Events Account Manager

The Events Account Manager will act as the single internal commissioning and strategic interface between Co-op Wholesale and its appointed end-to-end events agency partner, to ensure that all B2B wholesale events (owned events, partner events, industry events and virtual formats) are strategically aligned, commercially effective, and delivered to brief.

Accountable for shaping and driving a commercially led events strategy for Co-op Wholesale, ensuring events are not only engaging and high quality, but also financially sustainable and profit generating.This role will move events from a cost centre to a commercial engagement channel, aligned to Wholesale growth ambitions and customer diversification

This role does not deliver events operationally. Instead, it works with our strategic events agency partner to shape requirements and set direction; governing delivery and evolving the long-term events strategy in line with the wider CX and business transformation.

Event Strategy & Direction

• Shape and evolve the Wholesale B2B Events Strategy, aligned to CX objectives, commercial priorities and customer segmentation
• Support the development and ongoing refinement of a 3-year events and engagement roadmap to support growth, retention, proposition adoption, brand positioning and sentiment
• Own a commercial events model that leverages supplier and partner income to fund and offset event costs
• Work with Commercial, Media Centre and Supplier Engagement teams to:
  • Identify sponsorship, media and partnership opportunities linked to events
  • Build integrated supplier packages (e.g. event presence, content, media, insight)
  • Ensure events are designed with clear revenue and ROI objectives, not just attendance or experience metrics
• Identify opportunities to modernise formats and extend reach (e.g. virtual events, webinars, hybrid experiences)

Commissioning & Briefing

• Translate business priorities into clear, outcome led event briefs for the agency
• Ensure briefs articulate:
  • Target audience and customer segment
  • Desired behavioural or commercial outcomes
  • Success measures and ROI expectations
• Holding the strategic events agency accountable for:
  • Proactively proposing revenue-generating formats
  • Optimising event cost structures
  • Delivering value for both partners and the business

Agency & Contract Management

• Act as the day-to-day client lead for the strategic events agency
• Manage performance against contract, SLAs and commercial agreements
• Ensure quality, consistency and brand alignment across all delivered events
• Support annual contract reviews, commercial discussions and future scope evolution

Governance, Planning & Prioritisation

• Own and maintain the annual Wholesale Events Calendar, ensuring alignment across teams
• Proactively seek and suggest opportunities across the business for new event/engagement formats/opportunities 
• Balance competing demands and ensure events are prioritised based on impact and capacity
• Provide governance over event approval, ensuring alignment with CX strategy and budget guardrails
• Ensure learnings and insights are captured and fed back into future planning

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with:
  • CX Leads
  • Sales, Retail and Proposition teams
  • Senior Leadership Team (as required)
• Ensure stakeholders are aligned on purpose, expectations and outcomes, (not delivery mechanics)
• Support senior forums with concise updates, recommendations and insights against:
  • Event objectives 
  • Profitability/cost-to-serve
  • Return on investment and future income potential

Insight, Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Define success measures for different event types (e.g. engagement, conversion, pipeline, sentiment)
• Review agency led post event reporting and translate insights into recommendations
• Use insight to inform future event formats, targeting and investment decisions

Succeed together: Collaboration is key in this role. Working effectively with colleagues, partners, and the strategic events partner ensures that all engagement efforts are coordinated and support the overall business objectives.

Do what matters most: Focusing on delivering high-impact engagement that drive loyalty, growth, trust and joint value with customers is crucial. Prioritising tasks that align with strategic objectives and contribute to the overall success of the company.

Show you care: Building strong relationships by actively listening, providing support, and ensuring that all events activity reflect the values and interests of all stakeholders demonstrates genuine concern for the needs and goals of customers and partners.

We are true co-operators: Promoting a culture of cooperation and collaboration encourages open communication, shared decision-making, and collective problem-solving to achieve common goals and drive the success of marketing initiatives.

• Shape and evolve the Wholesale B2B Events Strategy, ensuring alignment with CX objectives and commercial priorities. 
• Commission, brief, and hold the strategic events agency accountable for delivering commercially effective and high-quality events. 
• Make decisions on event formats, supplier partnerships, and sponsorship opportunities to maximise revenue and ROI. 
• Govern the annual Wholesale Events Calendar, prioritising events based on strategic impact and available capacity. 
• Approve event proposals and ensure they meet CX strategy, budget guardrails, and commercial objectives. 
• Challenge and optimise event cost structures, driving value for both Co-op Wholesale and its partners. 
• Capture and apply insights from post-event analysis to inform future event strategy and investment decisions. 
• Engage and align stakeholders across CX, Sales, Retail, and Proposition teams to ensure clarity of purpose and expected outcomes. 
• Represent Co-op Wholesale in senior forums, providing recommendations and updates on event objectives, profitability, and future opportunities. 
• Proactively identify and suggest new event formats and engagement opportunities to support business growth and customer diversification.

Essential:

• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate ambiguity into clear direction
• Experience in a strategic coordination, commissioning, programme or partnership role working with agencies or external partners 
• Confident stakeholder management at multiple levels
• Commercial awareness and value-based decision making
• Ability to challenge constructively and prioritise effectively
• Comfortable operating in a transformation environment with evolving structures and objectives

Desirable:

• Experience in B2B engagement, marketing, CX or partnerships
• Exposure to virtual or hybrid event models
• Self starter, proactive and a quick learner
• Understanding of customer segmentation and journey-based engagement

Accountability

• Delivery of specialist work based on subject matter expertise, or leadership of large, complex teams.
• Responsible for developing the right capabilities either individually or within their team, enabling work to be delivered effectively.
• Manages team delivery in accordance with agreed budgets.

Impact

• As a people-leader, takes responsibility for the delivery of work over shorter timeframes, contributing to achievement of the team's annual plan - empowering their team to deliver discrete pieces of work based on agreed processes.
• As an individual contributor, provides thought leadership to help shape the team's response to challenges, and approach to delivery of the short-term plan.
• Supports and promotes a culture of inclusivity through the actions they take.

Co-operation

• Contributes to short-term planning within the team and collaborates with peers to deliver great work that enables the team to succeed. 
• Collaborates with other teams proactively to ensure their expertise helps leaders make the best decisions for Co-op.