Sponsorships and Events Manager

Are you a dynamic, commercially minded events and sponsorship professional who thrives on bringing big ideas to life? Join our Commercial team as a Sponsorships and Events Manager based in Stellenbosch or Plattekloof, where you'll own Herotel's full event, sponsorship and PR portfolio from strategy through to measurable ROI.

This role is ideal for a seasoned activations specialist who loves the energy of live events, has a sharp eye for brand opportunities, and can lead national campaigns while keeping every detail on track.

What you'll do:

• Own and maintain the national event master calendar in ClickUp, building phased project plans with clear owners, deadlines and dependencies for every activation
• Develop written activation plans for every sponsorship at least 6 weeks before each event and deliver all contracted deliverables without exception
• Lead flagship campaigns end to end, from strategy and phased delivery plans through to partner alignment, content cadence and legacy outcomes
• Manage the national PR calendar and PR agency day to day, securing at minimum two national editorial placements per major event
• Partner with regional commercial and marketing teams to plan, activate and review regional events monthly, ensuring every region holds an active activation or pipeline opportunity
• Curate and manage VIP guest lists for premium events, including transport, accommodation and hospitality where applicable
• Plan, deliver and report all office and fleet branding across regional offices to the current brand standard, maintaining live registers and inventory
• Build and maintain the Tier 1 and Tier 2 sponsorship pipeline, present new opportunities to sales and commercial teams, and develop event SOPs and standards
• Submit all reporting on time and without being prompted, including weekly Monday ClickUp updates, pre-event reports, post-event ROI reports and monthly flagship campaign reports
• Attend and lead major portfolio events nationally, including weekends, public holidays and evenings

What you'll need:

• A degree or diploma in Marketing, Communications, Event Management, PR or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered
• Minimum 5 years in event management, sponsorship, brand activation or PR, with at least 2 years at senior or management level
• A proven track record managing multiple concurrent events or campaigns end to end, with full budget ownership and stakeholder reporting
• Experience managing a PR agency and delivering national media coverage
• Regional marketing activation experience working with distributed sales or area teams; sports or community events experience is advantageous
• A project or event management certification is advantageous
• Proficiency in ClickUp is required; competency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, social scheduling tools and media value or ROI analysis tools
• Exceptionally organised, a confident communicator with agencies, media and senior leadership, self-driven, commercially aware and calm under pressure at live events

What we offer:

• Exposure to a dynamic workplace
• A chance to grow your skills through our internal academy
• A friendly, team-driven environment
• Group Risk Benefits
• Medical Benefits
• Health and Lifestyle Programmes

Important Disclaimer:

• Please ensure that the information you provide in your application is true, accurate, and correct.
• Preference will be given to candidates from Designated Groups, as defined by the Employment Equity Act and in line with Herotel's Employment Equity Plan.
• By submitting an application, you consent to the processing of your personal information in accordance with POPIA for recruitment purposes. For more details on how we handle personal information, please refer to our Privacy Policy on our website.
• If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful.