Director, Event Strategy & Operations
Job Location:
Overland Park, KS - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
The Director Event Strategy & Operations will lead the company-wide events function for QTS including executive-level meetings customer and partner events internal leadership events industry engagements tradeshows site activations and other high-visibility brand moments. This role is responsible for shaping event strategy bringing forward fresh ideas and translating business priorities into events that are thoughtful well-run and aligned to QTS goals.
This leader must be able to think strategically while also operating as a doer. They will own planning logistics run of show vendor coordination budget management executive stakeholder communication onsite execution and post-event reporting. The role requires strong executive presence high professionalism sound judgment discretion and the ability to build trusted relationships across the company.
What You Will Do:
Event Strategy and Creative Leadership
Lead the event strategy for QTS-hosted and attended events ensuring each event has a clear purpose audience business objective and desired outcome.
Bring forward creative executive-ready event concepts that elevate QTS support the brand and create stronger engagement with customers partners employees and communities.
Serve as the events thought partner to Brand Marketing Communications Sales External Affairs and senior leadership teams.
Identify new approaches industry trends and experience opportunities that help QTS show up with more polish consistency and impact.
Executive and C-Level Event Ownership
Own planning and execution for high-profile C-level CEO customer partner and board-facing events including executive briefing needs guest experience run of show and onsite readiness.
Interact directly with executives and senior stakeholders with confidence clarity professionalism and appropriate urgency.
Anticipate executive needs risks sensitivities and decision points before they become issues.
Ensure events reflect the right tone level of quality and business importance for the audience.
Operational Execution and Team Leadership
Lead the centralized event planning team and establish clear swim lanes priorities timelines and standards for execution.
Administer all phases of the event process including planning logistics registration staffing catering transportation audiovisual signage collateral run of show onsite execution teardown and post-event follow-up.
Operate as a hands-on leader who can both direct the work and step in to execute when needed.
Build strong team routines including planning meetings status updates check-ins decision logs and issue escalation paths.
Coach develop and hold team members accountable for quality professionalism responsiveness and follow-through.
Process Reporting and Measurement
Build repeatable pre-event and post-event processes that create consistency across event types and reduce last-minute fire drills.
Develop event intake planning reporting and prioritization tools that help the organization understand workload goals outcomes and resource needs.
Create an event ROI and impact model appropriate to the event type including attendance engagement stakeholder feedback budget performance and business outcomes where available.
Use post-event learnings to improve future planning vendor decisions team resourcing and executive reporting.
Budget Vendor and Risk Management
Manage event budgets vendor relationships contracts negotiations timelines and invoice reconciliation in alignment with QTS policies and processes.
Partner with procurement legal accounting security facilities and other teams as needed to support compliant event execution.
Identify risks and dependencies early provide clear recommendations and manage tradeoffs without losing momentum.
Ensure all events are delivered with strong attention to detail cost discipline and operational readiness.
What You Will Need to be Successful:
Bachelors degree or equivalent professional experience.
10 years of experience leading large-scale corporate events executive meetings customer or partner events conferences tradeshows site activations or similar high-visibility events.
5 years of people leadership experience directly supervising an event planning function or event team.
Demonstrated experience owning executive-level or C-level events from strategy through onsite execution and post-event follow-up.
Experience managing event budgets vendor negotiations contracts timelines logistics and cross-functional stakeholders.
Ability to travel and work outside standard business hours as needed approximately 40% travel.
Nice To Have:
10 years of management experience directly supervising an event planning function and team.
Experience supporting events in a fast-paced high-growth B2B technology infrastructure real estate data center or similar business environment.
Experience with executive briefing customer experience partner engagement community/site activation or board-level event support.
Experience building event processes intake models calendars reporting dashboards ROI frameworks or event playbooks.
Experience overseeing branded merchandise fulfillment vendors executive gifting or promotional inventory programs.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
High level of professionalism executive presence tact diplomacy discretion and judgment in sensitive or confidential matters.
Creative and innovative thinker who can bring new ideas while staying practical about budget timing resources and execution.
Strong operator who is organized detail-oriented decisive and able to manage multiple demands and changing priorities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to brief executives and align stakeholders quickly.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to build productive relationships across all levels of the organization.
Strong team leadership coaching performance management and delegation skills.
Advanced project management skills including timeline management dependency tracking issue resolution and risk mitigation.
Ability to apply analytical and problem-solving skills to event planning team workload budget and post-event measurement.
Commitment to customer service for internal and external audiences.
Ability to operate under pressure deadlines and the demands of a busy office environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word PowerPoint Excel and related presentation database and spreadsheet applications.
We conform to all the laws statutes and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women minorities individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion gender sexual orientation gender identity or national origin age disability status Genetic Information & Testing Family & Medical Leave protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint orally or in writing to the employer or the government or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim.
The Know Your Rights Poster is included here:
The pay transparency policy is available here:
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted
QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process please send an e-mail to and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
Required Experience:
Director
About Company
QTS Realty Trust, LLC is a leading provider of data center solutions across a diverse footprint spanning more than 9 million square feet of owned mega scale data center space within North America and Europe. Through it's software-defined technology platform, QTS is able to deliver sec ... View more
