Learning and Events Manager
Are you a commercially astute leader who thrives on creating exceptional learning experiences, impactful events, and meaningful business connections? Do you enjoy combining strategy, innovation, customer insight, and operational excellence to deliver real value and measurable outcomes?
This is an exciting opportunity to join one of Canterbury’s most connected and influential business organisations and lead the development and delivery of our learning and development programmes and events.
Drawing on insights, stakeholder relationships, technology, and AI, you’ll help ensure Business Canterbury remains the first choice for business capability building, connection, inspiration, and advocacy.
As our Learning and Events Manager, you’ll be responsible for shaping and delivering a high-impact programme of events and learning and development opportunities that respond to the evolving needs of Canterbury businesses. You’ll ensure our programmes remain relevant, commercially successful, and deliver an exceptional customer experience while driving operational efficiency and innovation. You’ll also enjoy the mix of strategic leadership and hands-on execution.
About Us
As the home and voice of Canterbury business, Business Canterbury’s purpose is to back businesses to thrive by building capability, connections, and advocacy. With more than 2,800 members at the heart of everything we do, we are recognised as one of New Zealand’s most influential business voices, globally recognised as a leading Chamber, and a trusted partner to business.
We are fiercely focused on impact, and our vibrant team thrives on collaboration, innovation, and making a real difference for our members, customers, and community.
What You’ll Do
Learning & Development Strategy
Lead the development and evolution of our learning and development programmes, ensuring they remain relevant, innovative, and responsive to the changing business environment. Identify emerging needs, explore new delivery methods, and create programmes that help businesses build capability, navigate change, and succeed.
Events Leadership
Lead the planning and delivery of a dynamic and commercially successful events programme that informs, inspires, connects, and advocates for the Canterbury business community. Ensure every event delivers a clear purpose, exceptional execution, and meaningful value for attendees and stakeholders.
Customer Experience & Engagement
Create seamless and engaging experiences across every stage of the customer journey. Ensure our events and programmes consistently exceed expectations and create clear pathways for members and customers to engage with Business Canterbury’s wider services and support.
Partnerships, Innovation & Growth
Build and leverage partnerships with presenters, facilitators, partners, industry experts, and stakeholders to strengthen our programme offering. Identify opportunities to collaborate, differentiate, and create greater value for members and customers.
Technology, AI & Operational Excellence
Drive continuous improvement through robust systems, processes, technology, and AI. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, and programme effectiveness while supporting organisational capability building and change initiatives.
Leadership & Performance
Lead and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer focus, and innovation. Manage budgets, performance reporting, and operational planning to ensure strong commercial outcomes and alignment with organisational priorities.
If it involves creating meaningful learning opportunities, delivering memorable events, building stronger business connections, driving operational excellence, or finding smarter ways to work, you’ll be at the centre of it.
Why You’ll Love This Role
- You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the learning, capability building, and business connection opportunities available to the Canterbury business community.
- You’ll work closely with the leadership team and colleagues across the organisation to influence organisational growth, member engagement, and customer outcomes.
- You’ll lead programmes that have a visible impact on businesses, their people, and the wider region.
- You’ll enjoy a diverse role that combines strategic leadership, programme development, commercial management, stakeholder engagement, customer experience, and team leadership.
- You’ll have the opportunity to leverage technology and AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and scale across our learning and events programmes.
Who You Are
You’re an experienced leader who understands how to combine strategy with execution and customer needs with commercial outcomes. You’re equally comfortable developing long-term plans, building strong relationships, leading a team, analysing data, improving systems, and delivering exceptional experiences.
You’ll bring:
- At least five years’ experience leading teams and delivering learning and development programmes, events, or customer engagement initiatives.
- Proven leadership experience with the ability to inspire, coach, and develop high-performing teams.
- Experience identifying capability needs and developing engaging, relevant learning solutions and pathways.
- Strong experience in event strategy, planning, delivery, and continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated success using technology and AI tools to improve efficiency, scalability, and programme effectiveness.
- Strong commercial acumen, including budget management and achieving financial performance targets.
- Experience using customer insights, market research, data, and reporting to drive decision-making and growth.
- Excellent communication, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- A strong customer service mindset and the ability to identify trends and opportunities that deepen customer engagement.
- An understanding of the key drivers of business success and the Canterbury business environment.
What We Value
At Business Canterbury, our values guide everything we do:
- Lead the change and the charge
- Be the best business partner
- Fiercely focused on what’s best for our customers
- Commercially driven for impact
- Authenticity matters
Beyond your experience, you’ll be someone who is curious, collaborative, customer-focused, courageous, adaptable, and driven by results. You’ll bring fresh thinking, challenge the status quo, embrace continuous improvement, and enjoy helping others succeed.
If these values resonate with you, you’ll thrive here. This is a full-time office-based role, where connection, collaboration, and shared success are part of how we work every day.
If this role aligns with your experience and aspirations, we’d love to hear from you. Please review the full position description on our website and submit your CV and cover letter via Seek.
Applications close 12pm, 3 August 2026
