Lead Field & Events Marketing Manager
About the job
- At least 8 years of progressive experience in B2B SaaS field marketing, event marketing, demand generation, or a related discipline, including ownership of complex North America field programs.
- Demonstrated success independently managing complex, multi-touch field and event programs from planning and execution through post-event analysis, understanding target audiences, evaluating event opportunities, and connecting field programs to broader marketing and revenue goals.
- Hands-on experience managing the full event lifecycle, including event planning, vendor management, contracts, procurement, logistics, onsite execution, stakeholder communication, and post-event follow-up.
- Ability to lead through influence and build trusted relationships across Sales, SDR, Marketing, Marketing Operations, Creative teams, external vendors, and senior stakeholders.
- Understanding of how field marketing programs contribute to demand generation and pipeline, and experience partnering with Sales and SDR teams on lead follow-up, nurture strategies, and post-event conversion.
- Hands-on experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce and marketing automation platforms such as HubSpot.
- Strong background in event-level budget management, financial reconciliation, performance reporting, and evaluating event effectiveness through metrics such as MQLs, SQLs, pipeline, conversion, CAC, and ROI.
- Ability to operate in ambiguity, communicate openly, adapt when plans change, understand business performance, and stay current on changes in field marketing and events.
- Interest in improving field and event marketing programs and comfort exploring new technologies, including AI, to improve efficiency, engagement, and business impact.
- Develop and execute high-impact field marketing programs across North America, including regional event sponsorships, customer roadshows, industry conferences, field activations, and executive dinners; align event opportunities with priority audiences, business objectives, and pipeline goals.
- Own end-to-end production, project management, promotion, and onsite execution for North America in-person field events, including tradeshows, conferences, sponsorships, customer events, and regional activations; manage event briefs, timelines, vendors, contracts, procurement, logistics, RSVPs, and materials, and track results and report post-event performance.
- Partner with Sales, SDR, Marketing Operations, Product Marketing, Creative Services, and other cross-functional teams to align field programs with target audiences, messaging, lead follow-up, and pipeline goals; build relationships and communicate with stakeholders throughout the event lifecycle.
- Manage line-item budgets for assigned North America events, including forecasting, vendor spend, expense tracking, and post-event reconciliation; maintain visibility into budget performance and communicate spend, risks, and changes to stakeholders.
- Partner with Marketing Operations, SDRs, and Sales to ensure event leads are captured, enriched, routed, nurtured, and actively worked after each event; monitor and report lead progression through the funnel and identify opportunities to improve conversion from event engagement to MQL, opportunity, and pipeline.
- Establish and track event KPIs, analyze campaign and event performance, and deliver performance readouts to stakeholders and leadership; evaluate lead generation, MQL progression, pipeline contribution, conversion, and ROI to inform future field marketing decisions.
- Stay current on evolving field and event marketing trends, technologies, and emerging AI capabilities; identify opportunities to improve the customer and prospect experience and evolve field marketing programs.
- Experience with event management platforms and project management tools is strongly preferred.
About the company
WP Engine provides fully managed WordPress hosting that handles hosting, security, backups, and site management for individuals and businesses on a subscription basis. It adds performance optimization through Page Speed Boost (NitroPack OneClick) to speed up sites, along with built-in design and development tools like themes and plugins. The company differentiates itself by focusing specifically on WordPress with a complete managed platform and an Agency Partner Program for managing multiple client sites. Its goal is to help WordPress sites run faster and more securely so customers can focus on their business.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Growth Equity (Non-Venture Capital)
Total Funding
$290.9M
Headquarters
Austin, Texas
Founded
2010
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Commerce Connect launched July 2026, expanding WP Engine into enterprise commerce modernization.
- Smart Search AI opened to all WordPress sites in August 2026, widening top-of-funnel distribution.
- Big Bite acquisition and Newsroom launch in 2026 deepen enterprise publishing revenues.
What critics are saying
- Automattic's September 2026 antitrust fight threatens WP Engine's WordPress ecosystem access and trust.
- WordPress.org dependency remains existential; another access shutdown would disrupt updates, plugins, and customer retention.
- BigCommerce partnership targets WooCommerce displacement, inviting retaliation from Automattic and channel conflict.
What makes WP Engine unique
- WP Engine owns premium WordPress infrastructure plus tools like Advanced Custom Fields and NitroPack.
- Its July 2026 Commerce Connect preserves WordPress SEO while modernizing BigCommerce commerce stacks.
