Company Name: IBM
Location: Chicago, IL
Type: Full Time
Job Description:
As a Quantum Events Manager, you will join a team of event professionals who lead the end‑to‑end strategy, planning, and execution of IBM Quantum’s proprietary and third‑party events across the global calendar. This role is responsible for translating business, technical, and thought‑leadership objectives into well‑designed event experiences across different audiences that elevate IBM’s position in the quantum ecosystem and engage clients, partners, developers, and industry decision‑makers. We are looking for someone who puts the target audience front and center, understanding the difference between driving awareness for a C‑level audience versus a practitioner/developer, and who is energized by supporting both.
You will own events and technical engagements from contract through execution, guiding all event workflows including audience experience, production, content planning, vendor management, budget oversight, and on‑site delivery. You will collaborate closely with product, technical, marketing, business development, and external partners to ensure events reflect IBM’s leadership in quantum computing and drive measurable outcomes across awareness, adoption, and ecosystem growth. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in professional events, exceptional organizational and stakeholder‑management skills, and a passion for emerging technologies.
You’ll be joining a highly collaborative, supportive, and mission-driven team that values creativity, curiosity, and adaptability. We pride ourselves on being welcoming and inclusive, and on delivering world‑class events while staying agile and energized as we help shape the future of quantum computing.
Responsibilities
- Lead end‑to‑end planning and execution of IBM Quantum proprietary events and third‑party activations, including contracting, logistics, and program delivery
- Develop event strategies aligned with business development, thought leadership, and technical enablement goals
- Manage timelines, budgets, vendors, production teams, and cross‑functional stakeholders
- With stakeholder support, own content workflows such as agendas, speaker coordination, briefing materials, and technical requirements
- Ensure consistent brand experience across all formats, including hybrid and virtual
- Serve as an active creative contributor by bringing new ideas, formats, and approaches to elevate the impact of our events
- Mentor supporting staff and agency partners; champion best practices and operational excellence
- Track event performance and deliver insights, recommendations, and ROI analyses
- Maintain documentation, processes, and scalable frameworks across the event portfolio
Required Technical And Professional Expertise
Required Professional and Technical Expertise
- 10+ years of professional event management experience, including global or multi‑event portfolios
- Proven success managing large‑scale programs from strategy through execution
- Ability to integrate event strategy with content, branding, and broader marketing initiatives
- Experience managing budgets, vendor negotiations, and contractual workflows
- Demonstrated ability to evaluate event effectiveness using data and metrics
- Comfortable operating in fast‑paced environments and ability to travel for planning and on‑site execution
Preferred Technical And Professional Experience
Preferred Professional and Technical Expertise
- Experience mentoring or leading event professionals
- Familiarity with quantum computing concepts or emerging technologies
- Experience with event platforms (RainFocus, ON24, etc.) or project management tools (Airtable, Monday.com, etc.)
- Experience leading or guiding internal/external teams
- Strong project management and organizational skills; exceptional attention to detail
