Director, Strategic Events

Open Source has taken over the world of software development; however, the largest trade-off still persists: security. Companies spend an enormous amount of time and resources patching and fortifying open source software in order to ship with confidence & compliance. 

Founded by the industry's leading experts on open source software, security and cloud native development, Chainguard has built the largest library of open source software that is secure by default. Customers including Snowflake, Canva, and HPE rely on Chainguard to build securely with open source software across the organization.

Chainguard is the safe source for open source.

About Us We live and breathe our company values: We are customer obsessed - Our true advantage is the strength of our relationships with customers through collaboration, empathy, and responsiveness.  We establish trust as we educate, advocate, and listen to their needs.  Our focus is on delivering solutions to our customers that create value and make their lives better.  We have a bias for intentional action - We're a start-up and we need to move fast. However we need to move fast through intentional action to make sure we're able to deliver quickly and efficiently on what is most impactful to our collective success.  We prioritize, plan, try things, and fail fast.  We think about how what we do impacts other teams and communicate our progress - owning the whole solution from start to finish. If we move fast enough, we can make two or three mistakes, learn, and correct them before competitors even make their first decision. We don't take ourselves too seriously (but we do serious work) - Though we are solving an important problem which takes focus and a degree of seriousness, we don't take ourselves too seriously while we do.  We laugh, have fun, embrace uniqueness, and enjoy the journey. Together. We trust each other and assume good intentions - We hire great team members and trust them to do their work. We're transparent with data, news, and decisions - positive or negative - to empower team members to make well informed decisions. Showing up for each other fully means we celebrate each other's accomplishments as well as give compassionate direct feedback when needed.  We always default to assuming good intentions. The role, in a nutshell: Chainguard is seeking a Director of Strategic Events to lead our major events, Chainguard-hosted programs, and virtual experiences. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of delivering global strategic events that drive pipeline and boost brand awareness.

This role requires expertise in managing multiple high-stakes projects, a passion for creating engaging customer experiences, and exceptional attention to detail. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across Executives, Product Marketing, Corporate Marketing, Sales, and Field Marketing to deliver impactful event programs.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Demand Generation, we're looking for a strategic, creative, and execution-focused leader. You'll manage a team of event marketers while also rolling up your sleeves to own key programs directly.

In this role, you can expect to: Develop and execute the strategy and annual calendar for key industry events, Chainguard-hosted programs (e.g., customer conference, roadshows, webinars, and developer events), and executive initiatives. Partner with Product Marketing, Content and Dev team to execute a comprehensive webinar program, including live and on-demand formats, to support lead generation and pipeline growth Design impactful event experiences for both in-person and virtual audiences. Drive pre-event promotions to boost registrations and attendance, and manage post-event follow-ups to maximize impact. Create partnership and sponsorship opportunities to strengthen Chainguard's ecosystem. Manage Chainguard's participation in third-tradeshow and events, including sponsorships, branding, sessions, and experiences. Lead and grow a high-performing event marketing team to exceed goals and elevate the Chainguard brand. Build and maintain a network of partners for venue sourcing, production, branding, and logistics. Measure and optimize event performance through ROI, engagement, and audience feedback. Travel as needed to support key events. Qualifications: 10-12 years of relevant B2B event management experience Direct experience in enterprise software industry and SaaS required, with international and high-growth startup experience preferred. Experience navigating both in-person and virtual events, with a creative eye for hybrid experiences.  Experience working directly with CEOs and C-level executives. Ability to engage with and influence senior executives with gravitas.  Ability to build relationships with internal partners to understand and communicate business strategy. Proven ability to effectively lead and mentor multiple team members. A growth mindset and passion for building high-functioning teams. Ability to strike the right balance between strategy and execution A detail-oriented, analytical approach, with the ability to manage multiple, high-profile projects and deliverables. A few of the benefits we offer (for our full time employees): Equity/stock options Unlimited PTO Remote work with flexible coworking and team meetup opportunities Home office and internet stipend 100% health/dental/vision insurance coverage for you and your family Monthly Wellness budget If your experience is close but doesn't fulfill all requirements, please apply. Chainguard is on a mission to build the best team. To achieve our goal, we are focused on hiring "Guardians'' with unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Chainguard is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US based roles - Chainguard participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employee Form I-9 Information to confirm authorization to work in the U.S. Chainguard, Inc. only uses E-Verify once a candidate has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. If E-Verify cannot confirm that an employee is authorized to work, Chainguard, Inc. will give the employee written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so the employee can begin to resolve the issue before any adverse employment action is taken. For more information about your right to work, please see the Notice of Right to Work. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Chainguard will process your personal data in accordance with Chainguard's Privacy Policy.