United Kingdom · Events and experiential marketing · C-Suite (20+ years)

VP, Experiential & Production

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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Experience bandC-Suite (20+ years)
Reports toChief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board of Directors
UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Chief Events Officer · Executive Vice President, Global Events · Head of Experiential Marketing

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sport and Outdoor Activities Pearson Education Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development Pearson Education Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Marketing Communications Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sport and Outdoor Activities

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision

AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly

Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a VP, Experiential & Production?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

Web3 & Metaverse Experiential Strategy
Ethical AI Governance & Responsible Innovation

Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluencyworking with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluencyturning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluencyusing AI responsibly
Frontier Fluencythe next wave, beyond mainstream AI

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your VP, Experiential & Production plan as you set up, starting with the free Growth Mindset module. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

This role shapes a company's market presence through the experiences it creates. It involves setting the strategy for events, activations and brand touchpoints, and making sure they support the wider business.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Smartsheet Control Center / Kantata Expert

Architecting enterprise-level project templates, portfolio views, and integrating with financial systems to track project profitability and resource utilisation across the entire department. You'll use this to get a real-time pulse on global operations.

NetSuite / Oracle ERP / Anaplan Expert

Managing the entire department P&L, conducting portfolio-level financial planning and forecasting, and modelling the financial impact of strategic production decisions (e.g., in-sourcing vs. outsourcing) for Board presentations.

Vectorworks / AutoCAD (Strategic) Advanced

Overseeing the entire technical design process, critically evaluating complex CAD files for safety, feasibility, and budget compliance, and making strategic decisions on venue selection based on technical specifications and global scalability.

Cvent / Salesforce Integration (Strategic) Advanced

Architecting the data flow between registration platforms and the company's CRM. Your focus is on data integrity, lead scoring from event actions, and measuring event ROI through the sales funnel at an enterprise level, reporting on this to the CRO.

Diligent Boards / BoardVantage Expert

Preparing and presenting high-level production strategy, risk assessments, and budget summaries for executive leadership and board-level review. This is where your strategic narrative comes to life.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choice	Coming in	Where you are now	The step above
Global Experiential Strategy & Vision	No involvement, follows established guidelines.	Contributes insights from specific projects.	Leads development of strategic recommendations for specific workstreams.
Budget Allocation & P&L Ownership	Tracks expenses against line items.	Manages project budgets up to £50K.	Owns workstream budgets up to £250K, makes technical purchasing decisions.
Organisational Design & Talent Strategy	No involvement.	Provides feedback on team structure.	Mentors junior team members, identifies skill gaps.
Major Vendor & Partner Selection	Processes invoices from approved vendors.	Sources and recommends vendors for specific project needs.	Vets and selects vendors for workstreams, negotiates contracts up to £50K.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Enterprise Experiential ROI

Overall return on investment across the entire global event and experiential marketing portfolio, factoring in revenue influenced, brand value, and cost efficiencies.

Target · Achieve a minimum 3:1 ROI on total experiential spend, with key flagship events hitting 5:1+

If the annual experiential budget is £20M, we expect to see at least £60M in directly influenced revenue and measurable brand uplift. For a £5M flagship event, we'd aim for £25M+ in influenced pipeline.

Global Brand Equity & Perception Uplift

Measurable improvement in brand favourability, awareness, and perception among target audiences, directly attributable to experiential initiatives.

Target · Increase brand preference scores by 15% and 'innovative' brand attribute by 20% year-on-year in key markets.

Post-event surveys and brand studies show a 17% increase in 'cutting-edge' association with our brand in EMEA after our major product launch activation.

Department P&L & Cost Optimisation

Full accountability for the Events_Experiential_Marketing department's profit and loss, including strategic cost management, vendor negotiation, and budget adherence across all global operations.

Target · Maintain overall departmental spend within 2% of approved budget, while achieving 10%+ year-on-year cost efficiencies through strategic sourcing and process improvements.

Annual budget of £10M for the department. Actual spend £9.9M, with £1M saved through new agency contracts and tech consolidation, contributing to a healthy P&L.

Strategic Partnership & Vendor Ecosystem Value

The value derived from strategic relationships with key agencies, technology partners, and global suppliers, including joint innovation and favourable commercial terms.

Target · Establish 3+ new multi-year strategic partnerships that deliver 20%+ cost savings or unlock significant new capabilities annually.

Negotiated a new global A/V contract that reduced costs by £750K annually while improving service levels and bringing in new virtual event capabilities.

