Events Associate

Job Title: Events Associate People Inc. is seeking an Events Associate to support the planning, development, and execution of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, and additional events within the Food events portfolio. Reporting to the Senior Director of Events, this role will support key event workstreams and special initiatives from planning through on-site execution, while serving as a lead for guest-facing experiences across both events. Responsibilities will span attendee communications, registration, customer service, on-site guest operations, and other initiatives that shape how consumers experience the events. The ideal candidate is a hands-on event operator with a strong hospitality mindset who can move comfortably between big-picture thinking and detailed execution. They are proactive, highly organized, collaborative, and energized by both identifying ways to improve an experience and building the plan to make it happen. Hybrid 3x a week- (New York) In-office Expectations This position is hybrid in-office, with the ability to work remotely for up to 2 days per week. About The Positions Contributions Weight % Accountabilities, Actions and Expected Measurable Results 40% Event Planning & Management Lead assigned event workstreams independently, developing project plans, timelines, budgets, and operational requirements. Coordinate across internal teams, venues, vendors, production partners, and other external stakeholders to move projects forward. Manage timelines and deliverables, proactively identifying risks, dependencies, and solutions. Develop and manage run-of-shows, operational plans, and other event documentation as needed. Support site visits and broader planning priorities across Aspen and Charleston. Travel to and work on-site at both events, taking an active role in event execution and problem-solving. Lead additional event products or special initiatives based on annual priorities and team needs. 30% Guest Experience Champion the attendee perspective throughout the planning process and identify opportunities to improve the guest journey. Lead the implementation of approved guest experience improvements from planning through execution. Own key on-site guest experience workstreams, including pass pickup, guest flow and queue management, wayfinding, guest-facing signage, and on-site hospitality. Lead the operational experience for seminar registration and seminar access, identifying opportunities to improve the process for attendees. Partner with the team to ensure a thoughtful consumer experience across evening events, including arrival, check-in, flow, wayfinding, and other attendee-facing touchpoints. Support VIP and staff hospitality programs, including materials, arrival, and on-site experience. Use attendee feedback, customer service trends, and on-site observations to identify pain points and recommend improvements. Identify opportunities to elevate the attendee experience through new ideas, technologies, and relevant industry best practices. 30% Guest Communications, Registration & Customer Service Develop and execute the post-purchase attendee communication journey, including confirmation communications, seminar registration reminders, Know Before You Go communications, FAQs, schedule updates, and other event information. Manage attendee-facing website content and information, coordinating updates with internal teams and external website partners. Partner closely with Marketing to ensure a seamless transition from the pre-purchase consumer journey to the post-purchase attendee experience. Support the day-to-day relationship with ticketing and registration platforms, including setup, attendee-facing functionality, testing, and quality assurance. Manage customer service inquiries and coordinate responses and escalations across internal teams as needed. Monitor recurring questions and areas of confusion and translate those insights into improvements to communications, digital resources, registration processes, or on-site operations. Support the evaluation and implementation of future guest-facing digital tools and technologies. The Role’s Minimum Qualifications and Job Requirements Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in Event Management, Hospitality, Marketing, Communications, or a related field. Experience: 2-3 years of experience in event management, experiential marketing, hospitality, guest experience, or a related field, ideally supporting premium consumer-facing events or experiences. Demonstrated experience independently managing event workstreams from planning through on-site execution. Experience managing multiple projects, timelines, vendors, and stakeholders simultaneously. Experience working cross-functionally in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. Comfort working with event technology, registration platforms, websites, or other customer-facing digital tools. Experience managing on-site event operations and troubleshooting in real time. Specific Knowledge, Skills, Certifications and Abilities Strong event management and project ownership skills with the ability to take a workstream from concept through execution. A hospitality mindset and strong instinct for what creates an exceptional consumer experience. Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience developing clear consumer-facing communications. Strong cross-functional collaboration skills and comfort working with multiple stakeholders. Proactive problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate needs and identify solutions. Curiosity and a continuous-improvement mindset. Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced live-events environment. Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends as event schedules require. Travel Required (Approximate) 15% E-Verify & EEO It is the policy of People Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Accommodation requests can be made by emailing View email address on click.appcast.io. The Company participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: Pay Range Salary New York: $66,300.00 - $68,000.00 Benefits Other compensation may include annual bonuses, and short- and long-term incentives. In addition, People Inc. provides to employees (and their eligible family members) a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, unlimited paid time off (PTO), adoption or surrogate assistance, donation matching, tuition reimbursement, basic life insurance, basic accidental death & dismemberment, supplemental life insurance, supplemental accident insurance, commuter benefits, short term and long term disability, health savings and flexible spending accounts, family care benefits, a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program, 10-12 paid holidays annually, and generous paid parental leave (birthing and non-birthing parents), all of which may vary depending on the specific nature of your employment with People Inc. and your work location. We also offer voluntary benefits such as pet insurance, accident, critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance. About People Inc. #NMG# People Inc. is America’s largest digital and print publisher. Our 40+ iconic and fast-growing brands harness the best intent-driven content, the fastest sites, and the fewest ads to help nearly 200 million people every month, including 95 percent of US women, make decisions, take action, and find inspiration. People Inc. brands include PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Verywell, FOOD & WINE, The Spruce, Allrecipes, Byrdie, REAL SIMPLE, Investopedia, Southern Living and more. #J-18808-Ljbffr Meredith Corporation