Conference Director- GDC Festival of Gaming

Overview Informa Festivals marks an exciting new chapter in B2B events, bringing together some of the world's most influential creative, technology and business festivals. We combine prestigious events like Cannes Lions, Black Hat, Money20/20, GDC, and London Tech Week with cutting-edge marketing intelligence platforms and advisory services to deliver unmissable experiences and insights. Our festival-led approach reimagines traditional B2B events, creating immersive experiences that drive innovation and industry advancement, powered by Informa's international reach. This role is based in our Santa Monica or San Francisco office. The Conference Director for Informa Festivals Gaming will lead the strategic vision, development, and execution of all live events serving the global game development community. This role encompasses oversight of the GDC Festival of Gaming as well as regional GDC-affiliated conferences worldwide and a portfolio of executive-focused gatherings. Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Innovation Develop and execute the strategic vision for Gaming group live events, including the GDC Festival of Gaming, regional conferences worldwide, and executive-focused gatherings Drive innovation in event formats, content delivery, and attendee experiences to meet the evolving needs of the game development community and maintain GDC's position as the industry's premier professional gathering Establish key performance indicators and success metrics while partnering with the operations team to ensure seamless event execution Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration Lead, mentor, and develop a team of conference producers, empowering them to leverage their deep community expertise and fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement Manage team workloads, project timelines, and content budgets, making strategic trade-offs to ensure successful event delivery within financial parameters Collaborate closely with the editorial team at GameDeveloper.com to ensure cohesive content strategies across live and digital platforms Partner with marketing, sales, operations, and regional teams to align on business objectives and deliver exceptional event experiences Content Strategy & Community Engagement Work with conference producers and the advisory board to curate compelling, relevant programming that addresses the game development community's needs across all disciplines, career stages, and emerging industry trends Cultivate and maintain relationships with key industry leaders, studios, sponsors, platform holders, and community stakeholders to secure high-quality speakers and strategic partnerships Serve as an ambassador for GDC and affiliated events, representing the brand within the game development community and identifying new opportunities for engagement Qualifications Experience & Expertise 7-10 years of progressive experience in conference/event management, game development, or a combination of both 3+ years of team leadership experience, with demonstrated success in building and managing high-performing teams Proven track record of delivering large-scale professional events or managing complex game development projects with multiple stakeholders Strong understanding of the game development industry, including development processes, business models, emerging technologies, and community dynamics Skills & Competencies Exceptional strategic thinking and planning abilities with strong execution skills and a data-driven approach to decision-making Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences from indie developers to C-suite executives Demonstrated ability to curate compelling content and identify industry trends that resonate with professional audiences Excellent project management capabilities, including managing multiple concurrent events, budgets, timelines, and resources in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment Collaborative mindset with experience working across multiple departments and stakeholder groups Logistics Willingness to travel domestically and internationally Ability to work extended hours during peak event periods Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with GDC or other major game industry events (as attendee, speaker, organizer, or sponsor) Background in both conference production AND game development, providing dual perspective on community needs and event execution Established network of relationships within the game development community, including studios, platform holders, service providers, and industry organizations Experience launching or scaling new event properties or expanding existing events into new markets Experience working in a matrixed organization with multiple stakeholder groups Benefits & Additional Information Informa benefits include health, vision, dental insurance, retirement plans, and wellness programs Flexible working arrangements and opportunities to work from home or remotely when not required on-site Salary range: $120,000 - $140,000 based on experience This posting will automatically expire on August 14, 2026 We are an Equal Opportunities Employer. We base decisions on qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on protected characteristics. See our website for full information. #J-18808-Ljbffr Informa