Board & Executive Confidence

The level of trust and confidence the CEO and Board place in your strategic direction, operational execution, and risk management for experiential initiatives.

You're proactively consulted on major strategic shifts, invited to contribute beyond your direct remit, and your recommendations are consistently adopted without significant challenge. They'll ask for your input on broader company strategy, not just event plans.

Market Leadership & Innovation

Our recognition in the industry as a leader in experiential marketing, setting trends and pushing boundaries.

We're winning industry awards for our event concepts, competitors are trying to copy our approaches, and you're regularly invited to speak at major industry conferences or contribute to thought leadership pieces. People look to us for what's next.

Global Team Engagement & Development

The health, morale, and professional growth of the entire global Events_Experiential_Marketing organisation.

High retention rates (below 15% turnover), strong internal mobility, positive feedback in engagement surveys, and a clear pipeline of talent ready for promotion. Your team feels supported and sees a future here.

Crisis Management & Resilience

The ability to effectively navigate and mitigate high-stakes, unforeseen challenges that impact our events or brand reputation.

When a major incident occurs (e.g., a venue issue, a global health crisis impacting travel), you lead with calm, clarity, and decisive action, protecting the brand and ensuring business continuity. Post-mortems highlight swift, effective responses with minimal negative impact.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy

Shaping Enterprise Strategy & Market Impact

You get a real buzz from seeing your long-term vision for experiential marketing become a core pillar of the company's overall business strategy. You love the challenge of translating high-level objectives into tangible, market-moving experiences.

Developing a 3-year global experiential roadmap that directly contributes to a 10% increase in market share, and then seeing it come to fruition.

Building & Leading a World-Class Global Organisation

You're driven by the opportunity to build, mentor, and empower a diverse, high-performing global team. You enjoy creating the structures, processes, and culture that enable others to do their best work and grow their careers.

Successfully integrating two newly acquired regional event teams into a cohesive global unit, resulting in improved efficiency and employee satisfaction.

Driving Significant P&L & Business Growth

The financial accountability and the direct link between your strategy and the company's bottom line is a major driver. You're motivated by optimising spend, identifying new revenue streams, and demonstrating clear ROI on multi-million-pound investments.

Identifying and launching a new B2B experiential product line that generates £5M in incremental revenue within its first year.

What frustrates people

Slow decision-making processes at the executive level, especially when quick pivots are needed.
Bureaucracy and internal politics that hinder innovation or global standardisation.
The constant pressure to demonstrate quantifiable ROI on brand-building experiential efforts, which can be hard to measure.
Balancing the creative team's ambitious visions with the CFO's strict budget realities.
Managing the expectations of multiple C-suite stakeholders who all have different priorities for events.

What this role does not give you

Day-to-day hands-on event production (you'll be overseeing, not doing).
A predictable, routine schedule (global leadership means unpredictable hours and travel).
The ability to avoid difficult conversations about budget cuts or strategic shifts with senior leaders.
A role where you can shy away from public speaking or investor relations.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the company's public image, market perception, and engagement strategy on a global scale. It's accountable for a significant portion of the marketing budget and has a direct influence on brand equity, customer acquisition, and retention. Your decisions here can literally move the market and influence investor confidence, especially when it comes to major product launches or brand moments.

Inside the business

CEO and Executive Leadership Team
Board of Directors
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
Heads of Product and Sales

Outside the business

Key Investors and Analysts
Strategic Global Partners
Major Industry Associations and Regulators
High-Profile Media and Press
Top-Tier Agencies and Vendors

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

Proven track record of leading a large-scale, multi-national Events_Experiential_Marketing function or a significant business unit with P&L accountability for budgets exceeding £5M.
Extensive experience (15+ years) in high-stakes event production and experiential marketing, including global flagship events, product launches, and brand activations.
Demonstrable experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and Board members, with a strong understanding of corporate governance.
A history of building, developing, and retaining high-performing global teams, including managing Directors and Managers.
Deep expertise in strategic vendor management, complex contract negotiation, and building robust partner ecosystems.
A strong grasp of enterprise-level financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, and demonstrating ROI for large marketing investments.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Predictive Analytics for Experiential ROI

Moving beyond basic post-event reporting, the ability to predict the financial and brand impact of experiential investments before they happen will be a game-changer. This allows for smarter resource allocation and more compelling business cases to the Board.

