Event Manager
What the work is
Develops, coordinates and organises services for events such as weddings, festivals, conventions, conferences, exhibitions, concerts and trade shows.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Responds to enquiries concerning services provided and costs for room and equipment hire, catering and related services
- Meets with clients to discuss their needs and outlines package options to meet these needs
- Arranges and coordinates services such as conference facilities, catering, signage, displays, audio-visual equipment, accommodation, transport and social events, for participants
- Organises registration of participants, prepares programs and promotional material, and publicises events
- Negotiates the type and costs of services to be provided within budget
- Hires, trains and supervises support staff required for events
- Monitors events as they take place and resolves issues if they arise
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in an outdoor music and food festival on a fictional riverside reserve, on the morning of opening day. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- The gates open on time, the first act sounds great and everyone is where they should be
- A last-minute problem solved so quietly the crowd never knew it happened
- You stand at the back at sunset and see two thousand people having a lovely time
Hard days
- A storm warning at noon with an evening full of performers still to come
- Suppliers, performers and sponsors each sure their needs come first
- Eighteen-hour days leading up to the event, then a tear-down in the dark
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 172231, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.