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Senior Manager, Event Design

McDermott Will & EmeryBoston, District of Columbia

$145,000 - $194,000 / year

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Overview

Schedule
Full-time
Career level
Director
Remote
Hybrid remote
Compensation
$145,000-$194,000/year
Benefits
Health Insurance
Paid Vacation
Career Development

Job Description

Build your big career with the firm that does Big Law, Better. McDermott Will & Schulte is a leading global law firm that brings together more than 1,700+ lawyers and 1,400 business professionals. We celebrate excellence, collaboration, and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, Fortune, The American Lawyer, Vault and others. We are also certified by Great Place to Work. 

At McDermott, we don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office. 

With us, you’ll find:

  • A firm where everyone belongs: Our award-winning culture prioritizes warmth and authenticity — we encourage you to be yourself!  

  • Enthusiasm for all perspectives: We’re smarter and stronger when everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. We welcome unique viewpoints and ideas, and we make opportunities for you and your career to thrive.  

  • Support to feel your best and do your best: Wellness is integral to building a successful career and a rich life. That’s why our benefits program supports your physical, emotional, mental, and financial health, with an emphasis on work-life balance.  

  • Real rewards for real work: We offer generous compensation packages that recognize hard work and excellence.   

Job Description:

The Senior Manager, Event Design is a strategic creative leader responsible for envisioning and delivering bold, world‑class event experiences across McDermott’s portfolio - from intimate, high‑touch gatherings to large‑scale, multi‑day signature events with 2,000+ attendees. Reporting into the Creative Director, this role owns the creative vision end‑to‑end, ensuring every touchpoint - from first invitation through on‑site immersion and post‑event moments - feels cohesive, elevated, and unmistakably McDermott. Positioned at the intersection of brand, experience design, and production, the Senior Manager brings a strong point of view and big‑picture perspective, seeing the full arc of an event and understanding how each creative decision shapes audience perception and impact. This role calls for a confident creative lead who can articulate and defend strategic ideas with clarity, and balances conceptual ambition with operational rigor to turn complex, abstract ideas into bold, memorable experiences across digital, environmental, and physical channels.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

  • Partner closely with the Creative Director to push creative boundaries while ensuring consistency, clarity, and sophistication across all event executions

  • Help drive the creative vision for McDermott events, developing overarching concepts and narratives that unify digital, environmental, and experiential elements into a seamless attendee journey

  • Design immersive, ownable experiences that transform venues into branded environments aligned with McDermott’s brand standards, business priorities, and audience expectations

  • Translate highlevel themes and messaging into scalable creative systems that work across event sizes, formats, and geographies

  • Oversee the design of digital event assets, including email campaigns, event registration websites, and social graphics, ensuring cohesion across all preevent marketing channels

  • Lead the design and execution of onsite creative applications, including environmental branding, signage, stage graphics, wayfinding, experiential moments, and printed collateral

  • Own the creative workstream for assigned events, leading creative status calls, managing timelines and workflows, and serving as the primary creative point of contact for stakeholders

  • Brief, guide, and review work from internal designers and external vendors, providing clear direction and managing partners to ensure design intent is executed at the highest level, on time and on budget

Job Specifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree

  • At least ten (10)years of experience in event design, experiential marketing, brand environments, or integrated creative roles, with leadership responsibility

  • Hands onexpertisein design tools (Adobe Creative Suite; Figma or similar preferred) with the judgment to know when to design personally vs. delegate

  • Ability to designlarge scale, high profileevents as well as intimate, detail driven experiences 

  • Strong portfoliodemonstratingconceptual thinking, spatial/environmental design, and integrated digitalandphysical executions

  • Deep understanding of how creative strategy supports businessobjectivesand audience engagement

  • Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively to senior stakeholders

  • Ability to managevendors, production partners, and print processes with confidence and precision

  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word)

Successful candidates will be provided with outstanding career opportunities and will receive a competitive total rewards package with the opportunity to earn performance-based bonuses.Target Hiring Range $145,000 - $194,000Please note that quoted salary ranges are not guarantees of what final salary offers may be. Base pay is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographic location. Base pay is only one part of the Total Rewards that MWE provides to compensate and recognize our staff professionals for their work. Full time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and a comprehensive benefits package.

#LI-AR2

#LI-Hybrid

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, stoop, talk and hear

  • Employee must occasionally lift up to twenty (20) pounds

Work Environment:

Typical indoor office environment

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people within this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job.

Automate your job search with Sonara.

Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.

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FAQs About Senior Manager, Event Design Jobs at McDermott Will & Emery

What is the work location for this position at McDermott Will & Emery?
This job at McDermott Will & Emery is located in Boston, District of Columbia, according to the details provided by the employer. Some roles may also include multiple work locations depending on the requirement.
What pay range can candidates expect for this role at McDermott Will & Emery?
Candidates can expect a pay range of $145,000 and $194,000 per year.
What employment applies to this position at McDermott Will & Emery?
McDermott Will & Emery lists this role as a Full-time position.
What experience level is required for this role at McDermott Will & Emery?
McDermott Will & Emery is looking for a candidate with "Director" experience level.
What benefits are offered by McDermott Will & Emery for this role?
McDermott Will & Emery offers following benefits: Health Insurance, Paid Vacation, Career Development, and Health & Wellness Programs for this position. Actual benefits may vary depending on the employer's policies and employment terms.
What is the process to apply for this position at McDermott Will & Emery?
You can apply for this role at McDermott Will & Emery either through Sonara's automated application system, which helps you submit applications 10X faster with minimal effort, or by applying manually using the direct link on the job page.