Events Manager

Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.

Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.

Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.

Job Summary:

Working within Marketing Communications, this role is responsible for supporting and executing the B2B events strategy across in person, virtual and hybrid formats enabling the wider Marketing and Distribution teams to maximise related activity.

The Events Manager will be responsible for effectively managing all external corporate events, conferences and business forums for Canada Life UK in their relations with existing customers and in new client development. To combine both marketing and event elements together, drive the event process from end to end:

• Support strategic planning and alignment in partnership with B2B Marketing and channel owners.
• Event management from inception to completion across in person, virtual and hybrid formats; including research, creation of proposals, all logistics, stakeholder management, feedback and post-event evaluation.
• Managing Canada Life sponsored events programme, including evaluation of opportunities, liaising with publishers, industry organisations and 3rd party suppliers and tracking ROI
• Managing bespoke internal events including Senior Leadership and key colleague moments and various other ad hoc events as and when required.
• Responsibility for creating and managing detailed pre-event and post-event costings. Ensure adherence to budgetary guidelines at all times through, approvals, risk assessments, invoices, expenses etc. prior to processing and/or authorisation.
• Managing the communications process from event recruitment through to post event follow up
• Carrying out site inspection trips and provide on-site management of all events (may involve evening and weekends working on events).
• Ensure and execute compliance of Firm's policies with regards to Governance, Compliance, audit and risk, and finance. Maintain data integrity within the event management database. Production of relevant metrics and manipulation of data from systems accordingly to inform future planning.
• Managing event platform as Marketing business owner overseeing ongoing operational effectiveness.

• Monitoring and reviewing events MI, providing feedback and solutions to increase engagement
• Ensuring event data is transferred into relevant databases
• Maintaining and evolving standardised processes, templates and best practise guidelines to ensure consistent and efficient event delivery.

What You Will Do

• Build and deploy the Canada Life event programme to support strategic and business objectives for our internal and external partners, delivering commercial Marketing for business lines and key partners with a sharp focus on creativity, channel selection and activation.
• To be the primary contact for all event information, planning and co-ordination within the business, and for external event service providers, maintaining and controlling the events calendar in support of all business channels
• Work closely with wider delivery teams, including Distribution, Marketing and Operations, to ensure all event production is co-ordinated effectively and all presenters, delegates are represented appropriately, and where necessary the correct financial promotion approval process has been following for event collateral
• Ensure event activities are targeted according to adviser data held within the CRM and analysis of the event programme is undertaken, with regular management reports.
• To support the wider Marketing team in delivery of cross product marketing and communications projects as necessary, including projects aimed at improving the service provided by the marketing team.
• Own and evolve the end‑to‑end events channel strategy (face‑to‑face and virtual) to support the firm's strategic growth ambitions by generating high‑quality lead opportunities, driving long‑term financial value through efficient, data‑driven planning and measurement, and future‑proofing the channel with insight‑led improvements, technology and best practice.
• Oversee budgeting and financial aspects of events, including cost estimates, negotiation with vendors, tracking expenses, and ensuring events are delivered within budget.

Who You Are

• Demonstrable experience of managing and delivering high quality events from creative brief through to delivery.
• Proven experience of working in an agile environment, partnering with key stakeholders and marketing teams, delivering on brand events in accordance to project timelines and critical key milestones as agreed by the marketing team.
• Proven experience working either in house or agency within a regulated environment. Experience of working within Financial Services and demonstrating working with complex technical copy is essential, working within an intermediated business would be advantageous.
• Contract negotiation and relationship management skills
• Attention to detail, ability to plan and manage business requirements
• Excellent budgeting skills
• Good communication skills to forge effective relationships with key stakeholders (including senior management)
• Ability to manage multiple tasks at one time, be extremely organised, work well under pressure either independently or as part of a team.
• Focussed and deadline driven, to ensure the job is completed to the correct business requirements
• Knowledge of the regulatory procedures to ensure all material produced is compliant and records maintained for audit purposes.

Qualifications

• A relevant business qualification or experience in events and financial services environment desirable

Benefits of working at Canada Life

We believe in recognising and rewarding our people, so we offer a competitive salary and benefits package that's regularly reviewed. As a Canada Life UK colleague, you'll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including a generous pension and bonus scheme, along with, income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance. We have a fantastic number of other benefits and support services as well as regular personal and professional development.

How we work at Canada Life

Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures. Our blueprint behaviours shape and influence how we work, and are central to the relationships we have with others. Every day we are encouraged to be more curious, own the outcome, face into things together and find a way forward.

We want colleagues to have rewarding careers with us so we invest in the development of our people, technology and workplaces. That's why we offer a range of training, flexible working and opportunities to grow and develop.

Diversity and inclusion

Building an inclusive workplace with a diverse workforce where everyone can feel they belong and achieve their potential regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other characteristic is a key commitment for us. We are proud of the progress we're making in DEI, and we continue for it to be a significant focus.

"At Canada Life we believe in the power of great people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives coming together to build better futures. Emerging talent is crucial to our growth and creating an environment that continues to inspire us all." Nick Harding, Chief People Officer, Canada Life UK

We appreciate that everyone has different work and life responsibilities. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements, including part time, for any of our roles should this be a requirement for you.