Crain Communications
Overview
Director of Events, Crain Communications
Do you have the skills to fill this role Read the complete details below, and make your application today. Location: Open (Detroit, NYC, or Remote U.S. Preferred) Department: Events & Experiences Reports to: VP, Corporate Events Position Summary Crain Communications is seeking a visionary and results-driven Director of Events to lead the evolution of our B2B events portfolio - beginning with the flagship Automotive News brand and scaling across other verticals, including Modern Healthcare, Ad Age, and Pensions & Investments. This role will be responsible for defining and executing a long-term strategy that enhances audience value, deepens client relationships, and drives revenue growth through best-in-class in-person and virtual event experiences. A major focus will be on customer journey optimization - including registration strategy, Cvent flow design, and seamless onsite/offsite engagement. This individual will partner across editorial, marketing, sales, and product teams to deliver impactful tentpole events, executive gatherings, and new scalable formats. Ideal candidates bring a mix of strategic thinking, event lifecycle expertise, and a passion for delivering measurable results. Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Brand Expansion Develop and execute a multi-year events roadmap for Automotive News, with a clear path to scale across additional Crain brands. Identify opportunities to launch new formats (e.g., regional summits, executive dinners, micro-events) aligned to brand and audience goals. Translate editorial and audience insights into compelling event products. Audience & Customer Experience Design the full attendee journey - from pre-event registration to on-site experience - with a focus on conversion, simplicity, and satisfaction. Oversee registration strategy and execution, including optimization of Cvent builds, ticketing tiers, group pricing, workflows, and reporting. Event Success & Business Growth Develop long-term strategic plans and roadmaps for event growth across key Crain brands, starting with Automotive News. Identify and test new event formats and audience engagement models (e.g., micro-events, regional summits, hybrid formats). Optimize the registration experience across platforms with a focus on ease, mobile experience, and conversion, including the on-site app experience. Drive pricing strategy and campaign planning to increase audience reach and registration yield. Partner with marketing on deployment. Continuously evaluate event performance and industry trends to inform growth decisions and future planning. Content & Production Integration Partner with programming teams to ensure content strategy aligns with audience expectations and editorial positioning. Collaborate with technical production teams on stage design, A/V experience, run-of-show flow, and brand presence. Maintain a strong working knowledge of event operations, vendors, and on-site execution. Stakeholder & Team Leadership Act as the central cross-functional lead for all Automotive News events, managing timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables. Oversee direct reports and collaborate with centralized functional teams (registration, sponsorship, operations, tech production). Implement strong planning tools, workflows, and performance reporting to drive accountability and visibility. Qualifications
10+ years of B2B event experience, with a focus on large-scale conferences, summits, and awards programs Proven ability to scale event portfolios across multiple brands or business units Strong expertise in Cvent (registration, build logic, reporting) and attendee experience design Ability to build high-trust relationships with editorial, marketing, and sales leaders Exceptional communication, time management, and project leadership skills Team-oriented mindset with experience managing direct reports and cross-functional initiatives Understanding of event production, show flow, and on-site execution - but not required to lead logistics directly Strong collaboration expected with partner event directors focused on operations and client services. Preferred
Background in B2B media, publishing, or vertical industries such as automotive, healthcare, or marketing Exposure to executive-level programming and audience development strategies Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana) and data platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Google Analytics) Brand Overview Automotive News has been the go-to place for all the news that is happening among automotive retailers, suppliers and manufacturers. Automotive News, Automotive News Europe, and Automotive News China are created locally and are backed by a global team of editors and reporters, with a commitment to journalistic excellence. For more information, visit www.AutoNews.com. Follow: @Automotive_News About Crain Communications Crain Communications is a leading business news and information company with a portfolio of 24 media brands that provide indispensable coverage and data for professionals globally and across sectors. For more than a century, Crain has delivered trusted insights across platforms. To learn more, visit crain.com. Environmental & Working Arrangements Where you work matters. Employee work location is determined by the needs of the team and may include on-site, hybrid or remote. Travel and field work may be required. Most positions involve non-standard hours and on-call expectations for responding to emails or events. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Equal Opportunity Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities: The contractor will not discriminate based on pay inquiries or disclosures, consistent with 41 CFR 60-1.35(c).
