canfitpro – Manager of Events & Event Experience

About canfitpro

canfitpro is the largest provider of education in the Canadian fitness industry. Founded in 1993 as a voice for all fitness professionals, canfitpro delivers accessible, quality education, certifications, conferences, trade shows, and membership services. canfitpro's over 24,000 members include some of the world's best fitness professionals, health club operators, industry suppliers, and fitness consumers.

Our passion is our purpose - canfitpro inspires fitness as a desired career and lifestyle to create positive change in the lives of others.

Core Values, Purpose and Vision

At canfitpro, we live and breathe our Core Values of Caring Community, Curiosity, Commitment, Customer Mindset and Cultivate a Passion for Fitness, and we are here for a Purpose: To inspire fitness as a desired career and lifestyle to create positive change in the lives of others. Our vision is aspiring to deliver accessible learning experiences to a global audience, making fitness and mental health a part of personal wellness for everyone.

Job Overview

This role is responsible for developing and leading the Event Experience Team in the successful execution of canfitpro events, including but not limited to online and in-person conferences, trade shows, workshops, and webinars. This role will support canfitpro events across Canada and globally as needed. This role will also collaborate with other canfitpro teams to deliver quality experiences and event logistics.

Key Responsibilities

• Manages the overall planning and execution process of the annual event and meeting schedule including timelines and unique related tasks to meet the needs of professional and business members:
  • Collaboratively determines the event plan, locations, and objectives aligned with the strategic organizational goals.
  • Sources and negotiates new and returning service provider key relationships including suppliers, vendors, and venues.
  • Leads the creative collaboration sessions for planned marketing campaigns related to events.
  • Creates all event creative briefs ensuring brand and message consistency is maintained with integrity capturing key components such as audience details, dates, promotional codes, page/path links.
  • Organizes the onsite responsibilities for staff and volunteer needs including assigning roles, communicating with team leads, and volunteers.
• Collaborates with internal teams based on the event type to achieve annual performance targets for delegate and attendee participation.
  • Works closely with Certification & Education Team to support the space and channel needs to produce a quality learning experience, including event location, venue selection, and streaming solutions.
  • Collaborates with B2B Sales Experience team to determine site selection and needs of the trade show and key sponsorship positions, and the fulfillment of all sponsor & exhibitor entitlements.
  • Supports the Marketing & Communications plan for each Event promotion plan.
  • Participates in monthly All-Staff meetings, and Member Experience Team sales launch meetings sharing promotions, sales targets, and overall product support
• Manages, hires, trains, and develops team members for the successful execution and delivery of high-quality event experiences.
  • Recruits qualified staff to support the needs of the team
  • Assesses the performance, workload, capacity, and competencies team members to align with team goals and expectations
  • Provides mentorship and guidance for role and career development
  • Monitors the documentation, updates, and revision of team processes, policies, use of systems, trainings, and handbooks
• Leads team specific annual budget planning and strategic goals by analyzing historical data and planned strategic initiatives to project monthly financial goals.
  • Formulates reports on annual targets including key performance indicators and other key indicators to influence year-end targets.
  • Provide regular updates to full employee base and key stakeholders.

Communication/Business Relationships

Internal (within the Organization)

Marketing & Communications Team, B2B Sales Experience

Purpose of Communication: To plan and deploy marketing for delegate and consumer attendance at events, and for the fulfillment of purchased booth and sponsorships to support the event cost subsidy.

External (outside the Organization)

Suppliers/Service-Providers, Presenters, Vendors, and Customer

Purpose of Communication: for event execution and delivery including the fulfillment of paid positions, hired service, and opportunities secured related to canfitpro events

Qualifications

Education

Minimum Required: Minimum of post-secondary education or equivalent experience in Event Management

Preferred: Event Management/Planner Designation

Work Experience

Minimum Required: 5+ years in Event Management and Logistics

Preferred: 2+ years in Event Leadership or Event Team management, project management including budgets

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Minimum Required:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong time-management and organization skills
• Able to manage multiple projects
• Computer skills including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Proven ability to train, develop and mentor a team of event planners
• Customer focused and able to work in a collaborative team environment
• Strong people skills and ability to deliver on objectives with a service minded approach
• Must be able to work in fast pace, changing environment
• Must be able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Capable of producing a high volume of quality work, within tight timelines
• High problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Ability to manage vendor and 3rd party relationships
• Experience and interest in the fitness industry is an asset

Preferred:

• Strong listening skills
• Negotiating skills
• Marketing knowledge

Core Competencies

• Developing Direct Reports and Others: Provides challenging tasks and assignments. Holds frequent development discussions. Is aware of each direct report's career goals. Constructs compelling development plans and executes them. Pushes direct reports to accept. Will take on direct reports who require more support and attention. Is a people builder.
• Planning: Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects and sets objectives and goals. Develops schedules and assignments and breaks down work into steps. Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks. Measures performance against goals and consistently evaluates results.
• Motivating Others: Creates a climate in which people want to do their best. Can motivate direct reports and team or project members. Can assess each person's hot button and use it to get the best out of them. Empowers others. Invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility. Makes each individual feel their work is important. Is someone people like working for and with.
• Communication: Clearly conveys and receives messages to meet the needs of Associates and Members. Personally investigates to better understand a situation or determine communication needs. Uses different ways of conveying a message to add clarity and meaning to communications. Expresses ideas effectively; Thinks through the message in advance and organizes the message in logical flow.
• Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of both internal and external customers. Gets customer information and uses it to help improve our products and services. Acts with the customer in mind. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

People Leadership

# of Reports

• Direct: 3-4
• Indirect: 1

Titles of Direct Reports

• Event Experience Coordinators
• Event Sponsorship & Marketing Coordinator

Physical & Sensory Requirements

• Continuous sitting, use of computer, keyboard and phone – 4 hours at a time per day
• Continuous screen time demanding audio and visual attention – 4 hours at a time per day
• Lifting or moving objects (event/club equipment, weights) – 4 hours / 1 month per year

Working Conditions

• Air travel – 1-4 hours per year
• Road or train travel – 3-4 hours per year

Working Conditions

• Lifting or moving objects (event/club equipment,weights)
• Continuous sitting, use of computer, keyboard, and phone
• Continuous screen time demanding audio and visual attention
• Exposure to conditions that require the use of protective equipment
• Road or Train Travel (Yearly, 3-4 hours)

Perks of working at canfitpro

• To help lead canfitpro in its vision- we aspire to deliver accessible learning experiences to a global audience, making fitness and mental health a part of personal wellness for everyone.
• FREE Fitness membership and discounted membership for friends and family.
• Group benefits plan designed to meet employees' basic and life-changing benefits needs.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lunch & Learns to create and support a culture of learning, unlearning and celebrating our differences.
• You will receive a paid day off during your birthday month every year.
• Your career development is supported through free online learning in all areas of our business and a clear learning path will be personalized for your goals.
• canfitpro provides access to our certifications and continuing education at no cost.
• Employee Recognition Program - Bucket list - Earn coins that can be redeemed for various gift cards.

Compensation:

Canfitpro is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable environment to empower and create access and opportunity for all. We welcome applications from people of all underrepresented groups, including (but not limited to) people of any gender, age, or religion, members of the LGBTQIA2+ community, BIPOC and other underrepresented races and nationalities, veterans and anyone who may contribute to the further diversification of Canfitpro.
Canfitpro is an equal opportunity employer. Upon request, we will make accommodations available during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities.