Director, ForbesLive

Forbes is an iconic global media brand that has symbolized success for over a century. Fueled by journalism that informs and inspires, Forbes spotlights the doers and doings shaping industries, achieving success and making an impact on the world. Forbes connects and convenes the most influential communities ranging from billionaires, business leaders and rising entrepreneurs to creators and innovators. The Forbes brand reaches more than 140 million people monthly worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature ForbesLive events and 49 licensed local editions in 81 countries.

The 2024 ADWEEK Experiential Awards Winner: Experiential Brand of the Year, ForbesLive produces premium conferences and experiences that connect influential leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Our events combine thought leadership, networking opportunities, and exclusive content to create memorable experiences.

Forbes seeks a strategic, highly motivated events professional to join our ForbesLive team as Director of Logistics, reporting directly to the Executive Director, ForbesLive. This individual brings deep expertise in event logistics and operations, a strong command of vendor and budget management, and the leadership presence to drive flawless execution across a dynamic portfolio of live events produced virtually, in person, and in hybrid formats—both domestically and internationally. The Director of Logistics will serve as a key operational leader on the ForbesLive team, ensuring every event is executed at the highest standard while building scalable systems and processes that support the team's continued growth.

This role operates in a fast-paced, live event environment where adaptability, responsiveness, and a team-first mindset are critical to success.

Responsibilities:

Logistics & Operations Leadership

•   Lead end-to-end logistics planning and execution across ForbesLive's portfolio of events, ensuring seamless operational delivery from pre-event planning through on-site execution and post-event wrap
•   Establish and maintain scalable logistics systems, processes, and best practices that support a growing event portfolio
•   Serve as the primary operational point of contact on-site at assigned events, overseeing and managing external and internal event staff, vendors, and day-of logistics
•   Build and maintain relevant event documents not limited to event timelines, security plans, floor plans, and run-of-show documents; ensure all logistics documentation is current and accessible across the team

Vendor & Budget Management

•   Lead vendor strategy and selection across all event categories (venues, catering, florals, A/V, staffing, transportation); negotiate partner contracts (in partnership with legal)  and manage vendor relationships throughout the event lifecycle
•   Own and maintain a comprehensive vendor database including contacts, capacity, budget benchmarks, and availability
•   Manage overall logistics budgets and expense tracking; submit and route invoices for approval; ensure budgets are reconciled accurately and on time

Cross-Functional Partnership

•   Establish position as a key leader on the ForbesLive team; liaise with internal stakeholders working across the events to ensure operational alignment
•   Lead cross-departmental planning meetings for assigned events; tracking next steps and follow through on action items with a high degree of accountability
•   Collaborate with the Design team on event collateral timelines, ensuring logistics and creative workstreams stay in sync
•   Contribute to the strategic expansion of ForbesLive's event offerings by bringing scalable and innovative ideas to the forefront  
•   Stay current on industry trends, emerging event technologies, and competitor activity; bring proactive recommendations to the team
•   Support other team leads onsite at events as needed 

The ideal candidate:

• Bachelor's degree
• 6+ years of experience in live event logistics, operations, or event management
• Technical understanding of event production and logistics operations, including vendor management, budget oversight, and on-site execution
• Proven ability to manage multiple events simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Thrives in a fast-paced, live event environment; able to make decisions quickly and lead teams effectively under real-time pressure
• Excellent organizational, documentation, and communication skills, both internally and externally
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-departmentally and in a client-facing capacity with composure and professionalism
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as Google Wor