Associate Director, Creative Journey & Branding

Gartner

Associate Director leading branding and creative journey for global conferences at Gartner. Managing strategic partnerships and enhancing client experiences across the conference portfolio.

Posted 6/23/2026full-timeIrving • Connecticut, Texas • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $93,000 - $140,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as a senior member of the Global Creative Journey and Branding (CJB) team, providing strategic leadership and guidance across key business initiatives and partnerships
Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with internal stakeholders and external vendors to support the success of Gartner’s destination conference portfolio
Partner with conference business leaders on future planning, portfolio strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and execution of strategic initiatives
Act as a core member of the Member Experience & Business Unit (MEBU) leadership team, representing CJB priorities and driving alignment across business objectives
Collaborate with Conference Center of Excellence teams to design and deliver exceptional, white-glove onsite experiences for clients, prospects, and conference attendees
Lead strategic vendor management initiatives, including relationship management, contract negotiations, performance optimization, and long-term partnership planning
Partner with regional portfolio leaders to develop and execute future planning strategies for large-scale vendors and service providers
Drive strategic projects and operational initiatives focused on financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term business planning
Support organizational growth through workforce planning, staffing strategies, and resource allocation recommendations
Identify and implement process improvements to enhance operational efficiency, scalability, and overall business performance
Provide leadership and influence across cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution of enterprise-wide initiatives and business priorities
Establish and maintain governance, best practices, and operational frameworks that support consistent delivery and continuous improvement across the Creative Journey and Branding organization

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s Degree
8-10+ Years Event Management, Creative Development, Branding and Operations
Proven creative and operational management responsibility & management of teams
Proven event operational and project management skills
Proven experience in managing agency and vendor partners
Proven people management experience
Effective people management skills and leadership
Experience in creation of event spaces/environments/floor plans
Proven and exceptional project management skills, effective management of time and prioritization
Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills especially with senior level professionals, cross-functionally and with agency partners
Motivated team player with desire to learn and grow
Excellent written/oral communication and presentations skills
Demonstrated ability to adapt, implement and manage change and strive for continuous improvement
Ability to thrive in high pressure situations
Creative, innovative, and strategic thinker with a strong attention to detail
Strong financial management skills
Client focused, solution oriented, and collaborative
High sense of urgency, decisiveness, attention to detail and confidentiality
Fully competent in Microsoft office and Google Suite, especially PowerPoint, Excel and similar in G-Suite
Strong Oral & Written Communication Skills
Willingness to travel approximately 30% of time

Benefits

Comp & perks

competitive compensation
annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance
401k match up to $7,200 per year
opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
generous PTO

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

event managementcreative developmentbrandingoperationsproject managementfinancial managementvendor managementprocess improvementworkforce planningresource allocation

Soft Skills

leadershipinterpersonal skillsrelationship buildingcommunication skillsteam playeradaptabilitystrategic thinkingattention to detailcollaborationdecisiveness

Certifications

Bachelor's Degree