Machine learning models for audience segmentation · Attribution modelling across complex multi-touchpo · Econometric modelling for long-term brand equity m · Scenario planning and simulation for budget optimi · Integration of first-party, second-party, and thir

This quarter: Commission an internal review of our current analytics capabilities and identify key gaps for predictive modelling.
Next 6 months: Invest in a data science team or external consultancy to build initial predictive models for our flagship events.
Next 12 months: Implement a new dashboard for executive leadership that visualises predicted vs. actual ROI for major initiatives.
Ongoing: Challenge your teams to move from descriptive to predictive and prescriptive analytics in all reporting.

Quick win: Ask your analytics team to present on the current state of predictive modelling in our company. Start exploring case studies of advanced ROI measurement in the industry.

Immersive Content Production & Storytelling

As audiences demand more engaging and personalised experiences, the ability to strategically direct the creation of immersive content (AR, VR, mixed reality, holographic displays) will be key. This moves beyond traditional video to truly interactive narratives.

Volumetric capture and photogrammetry for realisti · Real-time rendering engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, · Haptic feedback and multi-sensory integration · Interactive narrative design and branching storyli · Scalable content pipelines for global deployment

This quarter: Meet with leading immersive content studios and technology providers to understand capabilities and costs.
Next 6 months: Fund a small R&D project to experiment with a new immersive technology for a future event concept.
Next 12 months: Integrate immersive content strategy into our overall creative briefing process for major campaigns.
Ongoing: Encourage your creative and production teams to continuously upskill in immersive content creation techniques.

Quick win: Experience a high-quality VR or AR activation from another brand. Have your creative director present on the future of immersive storytelling.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up

Regularly engage with industry thought leaders and participate in executive-level forums (e.g., CMO Council, Forbes Councils) to stay ahead of market trends and build your network.
Pursue ongoing executive education in areas like corporate governance, M&A strategy, or advanced financial leadership to continuously sharpen your C-suite capabilities.
Mentor emerging talent within the industry and actively contribute to diversity and inclusion initiatives, demonstrating your commitment to leadership beyond your direct remit.
Publish thought leadership articles or speak at major global conferences on the future of experiential marketing and its impact on business strategy.
Actively participate in Board-level discussions and committees, even outside your direct reporting line, to broaden your understanding of enterprise governance.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Web3 & Metaverse Experiential Strategy

The shift towards decentralised digital experiences, NFTs for ticketing/engagement, and persistent virtual worlds (metaverse) is rapidly changing how brands connect. We need to understand how to authentically integrate our brand into these spaces to reach new audiences and create truly immersive experiences.

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) for
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) for digital assets, acc
Interoperability between virtual platforms and rea
Spatial computing and immersive storytelling techn
Monetisation strategies for virtual experiences

Ethical AI Governance & Responsible Innovation

As AI becomes more integral to everything from audience personalisation to predictive analytics and content generation, ensuring its ethical use and mitigating bias is paramount. As a C-suite leader, you're accountable for setting the standards and preventing reputational damage.

AI bias detection and mitigation strategies
Data privacy in AI-driven personalisation
Transparency and explainability in AI decision-mak
Regulatory frameworks for AI (e.g., EU AI Act)
Reputational risk management for AI failures

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

Enterprise Experiential Strategy & Portfolio Management
Global Production & Operations Architecture
Advanced Budget Architecture & P&L Management
Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Development
Data-Driven Experiential ROI Measurement

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

1
Global Director of Event Production / Experiential Marketing (Large Enterprise)
5-8 years at Director level
Skills to master
- Mastering multi-region P&L management (over £5M), building and leading large, diverse teams (50+ people), driving strategic vendor relationships, and consistently delivering high-impact global programmes. You'll need to demonstrate your ability to influence at the SVP/EVP level.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully launched and scaled a major global experiential programme across 3+ continents.
- Consistently exceeded P&L targets for your business unit for 3+ consecutive years.
- Developed and mentored at least 5 senior leaders who have progressed within the organisation.
- Presented strategic recommendations and defended budgets to the C-suite regularly.
- Recognised internally and externally as a thought leader in global event strategy.
2
Managing Director / Executive Vice President (Leading Experiential Agency)
7-10 years at Agency Leadership level
Skills to master
- Developing and growing agency revenue streams, managing multi-million-pound client portfolios, leading large client service and production teams, and driving agency-wide strategy and innovation. You'll need to show you can translate client needs into strategic, profitable solutions at scale.
You're ready to move on when
- Grew a significant client portfolio (e.g., £10M+ annual revenue) through strategic account management and new business wins.
- Successfully led the agency's expansion into new markets or service offerings.
- Built and retained a high-performing agency leadership team.
- Consistently delivered profitable projects while maintaining high client satisfaction.
- Deep understanding of diverse client business objectives across multiple industries.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to chief executive positions, board or non-executive director work, or work as an industry consultant advising on experiential strategy.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how VP, Experiential & Production is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Marketing Communications, worked against VP, Experiential & Production.

