Director of Event Sales

Position: Director of Event Sales & Experiences

Reports To: Senior Director of Operations

Compensation: DOE + commission structure

The Director of Event Sales & Experiences is a strategic revenue and experience leader responsible for positioning Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) as Utah's premier destination for private events, corporate gatherings, community celebrations, and public experiences. This role drives the development and execution of a comprehensive event strategy that increases earned revenue, expands market share, maximizes venue utilization, and enhances LLPA's brand visibility and community impact.

The Director oversees a multi-million-dollar events portfolio, including the MACU Event Center, pre-function areas, and event venues across the LLPA campus. They lead a high-performing sales and events team while fostering strong cross‑departmental partnerships with Marketing, Education, Guest Services, Operations, Facilities, Security, Zoological Operations, and Executive Leadership. Through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making, this position transforms LLPA's Event Center into a sought‑after destination and develops signature public events that inspire exploration, discovery, and connection to Earth's diverse ecosystems.

The Director serves as the primary liaison with LLPA's Food & Beverage partner and is accountable for achieving key performance indicators related to revenue growth, sales conversion, venue utilization, guest satisfaction, public event attendance, strategic partnerships, and overall event profitability.

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (LLPA) is a mission‑driven institution dedicated to inspiring people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. Founded in 1997, the Aquarium provides impactful educational experiences for guests of all ages and backgrounds.

Since opening its Draper, Utah facility in 2014, LLPA has welcomed more than 10 million visitors and delivered over 650,000 educational experiences to students. Home to over 4,000 animals representing 650 species, the Aquarium features immersive habitats from around the world, including coral reefs, kelp forests, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, tropical rainforests, Asian cloud forests, and Utah’s freshwater ecosystems.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2019, LLPA is in an exciting phase of growth. With the opening of the Sam and Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center, the Aquarium became the largest in the Mountain West and the fifth largest aquarium in the continental United States, offering expanded opportunities for education, research, and professional impact.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Hospitality, Event Management, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8–10 years of progressive leadership experience in event sales, hospitality, or venue management.
• Proven track record of generating $3M+ in annual event revenue.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with pricing, forecasting, and contract negotiation.
• Deep understanding of event logistics, venue operations, and guest experience design.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and client relationship skills.
• Strategic Leadership & Business Development.
• Signature Events & Destination Development.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership.
• Event Operations & Guest Experience.
• Performance Analytics & Reporting.

• Develop and execute a multi‑year event growth strategy that positions LLPA as a premier destination for corporate, social, educational, nonprofit, and community events.
• Establish annual and quarterly KPIs for revenue growth, venue utilization, client acquisition, repeat bookings, public event attendance, sponsorship revenue, and guest satisfaction.
• Lead pricing strategy, yield management, forecasting, and revenue optimization for all event revenue streams.
• Drive new business development through corporate outreach, tourism networks, destination marketing organizations, strategic partnerships, and community engagement.
• Identify and cultivate relationships…