Manager, Event Operations

Job Title: Manager, Event Operations 

Location: Toronto, ON - Hybrid Office Set Up (In office for team collaboration on Thursdays and additional days near marquee events)

Salary Range: $70,000 

Start Date: April 14, 2025

Employment Type:  Full Time, Permanent 

Reports to: Associate Director, Event Operations

Do you believe that technology and innovation can solve society’s greatest issues? Do you want to be part of an organization working with some of the biggest companies and innovators in Canada to make meaningful change? If this is you, then read on.

About Elevate

Elevate unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation,  facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace innovation and collaboration. Elevate looks to bring together founders, investors and ecosystem leaders to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy.

We’re Looking For

An extremely organized individual who thrives on multitasking. A strong team player keen to jump in where needed, to collaborate across multiple events and projects while maintaining levity. We are looking for a self-starter with strong attention to detail to add to our team. 

Are you an Excel wizard? Do logistics make you happy? Are you well-versed in AV requirements? Do you have a creative eye? Do you love thinking of new ways to engage an audience? If this sounds like you and you are looking for a team to show off your skills, then keep reading!

Main Responsibilities

• Venue Management & Catering
• • Relationship Management; Manage the relationship with all venues for multiple annual events including TO Live for Elevate Festival and Eatertainment for CIX.
  • Issues Management; Troubleshoot and manage issues that arise with venues and find solutions for our events.
  • Procurement; Lead venue procurement for incremental events meaning research, outreach to plan site visits and initial quoting.
  • Catering; Lead catering planning and procurement for incremental events.
  • Day to Day Planning; Accountable to advancing and coordinating all planning with the venues and leading execution with our venue relationships.
• Partner Activations & Decor
• • Logistical Planning; Lead operational planning with corporate partners and the Operations team for all activations.
  • Union Tracking; Manage the tracking of union costs including revenue tracking in the budget. Manage the relationship with the Meridian Hall IATSE union team and ensure union staff are managed on-site, while regularly reporting to the Associate Director, Event Operations.
  • Decor; Oversee decor planning and procurement for non-Festival events, including CIX.
  • Strategy; In collaboration with the Associate Director, Event Operations, define the activation strategy; Allocations, resources, strategic add-on offerings for partners.
• Signage & Vinyl Wraps 
• • Strategy; Manage the overall signage & wrap strategy for all events including placement, quantity, text copy, etc.
  • Project Management; Work with the Marketing team to ensure all requirements and print deadlines are met in a timely manner, find budget solutions and lead the relationships with our vendors. 
  • Procurement; Lead procurement of all signage, wraps and hardware.
• Logistics & Inventory
• • Event Inbox; Responsible for all communications within the Events Inbox and escalating to the Associate Director, Event Operations, as required.
  • Inventory; Responsible for all event inventory, including proper storage and tracking, as well as packing and moving of inventory for events.
  • Crew Logistics; Lead the operational planning with production for all crew logistics, inclusive of catering, radios, logistics emails, etc.
• People Management
• • Contract Staff; Hire, onboard and manage 1 temporary contract staff for Elevate Festival and support the Associate Director in additional hiring.
  • Management & Oversight; The Manager will be accountable to the successful oversight of the responsibilities of the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Support to the Associate Director, Event Operations in the following areas;
• • Outdoor Planning including permits
  • Budget 
  • Load In, load out and event execution (including physical labour).
  • Creation and development of Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Development and implementation of event execution protocols.
• Complete close out report for all events to capture learnings inclusive of data analysis related to Operational KPIs.
• Report regularly to the Associate Director, Event Operations.
• Assist with other areas of the business, as needed.

Experience

• 3-5+ years of experience in event operations
• 1-2+ years of experience managing individuals and/or a team
• Experience working in roles where problem solving and forwarding thinking were critical skills to success
• Is conscientious and thorough, tactful in tough situations, collaborative and values a transparent working style.
• Experience managing volunteers and volunteer programs considered an asset
• Experience working with theaters and stadiums considered an asset
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work within a budget 
• Effective communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Detail-oriented and demonstrated attention to accuracy
• Willing to work a flexible schedule, as required.

*If you meet some, but not all of these requirements, we still encourage you to apply!

What We Offer

• Paid Time Off: 
• • 10-15 days of vacation 
  • 5 days for sick and mental health days
  • Bonus summer long weekend days 
  • A paid day off on the week of your birthday
  • Team-wide winter closure in-between Christmas and New Years 
• Health benefits (after 3 months probation) that have a zero-dollar deductible and include vision, prescriptions, dental, and paramedical
• A parent-friendly and flexible workplace with flexible hours at the Toronto Design Exchange
• Opportunity to meet and collaborate with some of the biggest names in tech, while collaborating with a team through socials, numerous events, and workshops

Candidates applying for this position must be available to work locally in Toronto. Elevate is unable to support visa applications or immigration support requests.

Interview Process

While this is not all-encompassing for every role at Elevate, we try to follow a process similar to this and all candidates will be notified at every stage who they’ll be meeting with. 

An example process: 

• Step 1: A phone call with one of our team members. In this call, we will cover the basics of the role and our organization, and discuss a high-level overview of your past experiences, goals, and interest in this role.
• Step 2: A video call interview with the hiring manager and a team member or supervisor. In this call, we will be digging deeper into your experience relevant to the role and also provide an opportunity for you to ask more questions and learn about our team. 
• Step 3:  A virtual or in-person meet-up in our downtown Toronto Office with the role’s Hiring Manager and the Director of Events. This is an opportunity to introduce you to the space, talk more about how you’d like to add to our current organizational culture, embody our values, and provide another opportunity for connection. We will also check references at this stage.
• Step 4: Offer.

** We also aim to complete our recruitment process in around 4 weeks, but it is role and job-level dependent. 

Accommodations and Accessibility

Elevate strives to provide accommodations during the recruitment process should candidates request support. Should you require any accommodation, please indicate this on your application and we will try our best to work with you to meet your accessibility needs. For any questions, suggestions or required documents regarding accessibility in a different format, please contact us at accommodations@elevate.ca.

Elevate is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace in which everyone is welcomed, valued, and supported. Please advise of any accommodation measures that would enable you to be interviewed in a fair and equitable manner. If you are a member of an equity deserving community we encourage you to self-identify in your application. Information received in relation to identity or accommodation will be kept confidential. 

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At Elevate, we are committed to building an environment where everyone feels included, valued, and heard. Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are an important part of our everyday working culture. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities and/or people with intersectional identities.

Elevate was founded on land that is the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island. We acknowledge that we are all treaty people and accept our responsibility to honour all our relations.

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside on and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense or historical context: colonialism is current and ongoing, and we need to centre reconciliation in our actions and our work. We encourage our team, partners, and clients to learn about the lands in which they live and to work towards reconciliation.