Description

Reports to: Head of Membership Marketing, Insight & Engagement
Directorate: Membership, Marketing & Engagement
Support: Membership, Marketing & Engagement Assistant

Role Purpose

The Programme Manager -Training & Events is responsible for translating ISBA’s strategic objectives for member learning, engagement and value creation into a high-quality, well-executed programme of training and events.

This is a programme management and delivery role sitting within ISBA’s wider member engagement and growth agenda. This is not a purely administrative or logistics-led events role. The postholder will help inform and shape the development of the events and learning programme through delivery insight, member feedback, market awareness and content opportunities, while the overall direction, priorities, target audiences and objectives will be set by the Head of Membership Marketing, Insight & Engagement, in conjunction with the Director of Membership Marketing & Engagement.

The postholder will have primary responsibility for sourcing content, speakers, moderators, facilitators, and external training providers etc. - translating objectives into a coherent schedule of events and learning activity; and delivering that programme to a consistently high standard across the year. The role will cover a wide range of formats and scales, from smaller discussion-based events through to major member events, and flagship industry occasions. This role works across the organization to facilitate training & events at a corporate, directorate, and special interest group level.

This role has support from the Membership Marketing & Engagement Assistant, and works in close partnership with the Strategic Projects Manager, on major initiatives such as the President’s Lunch, where project management support is appropriate.

About ISBA

ISBA is the body representing brand owners advertising in the UK. It provides a single voice for advertisers, supports members through knowledge, network and advocacy, and plays a key role in shaping the development of the advertising industry, and upholding advertisers’ interests.

ISBA’s mission is to help members navigate, shape and succeed in a complex and fast-changing environment, with the strategic priorities of enabling trust & effectiveness, ensuring transparency and aiding future capability.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Development & Delivery:

• Translate agreed strategic objectives for events and training into a coherent, well-paced and well-executed annual programme of learning and engagement activity.
• Help inform programme development by identifying opportunities, themes, content ideas, speaker options, training needs and relevant formats that support member value and engagement.
• Own and manage the operational delivery of the events and training calendar across the year, ensuring it is realistic, balanced, well-coordinated and aligned to wider member-facing priorities.
• Work closely with the Head of Membership Marketing, Insight & Engagement and relevant Director to ensure the programme remains aligned with agreed objectives, target audiences, strategic priorities and success measures.

Content, Speakers & Training Providers:

• Source, secure and manage appropriate speakers, chairs, moderators, facilitators, tand external training providers to deliver high-quality events and learning content.
• Develop and maintain a strong and relevant network of speakers and contributors for ISBA activity.
• Shape event and session content in collaboration with internal subject-matter experts, external contributors and training partners, ensuring that outputs are relevant, engaging and aligned to member needs.
• Ensure the right format, content mix and contributors are chosen for each piece of activity, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all events approach.

Event & Learning Delivery:

• Lead the delivery of events of different sizes, purposes and levels of complexity, including roundtables, member forums, lunch-and-learns, after-dinner speaker events, workshops, larger member events, annual meetings and flagship industry occasions.
• Manage the end-to-end delivery cycle for events and training activity as appropriate, including planning, scheduling, run sheets, speaker liaison, supplier coordination, platforms, attendee journeys, event materials, delivery logistics and follow-up.
• Ensure that events and training are delivered to a consistently high professional standard, with strong attendee experience and effective operational control.
• Work with internal colleagues and support resources to ensure events are effectively coordinated, promoted and executed.

Member Value, Engagement & Continuous Improvement:

• Ensure that learning and events activity supports member value, engagement and retention, rather than operating as a standalone delivery function.
• Monitor registration, attendance, feedback, audience mix and post-event outcomes, using evaluation to improve future programme design and delivery.
• Work with colleagues in Membership, Marketing & Engagement to identify how event and training participation can support broader engagement, relationship-building, member satisfaction and retention.
• Help identify where ISBA’s learning and events activity can improve relevance, reach, quality, consistency or strategic impact over time.

External Event Relationships & Third-Party Opportunities:

• Manage relationships with relevant third-party event organisers, event partners and training providers to secure complimentary or discounted places, member benefits or other collaborative opportunities.
• Ensure external opportunities are identified, assessed, coordinated and communicated effectively where they create value for members and/or ISBA.
• Maximise the quality and relevance of external event and training opportunities available to members, while maintaining good operational oversight of pipeline and allocations.

Team Contribution & Ways of Working:

• Work closely with the Membership, Marketing & Engagement Assistant, delegating appropriate coordination and administrative support tasks while retaining accountability for delivery quality and programme outcomes.
• Works in close partnership with the Strategic Projects Manager where appropriate, to ensure major initiatives are delivered in a timely, aligned and objectives focused manner.
• Collaborate effectively with subject matter experts across ISBA directorates to shape relevant event and training content.
• As a member organisation, be ready to engage with members where required as part of the delivery and management of events, learning activity and wider member experience.
• Work as part of one interdependent team, supporting colleagues where necessary to help deliver ISBA’s wider organisational priorities.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Strong experience of planning, coordinating and delivering events and/or learning programmes in a membership body, trade association, professional services, not-for-profit or similarly stakeholder-rich environment.
• Experience of managing a varied programme of activity rather than one-off events or a fixed pattern of events only.
• Ability to translate objectives into a practical programme of events and learning activity, with strong judgement about format, audience, content and execution.
• Experience sourcing and managing speakers, facilitators, contributors, trainers or external providers.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple strands of activity at once without losing quality or detail.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the confidence to coordinate internal experts and external contributors.
• Good judgement, a proactive approach and a solutions-focused mindset.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to evaluate activity and use data/feedback to improve future delivery.
• Commitment to high standards of attendee experience, professionalism and follow-through.
• Experience in media, advertising, marketing, or publishing events, or a related industry environment.
• Experience of managing both in-person and online / hybrid event formats.
• Experience of working with external training providers or learning partners.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with CRM/event systems, registration tools or digital event platforms.
• Experience of supporting flagship annual events, conferences, member forums or high-profile industry gatherings.

Working Arrangements

• London office-based with expectation of three days in the office each week.
• Wednesdays are an anchor day for all staff.
• Up to two days remote working permitted subject to business needs.
• Some flexibility may be required around event delivery, timings and member-facing activity.
• All staff may be required to interact with members regardless of role.
• All staff are expected to support colleagues across the organisation as part of one interdependent team.