VP, Content - Europe

VP, Content - Shoptalk Europe 
 
Key purpose:
We’re looking for someone with a deep understanding of the European retail ecosystem, including retailers, brands, business practices, trends, and the technology companies that serve them. This role leads the team responsible for planning, preparing, and delivering the strategic vision for content at Shoptalk Europe, with the overall aim of strengthening Shoptalk Europe’s reputation as a leading, world-class experience for all attendees.
 
This is a hybrid role based in our London office, with an expectation of working from the office three days per week.
 
Reporting to the Global VP, Product & Content, you will work directly with the global content team and collaborate closely with the wider, cross-functional Shoptalk Europe team including the Event Director, Marketing, Operations, Sales, PR, Strategy, and Attendee Recruitment.
 
At the heart of the role, you and your team will develop a strong understanding of key trends and developments across the retail sector; plan the event agenda; identify, recruit and prepare both speakers and moderators; support content marketing initiatives; attend, manage and speak at events; and provide the broader organisation with intelligence and insights to help effectively promote the show to prospective sponsors and attendees.
 
Ultimately, you will play a key role in ensuring that Shoptalk Europe stands at the forefront of thought leadership in European retail and continues to be a credible and influential voice within the industry.
 
Key responsibilities:
As VP, Content, you will:

• Define the content strategy for Shoptalk Europe alongside the Global VP, Product & Content
• Monitor trends and developments across the retail ecosystem, analyse findings and use these insights to define key themes, topics, new formats, and manage speaker/moderator recruitment.
• Continuously build your knowledge of global retail trends and developments through research reports, newsletter, blogs, podcasts and other relevant industry sources.
• Attend industry events in the UK and internationally, representing Shoptalk Europe through speaking engagements, webinars, podcasts and other industry opportunities.
• Deliver welcome remarks and presentations on-stage, including on the mainstage, as required, as well as interviewing senior-level speakers
• Identify and recruit hundreds of global senior-level (VP-level, or equivalent, and above) speakers from prominent consumer brands and retailers, venture-backed startups, tech companies, investors and consulting firms
• Maintain a strong and accurate speaker pipeline, ensuring key speaker recruitment milestones are achieved through effective project management.
• Write compelling session descriptions and provide promotional content to support marketing activity, as required.
• Contribute to original Shoptalk industry research reports, including undertaking research and conducting interviews.
• Lead and support Content Directors and Producers, setting clear direction and objectives, supporting their development and managing performance.

 
Skills and experience:

• Significant experience delivering content within the events, retail or retail-related tech sectors.
• An established (and growing) international network across the retail and consumer brands space.
• Ability to quickly and effectively analyse and distil industry trends, themes and topics into engaging and practical onstage content.
• Ability to manage, nurture and inspire a team of high performing content professionals, balancing direct challenges with genuine support. 
• Strong project management skills, with experience of meticulously managing speaker acquisition pipelines and a track record of achieving key milestones and targets.
• Confident and credible when communicating with senior leaders across a range of organisations.
• Strong copywriting skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience of, and enthusiasm for, presenting or speaking in front of large audiences.
• Astute at managing multiple internal and external stakeholders and conflicting priorities 
• Self-motivated, resilient, with the ability to take on new challenges and multitask in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Able to work from our London office three days per week.
• Additional language skills would be beneficial but are not essential – particularly French, Spanish, Italian or German.