Senior Experiential Manager - Formula 1

Who We Are

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

Location: London, Sea Containers House

At VML Live, we inspire growth for ambitious brands through sport and entertainment. For more than 25 years, we’ve made it our mission to engage audiences across the world’s biggest sports, major competitions and bespoke experiences. We work solely for brands, and we are rights-holder agnostic, meaning that we won’t compromise on driving the best results and ROI for our clients through their sport and entertainment partnerships.

We are a close-knit, collaborative team with a unique and vibrant culture. Clients value our creativity, our innovative thinking and our strategic, insight-based approach to every challenge. With our HQ in London, based in Sea Containers on Southbank, we have offices in other key worldwide locations and are proud to be part of the VML global network, and a WPP Group agency.

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Experiential Manager to deliver an exciting role with a major F1 team partner. The role will see you working as part of a dynamic agency team managing global activations, partnership rights and assets, digital projects and events for a global client. We are looking for someone who will hit the ground running and create an immediate impact within our agency and across our client accounts.

The Senior Experiential Manager will play a key role within a wider collaborative team of approximately twelve. The core team delivers hospitality programmes at F1 races around the world on behalf of the client, in addition to internal events and F1 team HQ events, as well as consulting on and managing global market partnership activations. Ideally, you should be familiar with and passionate about sports sponsorships and F1, along with demonstrating a solid understanding of brand awareness, sport partnership activations and event delivery, particularly guest hospitality programmes, to a high level.

Key Responsibilities

• Show senior leadership throughout the account team and deliver to the highest standards on behalf of the agency and our client at events
• Demonstrate a solutions-driven focus and think on your feet to prevent problems occurring before they’ve happened
• Support the Account Director in leading and motivating the team to deliver successful Client hospitality programmes and race activations
• Liaise directly with senior client and quickly establish ‘trusted advisor’ status
• Manage, influence and maintain a productive partnership with the core client and regional/end market offices
• Lead key aspects of our client’s global events calendar across the year where required - your events work will involve delivering F1 race hospitality programmes as part of a wider events team so a strong understanding of and experience in hospitality logistics is essential
• Guide the client’s partner agencies to ensure consistency throughout their global events programme and local partnership activations
• Expand our current business relationships by identifying and securing growth opportunities as part of the dedicated client project/s and across the wider business
• Coordinate and collaborate with cross-discipline team members to ensure that all parties are on-track and kept up to date with project requirements, deadlines and schedules
• Prepare status reports by gathering, analysing and summarising relevant information
• Facilitate change requests whilst ensuring that all parties are informed of any impacts to schedules/budgets
• Conduct post-event evaluations for all events, identifying successful, unsuccessful elements and room for improvement
• Management of complex global budgets, negotiations with Clients/suppliers and timely reconciliation of all project/race budgets
• Manage hospitality suppliers (transportation, accommodation, photography) and ensure events are GDPR- and H&S-compliant
• Review client activation proposals and coordinate approvals with key stakeholders including the F1 team
• Manage display / partnership asset requests and accompanying activation plans against partnership guidelines
• Willingness to travel when required and for long periods where necessary

Key Requirements

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English with impeccable attention to detail
• Professional experience and proven track record in full event delivery for major hospitality programmes in sport
• Strong budgeting/finance skills within major events background
• Ability to work independently while delivering high quality work on deadline
• Team player with a positive attitude and ability to lead and inspire a team
• International mindset with ability to operate in global regions simultaneously
• Excellent organisation skills; confident in managing multiple work streams across various projects
• Enthusiasm, energy and an innovative approach to the role
• Confidence and professionalism to engage with clients at a senior level
• Line management experience
• The desire to immerse yourself in our agency environment and to contribute to the wider agency culture

Preferable Attributes

• Familiar with/previous experience working within the F1 world, ideally within a hospitality/events context
• Ability to write and speak a leading foreign language

In addition to the day-to-day, this role offers the opportunity to become a part of an ambitious and hardworking team with a passionate, nurturing and trusting culture. We provide competitive benefits, a flexible working model and initiatives that support your career and wellbeing and enable creativity to flourish including; 25 days holiday (+bank holidays), ClassPass Discount, & Private Medical insurance to name a few.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

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