Event Attraction Specialist

We are Edmonton's Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO). We also manage two of Edmonton's award-winning venues, the Edmonton Convention Centre and the Edmonton EXPO Centre. We help tell Edmonton's story, elevate the Edmonton experience, and drive inbound visitation and economic impact in the visitor economy.

Working together in a one-team approach aligned by our core values, Explore Edmonton's business units' market and sell Edmonton as a year-round destination to visit, work, and play in while also developing products and experiences that have a uniquely Edmonton flavour. And by incorporating the management of the city's two award-winning venues into Explore Edmonton, we are uniquely positioned to attract major events, meetings, and conventions to our city, generating greater economic impact. While Explore Edmonton's mandate is focused on generating inbound visitation, what we do and how we do it also enhances and amplifies the quality of life for Edmontonians. The people who live here are our greatest ambassadors, so making it easier for them to love our city makes it easier for us to sell it.

At Explore Edmonton, the Sport & Culture team is responsible for attracting, enabling and elevating sport, culture and major events that help define Edmonton's identity and drive real outcomes for the city. We work alongside event rights holders, local event organizers, venues partners, and government to sell the city and deliver the host-city services, partnerships and on-the-ground enhancements that turn events into experiences and experiences into lasting community, economic and tourism impact. The team plays a central role in how Edmonton shows up on the national and global stage, not just as a capable host city, but as a confident, collaborative and values-driven place to build events, grow audiences and create legacy.

Join a dynamic and relationship-focused team as an Event Attraction Specialist at Explore Edmonton, where you'll play a key role in bringing major sport and cultural events to the city. Reporting to the Manager, Event Attraction, you will serve as one of Explore Edmonton's front-line representatives within the provincial and national event marketplace.

In this exciting role, you'll build strong connections with National and Provincial Sport Organizations, cultural federations, and event rights holders across Canada. You'll identify long-lead hosting opportunities, gather market intelligence, and help position Edmonton as a premier destination for national and provincial sport and cultural events. Working closely with the Sport & Culture team and key partners, you'll help drive opportunities from early relationship-building through to successful bids that generate economic impact, enhance Edmonton's reputation, and deliver meaningful community benefits.

This position will require national travel.

What You Will Do

• Build and manage strong relationships with national and provincial sport and cultural organizations.
• Act as a front-line ambassador for Explore Edmonton within the national event marketplace.
• Identify and cultivate new hosting opportunities and develop a long-lead event pipeline.
• Gather and share market intelligence on bid cycles, funding programs, and competitor activity.
• Represent Explore Edmonton at industry events, meetings, and site visits.
• Host familiarization tours and relationship-building activities for key stakeholders.
• Work closely with the Edmonton-based team to advance opportunities into formal bid development.
• Help shape early-stage opportunities into viable hosting concepts aligned with Edmonton's assets and funding pathways.
• Maintain accurate pipeline and engagement records in CRM (Simpleview).
• Prepare briefing notes and opportunity summaries to support go/no-go decisions.
• Lead hotel RFP processes for assigned accounts.
• Provide regular updates on market trends and competitive insights.
• Contribute to business planning, pipeline forecasting, and post-bid debriefs.
• Collaborate with internal teams and partners such as Destination Canada and Sport Tourism Canada.
• Support special projects as required.

What You Will Bring

• Post-secondary education in Tourism, Marketing, Sport Administration, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of experience in tourism, sport or cultural events, destination sales, account management, or a related field.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with provincial and national stakeholders.
  Strong business development skills with a proactive, relationship-focused approach.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with a professional presence.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Experience using CRM systems and working with data or market insights.
• Knowledge of Canada's sport and event landscape; familiarity with Edmonton's offerings is an asset.
  Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word).
• Ability to work in a hybrid/remote environment with national travel, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Experience managing budgets with signing authority up to $5,000 is an asset.

If this role piques your interest, please submit your cover letter and resume no later than February 27, 2026.

Explore Edmonton encourages, supports, and celebrates a diverse and inclusive work environment. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the city we promote and where our employees feel safe and supported every day.