ABOUT AFFINITY
Established in 2006, Affinity is a global AdTech company that builds user engagement products spanning branding and performance — for digital media. With 400+ employees and 7 business units (mCanvas, Siteplug, VEVE, AdopsOne, Yield Solutions, NucleusLinks, and Opinary), Affinity creates sustainable, scalable advertising products with a strong focus on user experience and privacy-first innovation.
We are a company of creative and technology-driven mavens on a mission to make advertising engaging. If you want to build your career at the intersection of people, ideas, and impact — we want to hear from you.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Events Specialist will own end-to-end planning and execution of Affinity's event presence — from industry trade shows and sponsored conferences to owned thought-leadership experiences like Affinity Conversations. This is a pure events role; the ideal candidate thrives on creating high-impact, well-orchestrated experiences that strengthen Affinity's brand, generate quality leads, and deepen relationships with partners, publishers, and advertisers across the AdTech ecosystem.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Event Research & Calendar Planning
- Research and evaluate industry events (conferences, trade shows, summits) for strategic fit with Affinity's business objectives and target audience.
- Maintain and own an annual events calendar, flagging key deadlines for sponsorship applications, speaker submissions, and booth bookings.
- Prepare shortlists with data-backed recommendations covering audience profile, expected ROI, cost, and competitive presence.
2. End-to-End Event Execution
- Manage full event lifecycle — from pre-event planning and logistics to on-site coordination and post-event wrap-up — for both third-party events and Affinity-owned IPs.
- Oversee booth setup, branded installations, AV coordination, and on-site event activations.
- Ensure seamless attendee experience at Affinity-hosted events, managing invitations, RSVPs, run-of-show, and on-ground operations.
3. Budget & Cost Management
- Build and manage event budgets; negotiate with vendors to drive cost efficiency without compromising quality.
- Track actuals vs. budget in real time; maintain detailed cost records and submit timely expense reports.
- Identify cost-saving opportunities across venues, production, and logistics.
4. Vendor & Partner Management
- Identify, onboard, and manage vendors including event agencies, production houses, AV teams, caterers, and fabricators.
- Negotiate contracts, define SLAs, and hold vendors accountable to deliverables and timelines.
- Build a reliable vendor ecosystem to enable scalable and repeatable event execution.
5. Event Collateral & Inventory Management
- Coordinate with design and marketing teams to develop event collaterals — banners, brochures, standees, branded merchandise, and digital assets.
- Maintain an organized inventory of all event materials; plan replenishment ahead of the events calendar.
6. Creative Activations & Attendee Experience
- Ideate and propose innovative on-site activations — interactive demos, gamification, experiential touchpoints — that drive meaningful engagement.
- Collaborate with business unit teams to ensure product and brand narratives are compellingly represented at each event.
7. Lead Tracking & Event ROI
- Coordinate with sales and CRM teams to ensure all contacts met at events are properly tagged and entered into the pipeline (open, won, lost).
- Prepare post-event performance reports tracking leads generated, revenue influenced, brand impressions, and qualitative outcomes.
- Provide actionable recommendations to improve future event ROI and justify budget allocation decisions.
8. Thought Leadership & Owned Event IPs
- Support the planning and execution of Affinity's owned event properties (e.g., Affinity Conversations) — including venue selection, speaker coordination, agenda design, and attendee curation.
- Collaborate with external partners, media houses, and industry collaborators on co-hosted events.
- Assist in managing speaker logistics, panel facilitation, and post-event content capture (photography, video, social content).
9. Client & Partner Gifting
- Plan and coordinate client gifting initiatives tied to events, seasonal milestones, and key account moments.
- Research and recommend gift options aligned with client preferences, brand standards, and budget.
- Manage end-to-end procurement, packaging, personalization, and delivery; maintain gifting records.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
Must Have
- 2–5 years of hands-on experience in event management, event marketing, or field marketing — with a clear track record of executing B2B industry events end-to-end.
- Experience managing third-party trade shows/conferences (booth management, sponsorship coordination) as well as owned/hosted events.
- Strong vendor negotiation and management skills; ability to drive quality outcomes within budget.
- Exceptional organizational and project management skills — able to manage multiple events simultaneously without dropping the ball.
- Sharp communication and stakeholder management skills; comfortable coordinating across sales, design, leadership, and external partners.
Good to Have
- Prior experience in AdTech, media, or a B2B tech company.
- Exposure to event performance tracking — lead attribution, pipeline tagging, post-event reporting.
- Familiarity with CRM tools (Salesforce, HubSpot) for lead capture and reporting.
- Experience supporting thought leadership events, panel discussions, or industry roundtables.
- Creative instincts for event activations and brand experience design.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
- Ownership of a growing, high-visibility events function at a global AdTech company.
- The opportunity to shape Affinity's presence at marquee industry events globally — Affiliate Summit, ad:tech, DMEXCO, and more.
- A collaborative, fast-paced culture that values ideas and initiative.
- A front-row seat to the AdTech ecosystem, working alongside seven business units across publisher monetization, branding, and performance marketing.
