiences that start with a bold and clear vision, and you enjoy the process of carrying it through to execution and beyond with a focus on the big and small elements along the way. Your North Star is to break out of the sea of sameness and you love to innovate and try new strategies, approaches, vendors and ideas to continue to elevate the level and quality of events you deliver.In collaboration with our National Events & Experiences Manager, the candidate will establish and develop a national events centre of excellence aligned with the Firm’s strategy and business development objectives that’s focused on delivering top-notch events and differentiated experiences for our clients and people across in-person, hybrid and virtual platforms.RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the evaluation, planning, project management, budgeting, activation and post-event measurement and debriefing of high-impact events in various formats (in-person, virtual or hybrid), for both our clients and our people in collaboration with Business Development, Marketing, local offices, People & Culture teams, and other stakeholders on the design and conception of events.
• End-to-end management of national events, conferences and sponsorship activation, including but not limited to: opportunity evaluation, theme/concept development, venue sourcing and selection; vendor contracting and management; online registration and reporting, F&B experience, travel, accommodation, audio visual, space set-ups, ROI measurement, etc.
• Manage virtual event production elements including event platform set-up; broadcasting; speakers sourcing and contracting; rehearsals and dry-runs support; creation of run of show; day of show calling.
• Report on event metrics and KPIs to measure return on investment and conduct post-event evaluations to assess the success of events and identify areas for improvement.
• Manage all aspects of event budgets to include cost projection and avoidance, payments, and reconciliation.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications team to develop compelling event-related communications and promotional strategies for events across channels to increase attendance.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and stakeholders of national events initiatives and inquiries and ensure a high level of client satisfaction by addressing any issues or concerns promptly.
• Stay current on the latest event trends and act as a subject matter expert on events, conferences and effective sponsorship activation, providing input on best practices and event standards.
• Create scalable, exportable and detailed guides, toolkits checklists and ideas to support the process and activation for events and local office or other team use, while continually seeking feedback to improve the approach and the processes.
• Maintain an annual calendar and assessment of recurring national and international events, and continually scan market for emerging events with potential for business growth that are actively shared with Business Development & Marketing teams.
• Support members of the National Events Team as required, including showing leadership and influencing skills.
• Ad hoc duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Post secondary education in Hospitality Management, Marketing, Business or Communications. Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation or similar considered an asset, as well as specialized training in events.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience with event planning and execution; professional services events experience is an asset.
• Proven ability to demonstrate a high level of initiative, ownership and detail orientation in planning and managing events.
• You are a modern events specialist who creatively delivers and is equally excited by in-person, hybrid and virtual opportunities, recognizing the opportunity to build connection and shape perceptions, regardless of the forum and medium.
• Ability to proactively communicate and manage very senior stakeholders across the Firm, with the aptitude to anticipate and address client needs in a professional and courteous manner.
• You are comfortable with ambiguity with the ability to translate abstract ideas into tangible outcomes that meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to lead, own and manage events end-to-end, including juggling multiple events at a time in a matrix, fast-paced environment.
• You truly understand and appreciate the value of data and measurement, and recognize the importance of demonstrating the ROI of each event, including to executive audiences.
• You believe that we can go faster and further together, and actively team across groups to produce the best results that delight, excite, and engage audiences.
• You are client and solution orientated, and continuously think through how to make things easier for others, while producing the best possible outcomes.
• Experience with managing event budgets, including cost projection, vendor negotiations, as well as proactively sourcing and liaising with external vendors to secure the best possible service and terms.
• Capacity to work independently, as well as in a team with multiple stakeholders.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, CRM solutions and Digital event platforms.
• Knowledge of webcasting and virtual event technology and experience successfully running virtual events.
• This position may require travel to various event locations across the country and internationally; flexibility to work outside of core business hours as needed.
• Bilingualism (English/French) is considered an asset.

Gowling WLG employees benefit from a hybrid work environment.Not sure if you meet all the requirements? If you are excited about this opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.Gowling WLG is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know.While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Gowling WLG is a global law firm that values excellence and quality service by sourcing and retaining top talent. Employee satisfaction is a priority, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The firm is seeking a National Events Specialist to deliver high-impact events for clients and staff, with responsibilities including event planning, budget management, and post-event evaluation. Qualifications include a background in event planning, strong communication skills, and the ability to work independently and within a team. The firm promotes a hybrid work environment and encourages all interested candidates to apply, regardless of meeting all requirements.