Event Operations Director

Location: Sydney CBD, Australia

Reports To: Head of Marketing, Communications and Events

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days in-office, 2 days remote)

Salary Package: $110,000 – $130,000 + superannuation (depending on previous experiences)

About Us

Private Wealth Network (PWN) is a leading membership organisation for individuals and families with significant wealth. We curate high-calibre forums, experiences, and conversations that support our members in navigating the complexity of meaningful wealth.

We are seeking an exceptional and experienced Event Operations Director to lead the strategy, design, and delivery of world-class event programs. This is not a logistics-focused role — it is for a seasoned professional with a proven track record in designing compelling programs, curating thought-provoking topics, and working with high-level presenters, combined with hands-on experience managing and delivering large-scale events and conferences.

The ideal candidate will bring experience producing large professional events and experiences, most preferably within the private wealth or family office sector. They will combine a passion for programming and events with clear communication, creativity, and a driven mindset to deliver experiences that engage our high-net-worth community and drive strong commercial outcomes.

Role Overview

The Event Operations Director is responsible for developing the content, structure, and intellectual direction of PWN's national and international event calendar. This includes curating themes, designing formats, and selecting speakers who can deliver meaningful insights to our members.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives on content leadership and relationship management — ensuring each program is not only flawlessly executed, but also intellectually engaging, commercially successful, and aligned with PWN's mission. It is also a unique opportunity to create truly memorable events for PWN members, collaborate with world-class speakers, and contribute to our international insight tours held in destinations across the globe.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Expert program design — shaping engaging content and formats that resonate with senior, sophisticated audiences.
• Project Planning – developing budgets and milestones for multiple portfolios events simultaneously and working with different teams to deliver
• Speaker curation and engagement — sourcing, briefing, and supporting high-calibre contributors from diverse backgrounds.
• Clear, elegantly tailored communication — articulating vision and objectives to diverse stakeholders with authority and grace.
• Quick thinking under pressure — navigating schedule changes, AV glitches, or VIP requests with calm resourcefulness.
• Creativity within constraints — enhancing the experience while working within strict budgets and brand frameworks.
• Dependability and precision — consistently delivering with accountability and grace.

The role is supported by an Event Coordinator who manages logistics and delivery components as well as teams in different cities across Australia, New Zealand and other destinations around the globe.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Strategy & Design: Develop thoughtful, engaging, and original event programs that align with PWN's mission and member needs.
• Content Leadership: Create compelling themes, formats, and discussion topics with intellectual depth and audience value.
• Speaker Curation: Source, engage, and brief a diverse range of high-calibre speakers and contributors, locally and internationally.
• Commercial Outcomes: Collaborate with sponsorship and membership teams to drive ticket sales, sponsorship success, and overall ROI.
• Stakeholder Management & Communications: Act as a central communicator, keeping internal teams, speakers, and external partners aligned, informed, and inspired throughout the event lifecycle.
• Progress Communication: Provide regular updates on event progress, deadlines, and expectations.
• Event Production Oversight: Partner with the logistics team to ensure seamless end-to-end delivery on event day.
• Budget Management: Oversee budgets related to programming and speaker engagement, ensuring effective financial stewardship.

Required Experience & Skills

• Minimum 5 years' direct experience in programming and producing content for large-scale professional events.
• Proven experience managing large industry conference production, ideally within the financial services, private wealth, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to design event programs end-to-end — identifying themes, selecting speakers, and shaping discussion topics.
• Proven track record of creating high-impact programs with measurable commercial and audience outcomes.
• Team-oriented and calm under pressure, able to build strong relationships and work effectively across diverse internal teams and external partners.
• Clear and persuasive communication skills — able to articulate vision and objectives across diverse stakeholders with authority and elegance.
• Experience working cross-functionally and managing multiple stakeholders, with exceptional coordination and relationship-building skills.
• Strong understanding of financial services, family office, or adjacent sectors preferred.
• Excellent editorial, storytelling, and presentation abilities.
• Ability to think creatively while managing competing deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and interpersonal sensitivity when engaging high-profile individuals and sponsors.
• Financial acumen, including program-related budget management.
• Passion for programming and events, with a driven mindset from concept to execution.
• Dependability under pressure, consistently delivering with precision, grace, and accountability.

Required with Application:

Please submit a list of events and programs you have designed or produced, outlining the themes, audience, speaker calibre, and outcomes of each.

What We Offer

• Competitive Salary Package: $110,000 – $130,000 + superannuation (depending on previous experiences)
• Flexible Hybrid Work: 3 days in Sydney office, 2 days remote.
• Growth Environment: A team committed to excellence, learning, and shared success.
• Collaborative Culture: A trusted, values-aligned organisation where your contributions have direct impact.
• International Opportunities: The chance to work with world-class speakers and contribute to PWN's international insight tours across the globe, alongside delivering memorable events for our Australian membership.
• End-of-Year Recharge: Additional paid leave over the holiday period.