Previously known as our weekly spotlight, our StandOut #EventProf feature has been rebranded and is now a monthly celebration of the people making a real impact across the events industry.

Each month, we’ll shine a light on an inspiring event professional, recognising their expertise, achievements and the contribution they make to shaping our industry.

This month, we’re featuring Jennifer McCandie, event operations at the National Football League (NFL).

When did you realise that events were “your thing” and the career for you?

I started my career in events with Curling Canada and worked on three national championships over three years. I then took a break from events and worked in marketing for a couple of years, and that’s when I knew events were my thing. I missed the adrenaline of being on-site, the urgency, the camaraderie, and the high you get when you see it all work out. I went back into events and have been there ever since! That said, I don’t regret my time in marketing and always tell people who are just starting out to try different things until they find what they like.

Looking back over your career, what’s been the biggest lesson you have learned?

In events, no one has it all figured out. Even the most professional organisations face challenges with difficult clients, weather, last-minute urgent requests, miscommunication, insufficient resources, you name it. You have to deliver the event anyway. An old colleague who’d been with the NFL for a long time once told me that our job was to be everyone’s PA, and I try to remember that when I’m asked to do something that seems crazy.

What are you working on at the moment?

My biggest project right now is the NFL Paris Game, which will be played at Stade de France in October. Our UK-based events team is also working on games in London, Madrid and Munich. The NFL’s live event operations team is trans-Atlantic and responsible for delivering all the international games plus League-run US events like Super Bowl and the Draft. We’re lucky that we get to travel and support our US colleagues on their events and they do the same for us. We always learn from seeing how other people and venues operate. I’m really excited to head to Melbourne in September for the first ever NFL game in Australia.

What trends in the events world are you most excited by right now?

I have a healthy scepticism of AI, but I do think it has the potential to automate and simplify a lot of event tasks, which would free up people’s time and brain power to do more important work. I also love the focus on operations as a tool to support and enhance fan experience as opposed to thinking about them as opposing priorities. Our ultimate goal as operators is to make sure every person on-site has a positive experience, but personally I am most motivated by the fans. Someone might walk away from your event having had the best day of their life! How cool is that.

What’s your go-to “event day survival kit”?

A bum bag (fanny pack for my fellow North Americans), pen, extra radio battery, water, ChapStick, gaff tape, portable phone charger (though, I always forget the last one).

Do you have any on-site bugbears? What drives you mad on-site? 

Getting the small things wrong. So many things happen on-site that are totally unpredictable or out of your control; don’t make it harder on yourself by missing the small stuff. You need a door unlocked for a meeting but no one picked up the key. The printer doesn’t work. You’ve got ten people in an office but only four power outlets. You get the picture.

Do you have any on-site rules that you live by?

You need to eat lunch! Don’t schedule yourself for 12 hours straight, or if you have to, ask someone from your team to bring you a sandwich and a water. Part of your job is being a voice of reason, especially when you’re leading a team, and you can’t do that on an empty stomach. I also make time in the mornings for a quick workout. Even just 30 minutes gives me a mental break from the job that I really need. And the biggest one… don’t be a jerk.

What do you do on site to keep morale high and your team motivated?

When we are on-site, we normally pick a night for a team activity. We’ve done darts, mini golf, karaoke, even a Christmas Market outside Frankfurt. It’s not mandatory forced fun, but it gets people out of the stadium at a reasonable time at least once and they talk about something besides work. We also recognise someone who did a great job or helped someone out every day in our morning meeting, and the next day they pass the prize along.

What’s the next chapter in your events journey?

I am joining the team at London Stadium in November, and while it’s bittersweet to leave my NFL family, I’m excited to help deliver a broad range of world-class events. I know how demanding clients can be because for the last four years, I’ve been one, and it’ll be a fun new challenge to be on the other side.

Nominate an #EventProf or sponsor an #EventProf and align your brand with the best in the industry by emailing marketing@standoutmagazine.co.uk