Why is this role important? The Project Lead, Events and Sponsorship Development leads CIHI’s external engagement strategy through events, sponsorships, and speaking opportunities. This role is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing high-value external opportunities that position CIHI’s subject matter experts and executive leadership in influential forums. Working closely with Corporate Marketing, Communications, and program areas, the Project Lead ensures that CIHI’s participation in conferences, symposiums, stakeholder events, and sponsorships is strategically aligned, well-executed, and delivers measurable value. The role also leads the planning and delivery of CIHI’s flagship stakeholder events and provides oversight, direction, and coaching to staff supporting this function.

What you'll do

1. Supervise, coach and develop a high performing team; oversee all operational activities by assigning work, setting objectives, monitoring performance and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
2. Develop, implement and lead a strategic approach to events and sponsorships aligned with broader corporate priorities, brand positioning, and stakeholder engagement objectives.
3. Identify, assess, and prioritize external engagement opportunities (e.g., conferences, forums, webinars, sponsorships) based on audience relevance, influence, and return on investment.
4. Lead the planning and execution of CIHI’s flagship stakeholder events, ensuring a high-quality and strategically aligned experience.
5. Oversee CIHI’s participation and involvement in external events, including coordination of speaking engagements for executive leadership and subject matter experts.
6. Support the negotiation process and manage sponsorship agreements, ensuring deliverables provide tangible value (e.g., visibility, speaking roles, audience access).
7. Establish and maintain relationships with event organizers, partners, and key stakeholders.
8. Collaborate with internal teams to align messaging, content, and objectives across all engagements.
9. Develop and monitor work plans, budgets, and performance metrics for events and sponsorship activities, identifying opportunities to improve through data collection and insights.

What you'll bring to the table • Undergraduate degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications or related field, or equivalent combination of education and related experience. • Minimum 5 years of experience in events, sponsorships, partnerships, or strategic marketing roles. • Minimum 1–3 years of supervisory experience. • Experience developing and executing event or sponsorship strategies, not limited to coordination. • Hands-on experience planning and delivering complex events, including stakeholder or executive-level events. • Experience managing sponsorships or external partnerships, including experience with supporting negotiation and performance evaluation. • Experience working with senior leadership and coordinating executive participation in external engagements. • Strong ability to assess and prioritize external opportunities based on strategic value and organizational impact. • Proven event planning and project management skills, including managing multiple concurrent initiatives. • Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and relationship-building skills. • Ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and coordinated execution. • Experience managing budgets and tracking return on investment for events and sponsorships