Manager, Special Events

About Us

vineyard vines is a highly successful, privately held, American clothing and accessory retailer founded in 1998 on Martha's Vineyard by brothers, Shep and Ian Murray. With Shep & Ian still at the helm today, vineyard vines has experienced exponential year-over-year growth and now operates over 120 retail locations including an outlet division, a successful e-commerce business, a domestic distribution center, and an expanding corporate headquarters. In addition, vineyard vines is carried in major department stores such as Nordstrom and Bloomingdales as well as numerous specialty boutiques across the US.

Overview

At vineyard vines, Every Day Should Feel This Good® is more than our tagline—it's the experience we strive to create in every interaction with our customers, partners, and communities. As Manager, Special Events, you will lead the planning and execution of a diverse portfolio of brand experiences that bring the vineyard vines lifestyle to life.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Event Planning & Execution
• Manage the planning and execution of multiple events simultaneously, including:
• Retail store openings and anniversaries
• Collection launches
• Brand partnership activations
• Influencer and creator events
• Press previews
• Wholesale customer events
• Executive meetings and hospitality experiences
• Community and philanthropic events
• Consumer-facing lifestyle activations
• Ensure every event reflects vineyard vines' premium brand standards and delivers exceptional guest experiences.
• Project & Production Management
• Lead event timelines, production schedules, budgets, vendor management, staffing plans, transportation, hospitality, gifting, and onsite execution.
• Partner with production agencies and vendors to ensure projects remain on budget and on schedule.
• Develop detailed run-of-shows, production documents, contingency plans, and event recaps.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with Marketing, PR, Creative, Social Media, Retail, Ecommerce, Merchandising, Wholesale, Product Design, Visual Merchandising, and Talent teams to execute integrated campaigns.
• Cook up deliverables across departments to ensure consistent messaging and seamless execution.
• Vendor & Agency Management
• Manage relationships with venues, production agencies, caterers, entertainment partners, florists, rental companies, transportation providers, photographers, and other vendors.
• Negotiate pricing while maintaining high-quality execution.
• Budget Management
• Manage event budgets and purchase orders.
• Track expenses, reconcile invoices, and identify opportunities for cost efficiencies.
• Support annual budget planning alongside the Director.
• Event Performance
• Collect post-event metrics including attendance, engagement, earned media, social performance, and business impact.
• Prepare event recaps and recommendations for future improvements.
• Team Leadership
• Provide guidance and mentorship to the Events Coordinator.
• Support freelance staff and onsite event teams during execution.

What You Bring

• 5–8 years of experience in special events, experiential marketing, hospitality, or brand activations
• Experience managing multiple large-scale events from concept through execution
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Experience managing vendors, agencies, and production partners
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Strong budgeting and financial management experience
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and solve problems quickly
• Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends as business needs require