Director of Events & Operations

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Director of Events & Operations managing operational strategies and team leadership at LaJoy Creative. Focused on client delivery, budget management, and business growth.

Posted 7/30/2026full-timeRemote • District of Columbia, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $130,000 - $160,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive experience in event production and operations management, with a strong focus on client engagement, business development, and team leadership. Proven ability to manage budgets, negotiate contracts, and drive organizational growth within the events and hospitality sectors.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Event Production ManagementClient Engagement StrategyBusiness DevelopmentBudget OwnershipVendor Contract Negotiation

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Event OperationsP&L AccountabilityProject ManagementFinancial TrackingVendor ManagementStaffing DecisionsPerformance CoachingProcess ImprovementContract PreparationCapacity Planning

Soft Skills

LeadershipCommunicationRelationship BuildingCoachingNegotiation

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree

Industry Keywords

Hospitality ManagementNonprofit SectorPhilanthropic SectorEvent Production StandardsClient Retention Strategy

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Directly manage the LaJoy Creative staff and contract/freelance staff; set performance expectations, coach for growth, and build bench strength as the firm scales
Own the firm's overall event production standards and quality bar across all client engagements, ensuring consistency regardless of which team member is executing
Design and continuously refine internal operating systems (project management, resourcing, vendor management, financial tracking) to support increasing volume and complexity of client work
Lead staffing and resourcing decisions across concurrent client projects, balancing capacity, budget, and team development
Serve as senior client-facing leader on the firm's most strategic or highest-visibility engagements, stepping in for key relationships and high-stakes moments
Partner with the CEO on business development: scoping new opportunities, shaping proposals, setting pricing/budget parameters, and representing the firm in pitch and finalist conversations
Own client retention strategy — identifying expansion opportunities within existing accounts and ensuring service quality drives repeat business and referrals
Represent LaJoy Creative externally at industry functions, partner convenings, and speaking opportunities as an extension of the CEO's visibility strategy
Bring established client and network relationships directly into LaJoy Creative's business pipeline, actively converting existing personal/professional connections into new engagements for the firm
Identify, cultivate, and close new business opportunities by combining strong business acumen with a working knowledge of the events, hospitality, and mission-driven/nonprofit sectors
Build and maintain a network of referral partners, industry contacts, and past clients that can be activated for repeat business, introductions, and co-marketing opportunities
Track and report on business development activity and pipeline health as part of regular leadership reporting to the CEO
Own event and departmental budgeting, including forecasting, margin management, and profitability review across the firm's active project portfolio
Oversee vendor strategy at the portfolio level — negotiating master agreements, setting preferred-partner terms, and managing the firm's overall vendor risk and cost position
Prepare contracts, scopes of work, and significant expenditures when delegated by the CEO
Serve as a key thought partner to the CEO on organizational growth, capacity planning, and long-term operational strategy
Lead hiring, onboarding, and team-building initiatives for the events and operations function as headcount grows
Identify and champion process, technology, or staffing investments that improve margin, quality, or scalability

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience
Ten (10) + years of progressively responsible experience in event production, event operations, or hospitality management, including at least 2-3 years in a people-management or department-leadership capacity
Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of concurrent client engagements, not just single events
Experience with budget ownership, P&L or margin accountability, and vendor contract negotiation at a strategic level
Proven track record of generating new business, whether through personal network activation, referral partnerships, or direct sales/business development responsibility
Existing relationships within the events, hospitality, philanthropic, or nonprofit sectors that can realistically be brought into LaJoy Creative's client and partner pipeline
Prior experience in a hospitality, events firm, or mission-driven/nonprofit-adjacent environment strongly preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health benefit stipend
Cell phone stipend
Unlimited PTO and full office closure
Professional development and other growth opportunities