Director, Events

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Join a dynamic team and be part of a network of 90 spectacular properties, and 34 more in the pipeline, in 30 countries around the globe. Our properties are located from the beaches of Hawaii to the unspoiled national parks of Canada, to the heart of London, to the deserts of the United Arab Emirates.

About Fairmont Southampton

Are you ready to join a team that thrives on excellence and embraces limitless potential? Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda’s largest resort, invites exceptional individuals to be part of our award-winning team and shape the future of hospitality.

Following a multi-million-dollar renovation, our 593-room resort is Bermuda's largest, featuring nine restaurants, a 30,000-square-foot spa, an 18-hole par three golf course and a captivating Beach Club. Opportunities for growth and success are boundless.

Our culture emphasizes respect, teamwork, and professionalism, supported by comprehensive benefits. Join our diverse and inclusive team, where your unique talents and perspectives are celebrated. Dare to go beyond the ordinary, unlock your potential and make a lasting impact at Fairmont Southampton. Together, let's create memories that exceed expectations. #BeLimitless

About the Application Process:

At Fairmont, we want to bring out your highest potential. Shortly after applying, you will receive an email from our partner AssessFirst prompting you to create a profile and complete a questionnaire. This is a mandatory step for your candidacy to be considered as it enables us to explore your compatibility with this role and our culture of luxury excellence.

We invite you to join the world of luxury hospitality at Fairmont Southampton as our new Director, Events. Few roles in luxury hospitality offer the opportunity to help shape the reopening of an iconic destination resort from day one.

The Director, Events is a senior commercial and operational leader responsible for Events & Catering, Conference Services, Weddings & Celebrations, and Discover Bermuda Destination Management. Reporting to the Director of Sales & Marketing, this role partners closely with Operations, Food & Beverage, Culinary, Revenue Management, and Resort Leadership to drive exceptional guest experiences and commercial performance.

As a key member of the resort's Commercial Leadership Team, the Director, Events is responsible for maximizing event-related revenues, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and building a high-performing team capable of executing world-class meetings, incentive programs, weddings, and celebrations.

Beyond meetings and conferences, Fairmont Southampton has a unique opportunity to help shape Bermuda's next chapter as a destination celebrations market. With the reopening of The Ocean Club, an exceptional turnkey oceanfront venue designed for weddings and multi-day celebrations of up to 220 guests, the Director, Events will play a key role in establishing the resort as Bermuda's premier luxury celebrations destination and one of the premier destination wedding venues internationally.

This is a leadership role for someone who thrives in entrepreneurial environments, enjoys building teams and processes, and is energized by creating exceptional experiences that drive long-term business success.

Role Scope

• 593-room luxury resort
• Approximately 45,000 square feet of meeting and event space
• Corporate meetings, incentive travel, conferences, weddings, and social events
• The Ocean Club oceanfront celebrations venue
• Discover Bermuda Destination Management Company
• Team of approximately 15 colleagues
• Responsibility for multi-million-dollar annual event revenue

What you will be doing:

Events Strategy & Revenue Leadership

• Lead the resort's events business across conferences, incentive groups, weddings, corporate meetings, and social events, achieving annual revenue and departmental performance objectives.
• Develop and execute the annual Events & Catering business plan, including segment strategies, booking pace goals, and conversion targets.
• Partner with Sales & Marketing to establish pricing strategies, venue fees, F&B minimums, and seasonal packages that maximize profitability and total resort spend.
• Support proactive business development efforts through site inspections, client presentations, RFP responses, and contract negotiations.
• Identify opportunities to drive repeat business and enhance client relationships.

Conference Services

• Oversee the full Conference Services process from turnover through departure.
• Manage group resumes, pre-convention meetings, banquet event orders, and post-event reconciliation.
• Serve as the primary operational contact for meeting planners and third-party intermediaries.
• Ensure seamless communication between clients and operational departments.
• Maintain and leverage systems such as Delphi, Opera, and Cvent to support efficiency, planner satisfaction, and business growth.
• Foster long-term planner relationships that generate repeat business.

Discover Bermuda Destination Management

• Provide strategic oversight of Discover Bermuda, the resort's destination management company, including transportation, excursions, off-site events, incentive experiences, and island programming.
• Develop Discover Bermuda into a market-leading destination management platform supporting both resort guests and external clients.
• Coordinate destination experiences, transportation, entertainment, and local partnerships that enhance group and incentive programs.
• Collaborate with Sales & Marketing to develop compelling proposals that position Bermuda as an extension of the resort experience.
• Maintain strong relationships with local vendors, attractions, transportation providers, and government stakeholders.
• Maximize ancillary revenue opportunities while ensuring a seamless and exceptional client experience.
• Manage the commercial relationship between DMC revenues and resort revenues to maximize total profitability and guest satisfaction.

