Description
The American Montessori Society (AMS) is the leading nonprofit membership organization representing the voice of Montessori education in the United States and beyond. AMS connects and serves thousands of educators, schools, and teacher education programs through accreditation, professional development, research, and advocacy.
About the Organization
The American Montessori Society (AMS) is the foremost association championing Montessori education, representing a global network of more than 1,300 member schools, 20,000 individual members, and over 100 affiliated teacher education programs. AMS advances quality Montessori practice by setting professional and educational standards, providing learning and leadership development, and convening the community through events like The Montessori Event, one of the largest Montessori gatherings in the world. Through research, advocacy, and collaboration, AMS works to ensure that Montessori education remains a vibrant, equitable, and evidence-informed approach for children and adults across diverse learning environments. standards, professional development, research, and community building.
As a leadership-driven organization, AMS is currently in an exciting stage of transition, evolving our practices to meet the needs of a modern, global education landscape. We host the largest scale Montessori conference annually—The Montessori Event (TME)—which brings together over 4,000 hybrid participants for a world-class experience blending philosophy, classroom practice, and community. Beyond our flagship event, we produce regional symposiums, international convenings, and internal retreats that foster deep connection and professional growth. Our mission is to ensure that the Montessori movement remains innovative, relevant, and accessible. We are committed to excellence in everything we do, from the quality of our content to the flawless execution of our operations.
About the Role
What You'll Do
The Senior Director of Events leads the strategy, design, and flawless delivery of AMS's global event portfolio. A visionary and execution-driven leader, the Senior Director acts as the primary architect for all AMS gatherings, ensuring every experience—from the 4,000+ attendee flagship conference, The Montessori Event (TME), to regional symposiums and internal retreats—elevates the brand and fosters meaningful community impact.
The Senior Director owns the full event lifecycle, driving innovation and revenue growth while maintaining rigorous operational standards. By streamlining systems and professionalizing the approach to event management, this leader ensures AMS events remain industry-leading, financially robust, and the gold standard for Montessori educators worldwide. This role requires a unique blend of high-level strategic thinking and hands-on operational excellence to ensure every event delivers commercial success and an exceptional attendee experience.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Innovation
- Set the strategic direction for the event portfolio, aligning every gathering with long-term growth and organizational priorities
- Act as a creative visionary to evolve event formats, ensuring they reflect current trends in education and professional learning
- Identify and execute new opportunities for revenue streams, partnerships, and sponsorships to ensure events serve as a strong financial engine
- Serve as a key member of the leadership team, providing the rationale and vision for event-based decisions that impact the entire organization
Operational Excellence & Project Management
- Oversee the full lifecycle of all AMS events, creating standardized playbooks and timelines to ensure consistency and quality
- Manage the "single source of truth" for event planning by leading the adoption of project management tools such as Monday.com and Cvent
- Own the Conferences & Community Events budget, including annual forecasting, cost optimization, and rigorous post-event reconciliation
- Ensure a frictionless attendee experience by overseeing registration workflows and onsite solutions like check-in and mobile apps
Relationship & Content Management
- Manage and hold accountable a diverse team of internal staff, external consultants, and vendors
- Collaborate with marketing and program teams to align event content and messaging, and lead the selection and negotiation process for high-profile keynote speakers
- Negotiate hotel and venue contracts with industry-level expertise to ensure optimal terms and cost savings
- Act as the ultimate decision-maker for event logistics, ensuring all departments understand their roles and expectations for the "run of show"
Who You'll Work With
You will report to the Executive Director.
You will supervise the Events Manager and lead a team that includes Conference Consultants and part-time regional event support.
You will serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Requirements
Required Skills and Experience
- 6+ years of experience in event strategy and production for large-scale conferences (3,000+ attendees)
- Demonstrated expertise in Cvent; the candidate must be able to independently build, manage, and optimize events within the platform
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing multi-million-dollar budgets and driving revenue growth
- Proven success in executing hybrid and virtual events that integrate in-person and online audiences
- Exceptional negotiation skills and a deep understanding of the hospitality and association event industry
- Ability to thrive in a remote environment while maintaining high standards of accountability and project management
- Experience in nonprofit or membership-based organizations is preferred