- Ireland now anchors AI talent, with first AI Technical Architect hired in 2026.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Company Stock Options
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Fertility Treatment Support
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
401(k) Company Match
Disability Insurance
Paid Family and Caregiver’s Leave
Employee Assistance Program
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Home Office Stipend
Hybrid Work Options
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Pet Insurance
Professional Development Budget
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
0%1 year growth
0%2 year growth
1%Automattic has a new board after failed attempt to put CEO on leave | TechCrunch. Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has rebuilt the company's board just weeks after its previous directors tried, and failed, to oust him. The board, which was announced to staff Friday, is an eclectic group that includes a best-selling science fiction author and two co-founders of the now-defunct social app IRL, TechCrunch has learned. The new board is the latest twist in an internal governance fight at Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, Tumblr, WooCommerce, and others. Earlier this month, the previous board voted to place Mullenweg on leave in an attempt to remove him from the board, only to have the CEO retake control just 33 hours later and remove or accept the resignations of the directors who were involved. This week, Mullenweg posted about a board meeting, but didn't share who he was meeting with. Now, he's finally informing Automattic employees of the board changes via the company's announcements channel in Slack. Sources told TechCrunch the new Automattic board includes: * American writer Hugh Howey, author of the "Silo" book series. (Mullenweg and Howey both hiked along the Camino de Santiago in Spain back in 2018. * "Breakup Bootcamp" author Amy Chan (who recently reposted Mullenweg's tweet about the company's AI site builder, Spacefast). * IRL co-founder Henry Khatachryan, who Mullenweg described as "a founder and builder," a longtime collaborator with the late technology writer Om Malik and the website builder of journalist Nick Bilton. * And Krutal Desai, who co-founded the social app IRL with Khatachryan. Egerin Inc. should note that IRL shut down after investigations revealed that nearly all of its user base was made up of bots. The co-founders, who also included CEO Abraham Shafi, later sued SoftBank and other investors after SoftBank had sued for securities fraud. A slew of new advisers have also joined, including Curio Studio co-founder Jaime Waydo, June co-founder Matt Van Horn, and KISSmetrics co-founder Hiten Shah. In the announcement to staff, Mullenweg reportedly wrote that, "for purposes of Delaware law, I am the CEO, President, Treasurer, and Secretary," adding that the attempted firing had also brought in "many amazing supporters." "We had the most interesting board meeting in a decade (since the Woo acquisition)," he said. Reached for comment, Automattic said it hoped to have a comment for TechCrunch soon. Automattic's original board had voted to put Mullenweg on paid leave, but he took back control of the company, letting go of those involved in what he described on X as a "coup attempt." To replace the board, Mullenweg leveraged his voting shares - he controls 84% of the vote, he said at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. The period between his departure and return lasted exactly "33 hours and 20 minutes," Automattic told TechCrunch previously. Following the failed board vote, member Toni Schneider, a founding CEO of Automattic and now CEO of Bluesky, resigned from his board position. Mullenweg himself removed Gen. Ann Dunwoody from the board, and board member Sue Decker also resigned. In addition, Mullenweg let go of Automattic CFO Mark Davies, who was slated to become interim CEO, and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan, TechCrunch confirmed with sources. The board never publicly shared its reasons for trying to oust Mullenweg. Of note, Mullenweg also replaced Automattic's legal counsel after his return, a move that raises questions about whether the boardroom fight is tied to the company's ongoing lawsuit with hosting provider WP Engine over trademark disputes and claims over WP Engine's lack of contribution to the WordPress open source project. (WP Engine's legal team had also accused Mullenweg this July of destroying evidence, court filings show.) In an internal message shared after the ousting and return, Mullenweg had acknowledged the chaos it caused, saying: Last week, several board members formed a special committee and voted to place me on a leave of absence. They did this without advance warning and without giving me a meaningful opportunity to understand or respond to their concerns before they acted. I was denied even a brief extension to consult with independent legal counsel. I took the steps necessary to reverse that action. I am back and fully in charge of the company. I am again working alongside you to make its company a success. I also want to share that Egerin Inc. has retained Susman Godfrey LLP as its new litigation counsel. Susman Godfrey is one of the top trial firms in the country, and they will be protecting its company's interests and defending Egerin Inc. in its ongoing litigation. I know this past week has been unsettling. I appreciate your patience and your continued focus on the work that matters. I will have more to share soon, but for now, know that Automattic's mission and priorities remain unchanged. When you purchase through links in its articles, Egerin Inc. may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect its editorial independence. Sarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software. You can contact or verify outreach from Sarah by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at sarahperez.01 on Signal.