Marketing Communications Level 3

Applied to your work in VP, Experiential & Production

This unit aims to provide learners with an understanding of marketing communications and its role in achieving marketing objectives. Learners will investigate various marketing communications techniques to raise awareness and boost revenue, and develop a marketing communications plan for a specific product or service.

How the thinking builds

1 Remember
2 Understand
3 Apply
4 Analyse
5 Evaluate
6 Create

An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration

VP, Experiential & Production

Enterprise Experiential Strategy & Portfolio Management
Global Production & Operations Architecture
Advanced Budget Architecture & P&L Management
Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Development
Data-Driven Experiential ROI Measurement

This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

VP, Experiential & Production is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
3-5 years

Lateral move or slight increase in scope/P&L, depending on company size.
- Digital marketing transformation leadership
- Global brand architecture and positioning
- Marketing technology (MarTech) stack optimisation
- Consumer insights and market research leadership
- Performance marketing and demand generation strategy
Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
4-6 years

Significant increase in P&L and operational scope.
- Global supply chain optimisation
- Sales enablement and channel strategy (CCO)
- Customer service and support operations
- Cross-departmental process automation
- Financial modelling for enterprise-wide efficiencies

Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

At the C-suite level, your time is your most valuable asset. Imagine reclaiming a significant chunk of your week, not for busywork, but for deeper strategic thinking, critical decision-making, and truly shaping the future of our experiential marketing. That's the promise of AI.

AI isn't just for automating tasks; it's a powerful co-pilot for executive leadership. In your role as VP, Experiential & Production, AI can transform how you analyse market trends, forecast global impact, draft board-level communications, and even identify strategic acquisition targets. It's about augmenting your judgment with data-driven insights at unprecedented speed.

Global Market & Trend Analysis

Feed vast amounts of market research, competitor activity, and consumer trend data into an AI. It'll synthesise key insights, identify emerging experiential opportunities globally, and even flag potential risks, giving you a strategic edge for future planning in minutes, not weeks.

Board & Investor Comms Drafter

Use AI to draft first versions of complex board presentations, investor updates, and strategic memos. Provide key data points and your desired message, and the AI will structure, refine, and polish the language, freeing you to focus on the core strategy and message delivery.

Portfolio Performance & ROI Modelling

Integrate AI with our financial and CRM systems to build dynamic models that predict the ROI of new experiential initiatives across the global portfolio. It can simulate different investment scenarios, optimise resource allocation, and provide real-time performance insights for strategic P&L management.

Strategic Risk & Contingency Planning

Leverage AI to analyse historical event data, geopolitical trends, and supply chain vulnerabilities to proactively identify potential high-impact risks for global events. It can even suggest tailored contingency plans and resource allocations, enhancing our overall resilience.

Common questions

How do you become a VP, Experiential & Production?

Common routes in include Global Director of Event Production / Experiential Marketing (Large Enterprise) (5-8 years at Director level) and Managing Director / Executive Vice President (Leading Experiential Agency) (7-10 years at Agency Leadership level). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a VP, Experiential & Production progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) (3-5 years) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) (4-6 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a VP, Experiential & Production?

Increasingly, Web3 & Metaverse Experiential Strategy and Ethical AI Governance & Responsible Innovation. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Growth Mindset module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.

VP, Experiential & Production

Where should we send it?

Two short quizzes about you

Will AI change your work as a VP, Experiential & Production?

What's rising in its place

Web3 & Metaverse Experiential Strategy

Ethical AI Governance & Responsible Innovation

Skills this role draws on

Technical

How you actually get there, here

Global Director of Event Production / Experiential Marketing (Large Enterprise)

Managing Director / Executive Vice President (Leading Experiential Agency)

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

Roles this leads to

One to one, on the work you already do

Everything else the record holds

The career path, and where it branches

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Chief Operating Officer (COO) or Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)

Where AI is starting to help

Global Market & Trend Analysis

Board & Investor Comms Drafter

Portfolio Performance & ROI Modelling

Strategic Risk & Contingency Planning

Common questions

Want a read on where you stand?