Manager, Hospitality

The purpose of this role is to plan and execute the Events strategy. This role will research and secure venues, plan and manage our events' calendar, negotiate quotes and agreements with vendors, assist with event marketing, monitoring timeframes and budgets, networking and deliver on event brief objectives. Focus on amplifying brand visibility, enhancing client and employee relations and improve our organisation's growth through events that effectively communicate business strategy and brand personality. Job Description: About Dentsu Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end‑to‑end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society. MKTG Sports & Entertainment is an important part of our world‑class offering. MKTG Sports & Entertainment is a global integrated agency that harnesses the power of sports and entertainment to impact human behaviour through meaningful marketing solutions and experiences. Our key differentiator is “knowing people better than anyone else” and using deep consumer insights to establish powerful connections between sports properties and brands. Across strategy, measurement, content, hospitality and events, we connect the sports and entertainment industry and companies around the work to deliver meaningful marketing solutions and experiences that are truly differentiated. The experiences that we create engage customers, build memorable brands and deliver value. We are part of Dentsu Sports International, a newly formed global sports network comprised of MKTG Sports + Entertainment, dentsu Sports Analytics and dentsu Sports. The Role An exciting opportunity for an experienced Events Manager to play a leading role in delivering a major sports sponsorship activation at one of the most prestigious events in the European sporting calendar, the UEFA Champions League Final (UCLF). You will take ownership of a Partner off‑site gala dinner (Business Forum), for C‑Level customers and Hosts on the Friday ahead of the Champions League Final and a standout moment in the Partners UCLF Guest programme. You will work on concept to execution, working collaboratively with the client and production agency to create an exceptional event execution. You will be responsible for leading the planning, production, and delivery of the Business Forum Event, a key event on the Friday night pre‑Champions League Final for over 200 guests. Manage the venue, catering and logistics of this event and technical development of the space, ensuring brand alignment and an outstanding guest experience, this will be alongside a chosen Production / Build agency. Liaise with client stakeholders, agency partners, suppliers, and UEFA operations teams on all elements. Manage timelines, budgets, and on‑site delivery to the highest standards. Ensure all safety, and compliance requirements are met. Oversee staffing plans for the event, ensuring all operational processes are robust and well‑briefed. Manage post‑event reconciliation and reporting for the Business Forum. Maintain effective communication with internal teams, suppliers, and the client to meet all deliverables, including support in other areas of the programme pre‑planning (as required) and onsite during the UCLF. Uphold professionalism under pressure, ensuring smooth execution from planning to event close. About You You’re excited by the challenge of working on award‑winning sports sponsorship projects and are passionate about delivering brilliant solutions for clients. You specialise in event management, supplier and stakeholder management, and have a strong track record in client servicing. You combine attention to detail with creative flair, and you take pride in delivering excellence, even under pressure. You enjoy being part of a close‑knit team, but you’re equally confident working independently, managing your own workload, and meeting tight deadlines. You thrive in fast‑paced environments where professionalism, initiative, and precision are key to be able to deliver this we need you to have: Proven experience in a similar role, managing mid‑large‑scale event production and creating private brand events. Experience working on major international sports events on behalf of sponsors or rights holders, ideally within football/UEFA projects. Outstanding organisational and planning skills to manage tight deadlines and UEFA approval processes (as required). Confidence working with senior client leads, rights holders, and brands. Confidence to present concepts, plans, and designs to clients. Proven ability to own logistics for both staff and guest movements, including accreditation and staff briefings. Ability to develop schedules and timelines, ensuring budgets are met and deliverables stay on track. Skilled at coordinating suppliers, maintaining quality and consistency across all production elements. A technical thinker, able to advise clients and partners to achieve best‑in‑class solutions. You will report directly to the Finals Director and play a key role in achieving operational excellence and delivering a world‑class guest experience during the UCL Finals in Budapest. A few of the benefits You’ll have a great compensation package, private health & dental insurance, corporate discounts and career development through Dentsu University, and free access to LinkedIn learning. 29+ days of annual leave (25 days of regular holidays, birthdays off and 3 additional wellness days). We also offer the opportunity to volunteer for up to 2 days per year and tend to close down the agency between Christmas and New Years. You’ll have a hybrid working schedule, with flexible start/end hours. Inclusion and Diversity At Dentsu, we embrace diversity and inclusion, valuing the unique perspectives and contributions of every individual. We believe that diversity fuels creativity and innovation, benefiting our employees, partners, and communities. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. Beyond recruitment, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We recognize the importance of work‑life balance and are open to discussing flexible working arrangements for all roles. If you need reasonable adjustments due to a disability or medical condition during our recruitment process, please contact us at accommodations@dentsu.com, quoting the reference number of the role that you are applying for. Your needs will be handled with respect and confidentiality to ensure an inclusive and accessible experience. Location: London Brand: Mktg Sports Time Type: Full time Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term) #J-18808-Ljbffr