Event Director

At Clarion, our people are at the absolute heart of what we do.  We’re proud that our core values of PASSION, CARE, IMAGINATION, and TRUST define the way we carry out our work across all of our teams.

If you share our values and want to be a part of a successful, dynamic, and creative global business then we want to hear from you.  

The Opportunity:  

Clarion's Enthusiast department is the home of the UK’s leading consumer events.

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to lead The Baby Show Portfolio; www.thebabyshow.co.uk. The Baby Show runs three times a year at Excel London, Olympia London, and the NEC Birmingham, and attracts over 70,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors. The Baby Show was launched in 2002 and is the market leader in its industry and is one of the best consumer shows in the country.

Key Responsibilities:  

• Hold overall accountability for the day-to-day management of the Baby Show brand, including full P&L ownership and successful delivery of live events.

• Define and articulate a compelling value proposition and annual business plan for The Baby Show, informed by quantitative and qualitative research and developed in close collaboration with Marketing, Commercial and operational teams.

• Lead the annual budgeting process and develop a rolling three-year vision, strategy, and financial plan to deliver agreed growth targets, KPIs, and customer performance metrics.

• Leverage customer insight and market intelligence to continuously enhance sponsor, exhibitor, and attendee experience, while identifying opportunities for innovation, new initiatives, and product launches.

• Project-manage end-to-end live event delivery, aligning cross-functional teams (marketing, sales, PR and operations) around clear timelines, milestones, and success measures.

• Maintain a deep understanding of key market segments, trends, and demand drivers, ensuring these are reflected in the strategic direction and evolution of The Baby Shows.

• Build, maintain, and develop strong relationships with key customers, venues, press and strategic stakeholders, while cultivating relationships with new, high-value prospects.

• Deliver accurate and timely monthly financial forecasts, tracking performance against budget and proactively managing risk and opportunity.

• Lead team development by coaching individuals, strengthening core capabilities, and building a clear succession plan.

Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours:

• Demonstrable experience in a comparable role with accountability for the management and growth of a mid to large-scale Exhibition or Conference.

• A proven, inspiring leader with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to motivate, develop, and performance-manage cross-functional teams.

• Deep passion for, and understanding of, live experiences, customer success, and the commercial dynamics of event-led businesses.

• Deep passion for understanding new sectors, industries, their key players, and future direction.

• Strong track record of managing and growing strategic key customer and partner relationships.

• Highly data-literate, with the ability to translate insight and analytics into actionable decisions that drive product, brand, and revenue performance.

• Clear commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrated through continuous self-development, inclusive leadership behaviours, and proactive management of bias.

• Naturally curious and self-aware, combining humility with a strong drive for continuous improvement and innovation.

• Commercially astute and strategically minded, balancing revenue growth with product development excellence and best-in-class customer experience.

• Highly customer-centric, with a strong focus on feedback, insight, and measurable improvements to increase customer satisfaction and engagement.

• Be presentable, communicative and ready to dive into the industry and grow the brand’s reputation via relevant media interviews and marketing channels.

About Clarion Events   

Clarion Events is one of the world’s leading event organisers, producing and delivering innovative and market-leading events since 1947. (https://clarionevents.com/welcome)   

Clarion Events embrace diversity and equal opportunities in all that we do. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  

Clarion is private equity backed and owned by Blackstone. Blackstone is one of the world’s leading global investment funds, investing capital for the long term in order to build successful, resilient businesses. (https://www.blackstone.com/)    

Our purpose is to deliver exceptional customer outcomes and experiences, by making every connection count.   

Our vision is we want every one of our products to be a market leader in customer satisfaction and delight. 

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays

• End of year wellbeing shutdown (closed for the last week of the year)

• Employees on a permanent or fixed-term contract are gifted an extra day of leave that can be used for a celebration of your choosing, e.g. birthday, Eid, Diwali, etc.

• Summer Hours in August (3pm finish on Fridays)

• Helping Our World (HOW) Days – one paid day per quarter to carry out charity work

• Pension Scheme

• Private Medical Insurance

• Health Cash Plan

• Wellbeing Library (MYNDUP)

• Mentoring Programme

• Season Ticket Loan

• Cycle to Work Schemes

• Free on-site gym and shower facilities

• Free eyesight tests

• Free flu vaccination – offered on site once a year for all employees

Our Values

PASSION

We deliver all our events with passion for people, the environment and businesses. We form connections with those who are just as passionate about what they do as we are. We always strive to exceed expectations and celebrate success. We love what we do, and it shows.

CARE

We care about our people and our products and work tirelessly to achieve lasting connections and satisfaction for ourselves, our customers and the businesses they support. We really get people - everyone is welcome.

IMAGINATION

Everything is possible. We constantly challenge the status quo and create amazing experiences and opportunities. We take huge satisfaction in solving problems. As open-minded and fun-loving people, the sky is our limit.

TRUST

We trust our skills, people and partners to deliver extraordinary events our customers have come to rely on. We support everyone around us and always learn through our experiences. We are honest and straight forward. You can always rely on us.

Equal Opportunities

We encourage employees to be open and confident and recognise that every member of the team makes a vital contribution.

Clarion embraces equality, diversity and inclusion and seeks to promote these principles in all of our business activities.

When recruiting new employees or providing opportunities for promotion, we will:

• Recruit, develop and retain the most talented people, regardless of background, and make the best use of their talents;

• Ensure that no person is unlawfully discriminated against;

• Select the best person for the role based on their skills, qualifications and abilities.

This statement sets out our commitment to equal opportunities and to preventing discrimination in the workplace.