Senior Event Manager

Role: Senior Event Manager

Location: Singapore

Job type: Full time, Permanent

This position offers a hybrid work model, allowing flexibility between working from home and our office. Typically, employees are expected to work 2 days in the office per week.

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst flourishing personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

The role

Shape the future of global Higher Education events

At QS, our events bring together university leaders, policymakers, employers, and students from around the world to tackle some of the most important challenges and opportunities facing higher education.

As a Senior Event Manager, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering a high-profile international events portfolio across APAC and beyond. This is a high-impact individual contributor role, offering significant ownership across a diverse portfolio of conferences, summits, forums, and executive events.

You will work closely with stakeholders across the business to drive audience growth, enhance delegate experience, strengthen commercial outcomes, and ensure operational excellence.

The role requires a highly organised and proactive individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously. You will be equally confident contributing to event strategy as you are delivering high-quality execution on event day.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to event strategy, drive innovation, and have a direct impact on the continued growth of one of the world’s most recognised higher education organisations

Role responsibilities

Own and drive the strategic development and delivery of a regional and global events portfolio, ensuring events deliver measurable business impact, audience engagement, and commercial growth.
Own the end-to-end planning and execution of conferences, summits, exhibitions, awards, forums, and executive-level events.
Identify and implement innovative event formats, technologies, and engagement strategies that enhance attendee experience and differentiate QS within the market.
Build and maintain strong relationships with universities, sponsors, speakers, industry leaders, and strategic partners to support portfolio growth and long-term collaboration.
Support and contribute to partner, sponsor, and stakeholder negotiations and relationship development.
Develop and implement event strategies aligned to wider business objectives, ensuring events support organisational growth and brand positioning.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Product, Customer Success, and Operations teams to maximise event impact and commercial performance.
Manage event budgets, forecasting, and financial performance, ensuring strong commercial outcomes and return on investment.
Establish and maintain robust risk management, governance, and contingency planning frameworks across all events.
Take accountability for crisis management and issue resolution when required, ensuring rapid and effective decision-making.
Analyse event performance data and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and portfolio optimisation.
Standardise processes, best practices, and operational frameworks to improve efficiency, scalability, and consistency across the event portfolio.
Stay ahead of industry trends, competitor activity, and emerging technologies to ensure QS remains at the forefront of event delivery and audience engagement.

Act as a subject matter expert within the events function, sharing best practice and supporting capability development where needed.

Any other duties in line with the scope and responsibilities of the role.

This role combines strategic input with hands-on execution, ensuring QS events continue to evolve, scale, and deliver maximum impact.

Key skills and experience

Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related discipline.
Significant experience managing large-scale conferences, exhibitions, summits, forums, or executive-level events, ideally within a regional or international environment.
Proven experience leading multiple complex projects simultaneously whilst maintaining exceptional attention to detail and stakeholder management.
Demonstrated experience developing and executing event strategies that drive audience engagement, commercial outcomes, and measurable business impact.
Experience working closely with commercial and sales teams, including supporting sponsorship conversations, client engagement, and bespoke partnership opportunities.
Experience of managing resources, budgets, and onsite personnel.
Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior leaders, sponsors, speakers, and external partners.
Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams within a fast-paced environment.
Strong analytical skills, with experience using event data and insights to inform decision-making and improve future performance.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to present to senior audiences and represent the organisation externally.
Highly organised, adaptable, and resilient, with the ability to manage competing priorities and navigate ambiguity effectively.
A creative and solutions-focused mindset, with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
Willingness to travel internationally and work flexible hours when required to support the successful delivery of events

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11 international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive.

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