Event Marketing Lead

Position Summary

The Event Marketing Lead is responsible for leading and executing a comprehensive portfolio of North American event marketing initiatives, with a primary focus on dealer and customer events, national and regional trade shows, industry conferences, dealer programs, and customer engagement initiatives. This role serves as a strategic leader within the Event Marketing team, overseeing both portfolio-level planning and hands-on execution of key event programs, including PACE, Partner Summit, Passport to Paradise, and other flagship Hayward events.

Key Responsibilities

• Event Portfolio Management & Execution

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of a diverse portfolio of North American events, including:
• Dealer and customer events
• National and regional trade shows
• Industry conferences and meetings
• Dealer programs and councils
• Regional activations and customer engagement initiatives
• Ensure all events deliver a consistent, high-quality brand experience aligned with Hayward standards.
• Attend and actively support assigned events, providing on-site leadership and operational oversight.
• Manage event logistics, vendor coordination, registration processes, venue relationships, and attendee experiences.

• Flagship Program Leadership

• Serve as a key leader within the Event Marketing team supporting major programs, including:
• PACE
• Partner Summit
• Passport to Paradise
• National and regional trade shows
• Industry conferences and customer events
• Collaborate with team members to ensure consistency, scalability, and best-practice sharing across all event initiatives.

• Event Strategy & Performance Optimization

• Contribute to annual event planning and portfolio strategy to support business priorities and growth objectives.
• Develop recommendations to improve event effectiveness, operational efficiency, attendee engagement, and scalability.
• Utilize Voice of Customer (VOC) feedback, post-event surveys, participation metrics, and business outcomes to measure success and drive continuous improvement.
• Track event performance and support ROI reporting and analysis.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, and Finance teams to ensure alignment across all event initiatives.
• Cook up event messaging, branding, campaigns, product showcases, and training opportunities.
• Support sales teams with event planning, participation, and customer engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with product teams to highlight innovation, education, and product launches.

• Project Management & Marketing Operations

• Manage end-to-end event timelines and project plans, ensuring all deliverables are completed on schedule.
• Create and manage Lytho requests for event-related creative, digital, and promotional assets.
• Work closely with Creative and Digital teams to ensure timely development of event materials and campaigns.
• Ensure compliance with established marketing processes, workflows, and project management standards.
• Maintain visibility, accountability, and organization across multiple concurrent projects.

• Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Manage relationships with agencies, venues, suppliers, and event vendors to ensure quality execution and cost efficiency.
• Support event budget planning, forecasting, and expense management.

• Brand Advocacy & Relationship Development

• Act as a brand ambassador for Hayward and its portfolio of brands.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with dealers, customers, industry partners, and key stakeholders.
• Support customer advocacy initiatives, including:
• Testimonials
• Case studies
• Customer councils
• Referral programs

Qualifications

• Required

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in event marketing, trade marketing, experiential marketing, or related disciplines.
• Proven experience managing large-scale events, trade shows, and multi-event portfolios.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Finance teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage vendors, agencies, and event budgets.

• Preferred

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on execution.
• Data-driven mindset with experience measuring event performance and ROI.
• Experience utilizing project management and marketing workflow tools.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Travel & Work Environment

• Travel required: approximately 20–25%, including attendance at trade shows, dealer events, conferences, and customer programs.
• This is an onsite position working Monday through Friday during standard business hours.
• Flexibility to travel and work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require.
• Frequent interaction with customers, dealers, industry partners, and cross-functional teams both onsite and at event locations.