Director, Events & Experiences

The Role 

The Director of Events & Experiences is a key role at GTI reflected by our growing business and continued focus on bringing our brands to life through experience-driven patient, customer, and industry events. The Events & Experiences team is the single source of procuring, planning and execution for all GTI partnerships across all brands (e.g. beverage, flower, etc.), all in the name of generating impactful brand exposure and recognition. 

This role will be an integral part of every major component to GTI’s experience-driven events in key national and regional markets. The Director will be the lead point of contact for many partnerships and relationships simultaneously, both internal and external. This role will act as primary decision-maker for the larger-scale events that GTI hosts, such as Bud Ball (multi-markets) and Miracle in Mundelein, which will include managing the planning, processes and SOPs associated with each event, including coordinating with our external partners, regional commercial teams, and GTI’s functional teams including Retail Operations, CPG Operations, Creative, Brand and Commercial Marketing. This role will also have the added responsibility of managing the overall pipeline and all events and experiences on a calendar to be shared with GTI leadership on a recurring basis, including actuals-to-budget reporting. 

Given varied support available within each region, this role will flex between shepherding events/sponsorships from inception through execution (E.g. Rythm Bud Ball, Miracle at Mundelein, Rythm Artist Series, etc.) and coordination of events/sponsorships that will be executed locally (e.g. local festival sponsorships, RISE ‘celebrity’ drop-ins, etc.) 

The Director will report directly into the VP – Brand Equity, with significant visibility to the CEO and broader Executive Leadership Team. This position requires a solution-focused creative problem solver, brand builder, organization executioner, active thought-provoker, and on-the-ground leader with the experience, excitement, and passion for developing meaningful and impactful customer, patient, and industry event-based experiences and fostering long-term brand partnerships. 

Responsibilities 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic vision for all company-sponsored events and experiential marketing initiatives, aligned with brand goals and industry trends. 
• Lead and manage the in-house Events & Experiences team, fostering a creative and collaborative environment.  
• Build and manage a national event and experiences calendar across markets, ensuring a robust cadence of activities across markets to build our brands and customer engagement 
• Communicate and push calendar notifications to cross-functional department leaders and teams (Sales, Brand, Procurement, etc.) so everyone stays fully aligned 
• Oversee large-scale event planning from inception through execution in market for Bud Balls, Miracle at Mundelein, and other large-scale events, inclusive of overall event vision, timeline development, checklist execution, vendor coordination, partnership agreements, asset/swag ordering, and tactical execution of all activities to bring the event to life 
  • Partner with regional teams to assess and coordinate with local support available 
  • Supervise run of show and delegate appropriate tasks within and outside the team 
  • Lead post mortem on events to deliver feedback to senior leadership that will be the key to optimizing this experimental team’s role and function  
• Create event and program budgets to maximize impact and reach of spend, while closely tracking and monitoring financials to allow for robust after-action reviews to assess ROI. Must be able to adjust budgets in real-time to compensate for constantly changing business goals and brand portfolio focus areas. 
• Partner with CPG Brand and Retail Marketing teams to align on needed assets, POS, and any merch/giveaway items, ensuring that brand team-led creative briefing is aligned to objectives 
• Support event executions live and in person, including travel that may occasionally be short notice, as needed  
• Collaborate with Commercial General Managers (CGMs) and Regional Marketing Managers from each market to identify priorities, opportunities, and areas of national support 
• Collaborate with centralized teams (such as Retail Operations, CPG Operations, Creative and Brand Marketing) to adjust calendar on the fly for various timing requirements and needs from each function 
• Analyze event performance metrics, attendee feedback, and industry data to improve future initiatives and maximize ROI 
• Build and maintain relationships with industry partners, influencers, and vendors to enhance event opportunities and brand visibility 
  • Oversee influencer outreach initiatives, creating ongoing relationships with key brand partner talent    
• Serve as a central coordination point for external partners by leading communications with partners, developing timelines, and providing updates to ensure external and internal teams remain aligned  
• Constantly be on the lookout for events and cultural moments in key markets for potential  
• Identify and assess event venues for potential opportunities to represent our brands as part of new experience-driven partnerships and sponsorships 
• Partner with Creative team for all content planning and coordination, as well as publishing direction and timelines for social media distribution 
  • Be lead communicator and collaborator with external fabricators, including leading the design briefs and scope of work 
• Lead consumer event on-site sales initiatives, coordinating with hemp operations and DTC teams   

Qualifications  

• A high integrity individual who understands that working in the Cannabis industry comes with greater scrutiny and therefore requires a higher level of compliance with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of Green Thumb 
• Bachelor’s degree required 
• 10+ years’ experience in a events and experiential marketing 
• Ability to lead and train a full team, including a wide array of part-time field ambassadors, in a typically high-turnover market. 
• Strong organization planning & project management skills, including ability to consistently communicate project details and adjustments to multiple partners at once 
• Passion for customer service and belief in the power of events to build our brands and engage our patients, customers, and trade partners 
• Track record of developing, planning, and executing impactful small through large-scale events 
• A thorough understanding of consumer and trade marketing strategies and experience developing and adapting programs to fit local needs 
• Ability to think strategically and creatively and connect high-level strategic objectives to tactical program and event needs 
• Knowledge of local on- and off-premise cannabis market, including local laws and statutes 
• Strong budget management skills with previous budget management and oversight experience 
• Ability to gain and maintain an in-depth understanding of target consumer and market trends  
• Compliance with all standard safety requirements and guidelines. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc.) 
• Strong communication skills – written and verbal 
• Highly motivated, self-directed, innovative and able to work independently or among teams with keen judgement, common sense, and resourcefulness  
• Adapts and thrives in a demanding, fast-paced environment  
• Possesses a high level of critical thinking  
• Operates with a high level of professionalism and integrity, including dealing with confidential information  
• Must understand and comply with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of Green Thumb.  
• Ability to travel out of market overnight multiple times throughout the year, up to 30% 

Additional Requirements 

• Must pass any and all required background checks  
• Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry  
• Must possess valid driver’s license 
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age 
• Must be approved by state badging agency to work in cannabis industry