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Director of Events, Crain Communications
Do you have the skills to fill this role Read the complete details below, and make your application today. Location: Open (Detroit, NYC, or Remote U.S. Preferred) Department: Events & Experiences Reports to: VP, Corporate Events Position Summary Crain Communications is seeking a visionary and results-driven Director of Events to lead the evolution of our B2B events portfolio - beginning with the flagship Automotive News brand and scaling across other verticals, including Modern Healthcare, Ad Age, and Pensions & Investments. This role will be responsible for defining and executing a long-term strategy that enhances audience value, deepens client relationships, and drives revenue growth through best-in-class in-person and virtual event experiences. A major focus will be on customer journey optimization - including registration strategy, Cvent flow design, and seamless onsite/offsite engagement. This individual will partner across editorial, marketing, sales, and product teams to deliver impactful tentpole events, executive gatherings, and new scalable formats. Ideal candidates bring a mix of strategic thinking, event lifecycle expertise, and a passion for delivering measurable results. Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Brand Expansion Develop and execute a multi-year events roadmap for Automotive News, with a clear path to scale across additional Crain brands. Identify opportunities to launch new formats (e.g., regional summits, executive dinners, micro-events) aligned to brand and audience goals. Translate editorial and audience insights into compelling event products. Audience & Customer Experience Design the full attendee journey - from pre-event registration to on-site experience - with a focus on conversion, simplicity, and satisfaction. Oversee registration strategy and execution, including optimization of Cvent builds, ticketing tiers, group pricing, workflows, and reporting. Event Success & Business Growth Develop long-term strategic plans and roadmaps for event growth across key Crain brands, starting with Automotive News. Identify and test new event formats and audience engagement models (e.g., micro-events, regional summits, hybrid formats). Optimize the registration experience across platforms with a focus on ease, mobile experience, and conversion, including the on-site app experience. Drive pricing strategy and campaign planning to increase audience reach and registration yield. Partner with marketing on deployment. Continuously evaluate event performance and industry trends to inform growth decisions and future planning. Content & Production Integration Partner with programming teams to ensure content strategy aligns with audience expectations and editorial positioning. Collaborate with technical production teams on stage design, A/V experience, run-of-show flow, and brand presence. Maintain a strong working knowledge of event operations, vendors, and on-site execution. Stakeholder & Team Leadership Act as the central cross-functional lead for all Automotive News events, managing timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables. Oversee direct reports and collaborate with centralized functional teams (registration, sponsorship, operations, tech production). Implement strong planning tools, workflows, and performance reporting to drive accountability and visibility. Qualifications
10+ years of B2B event experience, with a focus on large-scale conferences, summits, and awards programs Proven ability to scale event portfolios across multiple brands or business units Strong expertise in Cvent (registration, build logic, reporting) and attendee experience design Ability to build high-trust relationships with editorial, marketing, and sales leaders Exceptional communication, time management, and project leadership skills Team-oriented mindset with experience managing direct reports and cross-functional initiatives Understanding of event production, show flow, and on-site execution - but not required to lead logistics directly Strong collaboration expected with partner event directors focused on operations and client services. Preferred
Background in B2B media, publishing, or vertical industries such as automotive, healthcare, or marketing Exposure to executive-level programming and audience development strategies Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana) and data platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Google Analytics) Brand Overview Automotive News has been the go-to place for all the news that is happening among automotive retailers, suppliers and manufacturers. Automotive News, Automotive News Europe, and Automotive News China are created locally and are backed by a global team of editors and reporters, with a commitment to journalistic excellence. For more information, visit www.AutoNews.com. Follow: @Automotive_News About Crain Communications Crain Communications is a leading business news and information company with a portfolio of 24 media brands that provide indispensable coverage and data for professionals globally and across sectors. For more than a century, Crain has delivered trusted insights across platforms. To learn more, visit crain.com. Environmental & Working Arrangements Where you work matters. Employee work location is determined by the needs of the team and may include on-site, hybrid or remote. Travel and field work may be required. Most positions involve non-standard hours and on-call expectations for responding to emails or events. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Equal Opportunity Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities: The contractor will not discriminate based on pay inquiries or disclosures, consistent with 41 CFR 60-1.35(c).
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