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Director of Event Content & Programming

New York, NY

The Director of Event Content & Programming is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for shaping the creative direction, content strategy, and business impact of Smartly’s global event portfolio.

This role focuses on programming excellence, speaker strategy, and budget ownership, ensuring every Smartly event, from flagship summits to executive roundtables, tells a cohesive brand story and delivers measurable business outcomes.

As part of a small but highly effective events team, this leader brings deep event, and production experience, and understands how great programming and flawless execution come together. If you’re someone who stays on top of emerging AI trends and has a strong desire to test, learn, and apply new technologies to events, you will thrive in the role. While logistics and operations are owned by other team members, success in this role depends on close collaboration across production, marketing, and leadership teams to deliver high-impact, audience-first experiences.

As a Director of Event Content & Programming at Smartly, you will...

1. Content & Programming Leadership

  • Lead the strategy, design, and execution of event programming across Smartly’s global portfolio, from global summits to customer showcases and partner activations.
  • Define themes, narratives, and creative direction that bring Smartly’s story, values, and product innovation to life on stage.
  • Develop rich, engaging programs that combine thought leadership, customer storytelling, and actionable AI-driven insights for diverse audiences.
  • Lead speaker strategy, identify, secure, and prepare world-class speakers, partners, and internal voices who elevate Smartly’s brand.
  • Collaborate with product marketing, brand, partner, and commercial teams to ensure content aligns with business priorities and audience needs.
  • Oversee agenda design, session flow, and storytelling frameworks to maintain consistency, energy, and engagement across events.
  • Evolve programming formats to keep Smartly’s events fresh and distinctive from interactive sessions to immersive experiences.

2. Budget Ownership & Performance

  • Own the global event budget, from planning and forecasting to reporting, optimization, and ROI measurement.
  • Partner with finance to ensure financial accountability and efficiency across the events program.
  • Define and track key performance metrics, including attendance, engagement, NPS, pipeline impact, and brand lift, leveraging AI-driven analytics to surface trends, forecast performance, and evaluate event success in real time.
  • Analyze post-event data using AI-powered insights to measure outcomes, identify optimization opportunities, and continuously refine programming strategy for greater impact and ROI.
  • Identify opportunities to scale content, increase efficiency, and reinvest strategically to elevate the global events footprint.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Work closely with the events operations and production vendors to bring programming to life seamlessly and on budget.
  • Collaborate with brand, product marketing, demand generation, partner and commercial teams, to integrate events into Smartly’s larger go-to-market strategy.
  • Partner with creative and design teams to ensure on-brand, visually engaging event materials and experiences.
  • Build strong relationships with external partners, agencies, moderators, and speakers to deliver high-quality programming.

4. Leadership & Vision

  • Set the long-term vision for Smartly’s event programming and experience strategy, ensuring innovation and consistency across all events.
  • Stay ahead of emerging AI trends shaping the future of event programming, audience behavior, content development, and production.
  • Mentor and guide team members, fostering creativity, collaboration, and accountability.
  • Stay at the forefront of event and content trends bringing new ideas, formats, and technologies to elevate Smartly’s storytelling.
  • Represent Smartly externally at key events and act as a champion for the brand’s leadership in marketing technology.

We're definitely looking for you if you…

  • 6 –10+ years of experience in event strategy, content programming, and experiential marketing, with 3+ years in a leadership role.
  • Proven ability to develop compelling event content and programming for B2B or technology audiences.
  • Deep understanding of event production, audience engagement, and storytelling, ideally gained in a fast-paced, global environment.
  • Demonstrated success owning and managing large budgets with strong fiscal discipline and ROI focus.
  • Exceptional collaboration and communication skills; able to partner effectively across creative, operational, and executive teams.
  • Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach, equally comfortable concepting big ideas and rolling up sleeves to make them happen.
  • Creative, organized, and adaptable, thrives in a small, agile team delivering high-quality

Success in This Role Looks Like...

  • Smartly’s event programming is known for its originality, insight, and impact.
  • Events consistently deliver measurable results, from engagement and brand lift to pipeline influence.
  • Budgets are managed strategically, with clear visibility into ROI and reinvestment opportunities.
  • Programming and execution run seamlessly in partnership with operations.
  • AI integrated into daily operations including use experimentation and application in programming, operations, and experiences
  • Smartly’s events, from owned experiences to sponsored stages, showcase the brand as a leader in marketing innovation.

Perks & Benefits…

  • Five weeks paid time off (PTO), 11 company paid holidays, unlimited sick days
  • Flexible in-office, hybrid, & remote work options depending on role 
  • Generous healthcare packages & mental health benefits
  • Monthly wellness benefit and learning reimbursement opportunities 
  • 401K plus matching & equity grants for all new Smartlies
  • Volunteer time off days & company donation matching opportunities 
  • Computer (MAC or PC), phone with plan, & Bose headphones 
  • And so much more…

The base pay range for this position is as mentioned below per year, plus annual bonus. We take into consideration an individual’s background, expertise, and experience in determining final salary. In addition to annual salary, Smartly.io’s total rewards provide employees with stock options, medical/dental/vision insurance, retirement savings benefits, parental leave, 5 weeks vacation, unlimited sick days, life insurance and disability benefits. To learn more visit https://www.smartly.io/careers#our-benefits. This information is provided in accordance with applicable law. Base pay information is based on market location.  

Salary in USD : $180,000

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About Smartly

Smartly is the AI-powered advertising technology company transforming ad experiences for brands and their consumers. Our comprehensive advertising platform seamlessly integrates the capabilities of media, creative, and intelligence to power more than 800 billion impressions and generate more than 300 billion creatives annually, delivering tangible business outcomes for brands and advertisers.

Smartly is the only company in the industry recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Creative Advertising Technologies with PwC validating the results it delivers for brands. We manage creative and media for 700+ brands worldwide and $6B in ad spend across the largest media platforms, including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Pinterest, Snap, and TikTok. Our end-to-end technology, unmatched access to media platforms and exceptional customer service help Fortune 500 brands to reach and engage consumers and learn what performs best.Smartly is a multinational and diverse team of 750+ Smartlies from 60+ nationalities, working in 13 countries. Together, we want to create and maintain an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and heard. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion approach is at the heart of it.

Visit Smartly to learn more.

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