80Twenty is a specialized staffing and recruiting firm that finds and places exceptional growth talent — the 20% that drives 80% of results. We specialize in Sales, Marketing, Account Management, Customer Success, and Creative roles, connecting scaling companies with exceptional talent and championing every candidate we work with from first call to first day.
Event Contractor (Part-Time, Global)
Engagement Type: Part-Time / Contract
Our client is a modern AI-powered IT management platform built to help IT teams work smarter — bringing ticketing, automation, and monitoring into a single unified workspace. They are a people-first company that values transparency, simplicity, and genuine collaboration, with a fast-moving team where curiosity and bold ideas are celebrated and your work has real impact.
They are seeking a senior, self-sufficient event contractor who can own the full operational backbone of a global event program — tradeshows, meetups, and activations — without requiring day-to-day oversight. This role is 100% logistics, budget, and coordination; it does not include marketing strategy, campaigns, messaging, or lead nurture. They need someone who sees a deadline on the calendar and works backward from it automatically, who flags a risk the moment they spot it rather than the week of the event, and who treats vendor and budget management as non-negotiable disciplines.
Key Responsibilities
Event Planning & Timeline Ownership
- Build and manage a detailed, repeatable event plan and checklist for every show — booth build, shipping, travel, exhibitor basics (A/V, electrical, furniture), signage, and swag — with every deadline backed into the calendar the moment an event is confirmed
- Lock in exhibitor basics, vendor orders, and travel/hotel bookings well ahead of deadlines — never day-of or day-before
- Proactively flag any timeline risk, vendor delay, or resource gap as soon as it's identified, not after it's already compressed the runway
- Maintain a standing punch list per event that is visible to stakeholders without needing to be asked for it
Vendor & On-Site Coordination
- Own all vendor relationships for a given event: catering, signage/branding, A/V, booth build, and swag — including confirming appointments, chasing deliverables, and resolving issues without escalation unless truly necessary
- Serve as the on-site point of contact during setup and teardown, capable of troubleshooting logistics issues independently
- Confirm all orders (signage, apparel, printed materials) against actual event requirements before purchasing, to avoid incorrect or unusable orders
Budget Management
- Maintain a single, organized master budget tracker across all events with accurate forecasts and actuals, updated continuously — not reconstructed on request
- Provide clear, itemized budget estimates at event kickoff, with named vendors and real costs rather than placeholders
- Flag any budget variance or overage immediately, with a clear explanation of the driver
Experiential Design & Creativity
- Design experiences that make the brand feel intentional and differentiated, not generic — booth layout, attendee flow, interactive moments, and team engagement points
- Identify opportunities for memorable, shareable moments (photo-worthy setups, unique activations, standout swag) that give attendees a reason to talk about and recommend the booth
- Balance experiential ambition with cost discipline — creative ideas are evaluated against ROI and budget limits before being greenlit
Cross-Functional Handoffs & People Coordination
- Ensure post-event lead lists are fully structured, documented, and routed to the marketing/SDR team immediately after each event — no reliance on voice notes or incomplete context
- Proactively loop in the right internal stakeholders (marketing, sales, leadership) at event kickoff and at key decision points, and ensure they're present for critical planning conversations
- Coordinate speaking session submissions, workshop logistics, and sponsor/exhibitor portal requirements so nothing is missed or submitted late
- Set up and maintain event-specific communication channels (e.g., Slack) proactively at kickoff
Event Kickoff Standards
- Run a structured kickoff for every event that establishes logistics scope, budget, staffing needs, and a full deadline map
- Surface any resource, access, or support needs (systems, approvals, staffing) at kickoff — not in the final weeks before the event
What Success Looks Like
- Zero missed vendor deadlines, exhibitor confirmations, or shipping windows
- A single, always-current master budget tracker with no need for anyone else to rebuild or audit it
- Lead lists and event recaps delivered within 48 hours of event close, fully structured and ready for follow-up
- No last-minute travel bookings, no day-of vendor scrambles, no unresolved punch list items at event start
- Leadership needs to check in on status, not chase it
- Attendees talk about our events, share photos, and recommend our booth to peers
Qualifications
- 7+ years managing B2B trade shows, conferences, or field events, ideally in a fast-moving SaaS or tech environment
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal oversight — this role requires someone who anticipates next steps rather than waiting for instructions
- Strong vendor management track record: negotiating timelines, catching issues early, and holding vendors accountable
- Rigorous budget management experience, including forecast-to-actual tracking across multiple concurrent events
- Excellent written communication — comfortable producing clear punch lists, status updates, and documentation
- Proven reliability under time pressure, with a track record of hitting fixed, non-negotiable event dates
- Experience coordinating cross-functional stakeholders (sales, marketing, leadership) and ensuring smooth handoffs, especially around lead data
- Comfortable traveling and working on-site for event setup/teardown as needed
- Global/remote coordination experience, including working across time zones
- High personal accountability and professionalism — reliable equipment, reliable connectivity, and reliable follow-through are baseline expectations, not asks