Event Manager

An Event Manager plans, coordinates, and executes events in Australia such as conferences, exhibitions, weddings, corporate functions, and community gatherings. They manage budgets, negotiate with suppliers and venues, oversee logistics on the day, and ensure the event meets client expectations and regulatory requirements. The role spans pre-event planning through post-event evaluation, working in diverse venues including hotels, convention centres, outdoor spaces, and client premises.

Develop event briefs and proposals by meeting with clients to establish objectives, target audience, budget constraints, and desired outcomes. Source and negotiate contracts with venues, caterers, audio-visual providers, and other suppliers using procurement processes and cost comparison. Create and manage detailed event budgets, tracking expenditure against approved allocations and reconciling invoices. Arrange insurance cover for events including public liability and professional indemnity where required. Coordinate licensing and permits required under relevant state and local council regulations, such as liquor licences, food handling approvals, and public assembly permits. Develop event timelines, floor plans, and run sheets detailing setup schedules, speaker order, activity sequencing, and contingency procedures. Recruit, brief, and supervise event staff including volunteers, security personnel, and technical operators. Manage health and safety compliance by conducting risk assessments, implementing Safe Work Australia guidelines, and ensuring accessible facilities for people with disabilities.

The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The pay is unpredictable and often capped. Most roles top out at mid-range salary unless you run your own business or move into senior corporate positions. You'll also work irregular hours: evenings, weekends, and public holidays are normal. Events don't pause for your work-life balance, and the stress peaks right before execution when problems compound.

Regional areas have fewer roles, mostly tied to tourism or local government. Practically speaking, hospitality and tourism sectors in metro areas are where most positions sit. Remote work is rare: you need to be on-site during events.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 1493, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Develop revenue generation strategiescore
• Manage visitor flows in natural protected areascore
• Oversee the printing of touristic publicationscore
• Prepare travel packagescore
• Sales strategiescore
• Set up pricing strategiescore
• Tourism marketcore
• Translate strategy into operationcore
• Comply with food safety and hygiene
• Develop tourism products
• Handle personal identifiable information
• Maintain customer service
• Manage budgets
• Manage distribution channels
• Manage staff
• Measure customer feedback
• Oversee quality control
• Oversee the design of touristic publications
• Plan marketing strategy
• Recruit employees

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Event Manager workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026