Sr. Manager, Strategic Events - Third Party

Job description

Elastic, the Search AI Company, enables everyone to find the answers they need in real time, using all their data, at scale — unleashing the potential of businesses and people. The Elastic Search AI Platform, used by more than 50% of the Fortune 500, brings together the precision of search and the intelligence of AI to enable everyone to accelerate the results that matter. By taking advantage of all structured and unstructured data — securing and protecting private information more effectively — Elastic’s complete, cloud-based solutions for search, security, and observability help organizations deliver on the promise of AI. What is The Role At Elastic, our Corporate Marketing Team designs and executes best-in-class events and experiences that establish Elastic as a trusted advisor to the world's largest organizations. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Strategic Events Senior Manager to own our third-party conference portfolio globally. A collaborative team player with big ideas and the discipline to execute every detail, you'll be the driving force behind how Elastic shows up at the industry events that matter most — from sponsorship strategy through on-site delivery. This role is based in North America, with greater priority given to candidates within the United States. What You Will Be Doing Third-party event strategy: Develop and own a long-range strategy for Elastic's presence at external conferences, tradeshows, and partner events — tied directly to business priorities. Make deliberate, data-informed decisions about where we invest, at what tier, and why, ensuring every sponsorship earns its place in the portfolio. End-to-end execution: Lead every phase of the third-party event lifecycle — from sponsorship evaluation and contract negotiation through booth build, on-site management, and post-event analysis — with the logistics rigor that separates a good event from a great one. Cross-functional alignment: Partner with marketing, sales, and field teams to connect conference programs to pipeline goals. Serve as the connective tissue between sponsorship investment and measurable sales outcomes. Vendor & agency management: Own relationships with event agencies, exhibit houses, and service providers. Negotiate contracts through Procurement, securing competitive terms and all required InfoSec and privacy approvals. Budget & ROI: Build and manage the third-party events budget with a cost-effective mindset. Define success metrics up front, track ROI and engagement, and use those insights to continuously improve portfolio decisions. Risk management: Anticipate what can go wrong before it does. Build contingency plans so the team is never caught off guard — whether it's a last-minute venue change or an on-site logistics challenge. What You Bring Proven Expertise: 10+ years in B2B event marketing with a focus on third-party conference and tradeshow programs, including a track record of owning sponsorship portfolios from strategy through measurement. Executive presence: Comfortable presenting sponsorship strategy and investment rationale to senior leadership, and skilled at translating vision into detailed execution plans. Sales partnership DNA: You understand pipeline, know how conference presence connects to revenue, and have worked closely with field sales and SDR teams to create and accelerate opportunities at events. Operational excellence: The organizational habits, vendor management expertise, and budget discipline to run a complex multi-event calendar without things falling through the cracks. Data fluency: You evaluate sponsorship tiers objectively, define ROI criteria upfront, and use post-event findings to make smarter portfolio investments each cycle. Adaptability: You thrive managing competing priorities across a fast-paced environment, staying calm when plans change and solutions-oriented when they do. Travel: Up to 40% travel, and managing a remote schedule. #LI-JM5 <div class="content-pay-trans