Weddings & Celebrations

• Lead the launch and ongoing success of The Ocean Club as Bermuda's premier destination wedding and celebrations venue.
• Partner closely with Sales & Marketing on wedding, celebration, and social event business development while owning the client experience from contract signature through completion.
• Lead all planning meetings, tastings, walkthroughs, vendor coordination, and event execution for weddings and milestone celebrations.
• Develop and maintain relationships with luxury wedding planners, preferred partners, Virtuoso-affiliated advisors, and key industry influencers.
• Drive post-contract revenue through enhancements, upgraded experiences, premium food and beverage offerings, spa programming, and resort activities.
• Monitor guest satisfaction, market trends, and competitive positioning to support future pricing strategies and venue growth.
• Help establish Fairmont Southampton as Bermuda's leading luxury celebrations resort and one of the premier destination wedding venues on the U.S. East Coast.

Event Operations & Execution

• Oversee the successful execution of all events across the resort.
• Coordinate closely with Banquets, Culinary, Stewarding, Housekeeping, Spa, Golf, Beach Club, Engineering, and other operational teams.
• Conduct pre-event inspections and client briefings.
• Ensure clear internal communication and flawless delivery.
• Manage post-event follow-up, feedback, and account reconciliation.

Team Leadership & Development

• Recruit, lead, and develop a team of approximately 15 Events, Conference Services, and Destination Management professionals.
• Establish departmental service standards, SOPs, and operating procedures aligned with Fairmont brand expectations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support colleague development through coaching, feedback, and succession planning.
• Manage departmental budgets, forecasting, labor productivity, and financial performance.
• Regularly report departmental results and key performance indicators to senior leadership.

 Why Fairmont Southampton?

This is more than a Director, Events role.

It is an opportunity to help shape the reopening of an iconic destination resort, build a team from the ground up, launch Bermuda's premier celebrations venue, oversee a destination management company, and establish a new benchmark for meetings, incentives, weddings, and celebrations in Bermuda.

If you're ready to lead with creativity, commercial focus, and a passion for exceptional hospitality, we invite you to join us as we write the next chapter of Fairmont Southampton.

What we're looking for:

This role is ideal for a commercially driven events leader who enjoys building businesses, developing talent, and creating extraordinary guest experiences. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable discussing revenue strategy with senior leadership, hosting a Fortune 500 meeting planner, overseeing a luxury wedding, or developing a destination-wide incentive program. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: ·

Required Experience

• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in luxury hospitality events, conference services, catering, destination management, or related disciplines.
• Proven success leading complex group, conference, wedding, and social event operations.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasting, and achieving revenue objectives.
• Experience leading and developing teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to remain calm, adaptable, and solutions-focused under pressure.

Preferred Experience

• Resort or destination hospitality experience.
• Pre-opening or large-scale project experience.
• Exposure to incentive travel or destination programming.
• Experience collaborating with third-party partners and local suppliers.
• Proficiency with Delphi, Opera, and Cvent.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, or Business Administration preferred.
• Event or Catering Management certifications are an asset.

Competencies, Knowledge & Skills

• Commercial instinct—thinks in conversion, yield, and total resort spend, not just logistics.
• Proficiency in Opera, Delphi, and Cvent.
• Financial literacy including budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and P&L management.
• Strong leadership, communication, and client relationship skills.
• Embrace the Fairmont brand promise and luxury in your role and in all of your interactions.
• Foster an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and respected.
• Create an environment where colleagues are empowered, supported and recognized.
• Drive top performance to achieve exceptional results.
• Articulate and passionately embody the brand’s values and vision to inspire stakeholders.

Personal Attributes

We're looking for someone who:

• Thinks commercially while never losing sight of the guest experience.
• Builds trust and lasting relationships with clients, colleagues, and partners.
• Enjoys creating structure and processes while embracing the excitement of a reopening environment.
• Leads with humility, accountability, and optimism.
• Is passionate about coaching others and developing future talent.
• Takes pride in delivering experiences that exceed expectations.

Employee Benefits:

Join our team and enjoy a range of exclusive colleague perks, including complimentary upgrades, extended stays, discounted stays across Fairmont & Raffles properties, special dining and wellness discounts, and added luxuries to enhance your experience. We believe in taking care of our team, ensuring that your hard work is rewarded with exceptional benefits. Add any other benefits relevant to your property.

What’s in it for you?

As part of Accor, a global hospitality leader with over 5,500 hotels worldwide, you’ll enjoy:

• Opportunities for growth and development, mentorship, and international mobility
• Health insurance, retirement savings plans, and comprehensive wellness programs
• Worldwide travel discounts and preferred rates across the Accor portfolio
• A supportive, inclusive culture grounded in respect, teamwork, and professional development

Start your journey with us today and explore the possibilities! #BeLimitless

Our Values

Respect: We value the needs, ideas and individuality of others. We treat everyone with fairness and dignity.

Excellence: We make genuine connections, and we cherish every opportunity to make the people around us feel special.

Belonging: We celebrate our differences. We support each other and we always stand together.

Empowerment: We have authority to take initiative and anticipate moments that create unforgettable experiences.

Integrity: We build trust through mutual respect and being authentic.

Your team and working environment:

Fairmont Southampton is a premier luxury resort and regarded as a leader in the hospitality industry.  Our mission is to turn moments into memories for our Guests.  An exciting hospitality career awaits you if you are committed to providing our Guests with an authentically local experience through providing warm and engaging service.

Our Heartists work cohesively as part of the team in a demanding, multi-cultural diverse environment.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Fairmont is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse talent thrives. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to join our team.