WP Engine celebrates a decade of growth and innovation in Ireland. 09/09/2026 Ireland WP Engine, a global web enablement company for websites built on WordPress(R) 1, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Limerick office, reflecting its long-term commitment to the people, businesses and economy of the region. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, WP Engine opened its Irish operations in September 2016 with a team of 10. A decade on, the office, now based on Henry Street in the heart of Limerick, has grown into a strategic international office with over 70 people and almost 100 people across the country - spanning multiple departments including finance, customer success, engineering, product, and HR - supporting customers and teams around the world. A decade of growth WP Engine selected Limerick as its first Irish office for the region's technology talent, strong education sector and growing reputation for international investment. Over the past decade, WP Engine has invested €98 million in its Irish operation and the regional economy, and supported over 180,000 customers through work led or delivered from Ireland. "It's amazing to see what a decade of resilience can do. I am so proud to see the WP Engine Ireland team grow into a global hub that touches almost every part of our business," said Heather Brunner, Chairwoman and CEO of WP Engine. "Being based in the heart of Limerick has given us access to extraordinary talent, and it's a big part of why this office has scaled the way it has over the past decade." Supporting Limerick's local community WP Engine has built long-term partnerships with several universities and technological institutions across Ireland, including the University of Limerick, IDA Ireland, and Limerick City and County Council, where they support employment and skills development through university co-op programmes, Transition Year placements and mentorships. "Over the years, 40 University of Limerick students have completed their placements with WP Engine, spanning a range of disciplines including AI, risk, computing and design. This is a reflection not only of WP Engine's evolution as an organisation, but also of its longstanding commitment to developing emerging talent and creating meaningful opportunities for UL students to learn, contribute and grow." said Dr Susan Daly, Manager of Co-op Education, Business and IT, at the University of Limerick. "We are delighted to have been part of the journey and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future." Looking ahead "WP Engine's growth in Limerick over the past decade is an endorsement of the Mid West region's technology talent and its established innovation ecosystem. Since 2016 the company has become an important part of Limerick's technology cluster, from where it supports high-value global functions. Its continued investment, including the development of AI expertise in Ireland, reflects the strategic role regional locations play in helping FDI innovate and scale across Ireland", said Dónal Travers, Executive Director IDA Ireland. "I wish WP Engine continued success as it marks this important milestone and look forward to our continued partnership as it embarks on the next phase of its growth." WP Engine remains committed to its presence in Limerick and to developing the skills and capabilities needed to support the next phase of the company's growth. The team is taking the lead in the company's global adoption of AI, helping to shape its internal roadmap and the continued integration of AI across the business. This year, WP Engine appointed its first AI Technical Architect and AI Principal Product Manager in Ireland, strengthening its local expertise and creating further opportunities for AI innovation and research. "The technology landscape has changed enormously since we first arrived in Limerick in 2016. What's remained constant is the quality of our people and their appetite to solve difficult problems and support our customers." "This milestone belongs to our customers and to the partners and organisations who've supported us along the way. We're incredibly proud of our first ten years in Limerick, and excited about what the next ten will bring," adds Brunner.
WP Engine celebrates a decade of growth and innovation in Ireland. 09/09/2026 Ireland WP Engine, a global web enablement company for websites built on WordPress(R) 1, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Limerick office, reflecting its long-term commitment to the people, businesses and economy of the region. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, WP Engine opened its Irish operations in September 2016 with a team of 10. A decade on, the office, now based on Henry Street in the heart of Limerick, has grown into a strategic international office with over 70 people and almost 100 people across the country - spanning multiple departments including finance, customer success, engineering, product, and HR - supporting customers and teams around the world. A decade of growth WP Engine selected Limerick as its first Irish office for the region's technology talent, strong education sector and growing reputation for international investment. Over the past decade, WP Engine has invested €98 million in its Irish operation and the regional economy, and supported over 180,000 customers through work led or delivered from Ireland. "It's amazing to see what a decade of resilience can do. I am so proud to see the WP Engine Ireland team grow into a global hub that touches almost every part of our business," said Heather Brunner, Chairwoman and CEO of WP Engine. "Being based in the heart of Limerick has given us access to extraordinary talent, and it's a big part of why this office has scaled the way it has over the past decade." Supporting Limerick's local community WP Engine has built long-term partnerships with several universities and technological institutions across Ireland, including the University of Limerick, IDA Ireland, and Limerick City and County Council, where they support employment and skills development through university co-op programmes, Transition Year placements and mentorships. "Over the years, 40 University of Limerick students have completed their placements with WP Engine, spanning a range of disciplines including AI, risk, computing and design. This is a reflection not only of WP Engine's evolution as an organisation, but also of its longstanding commitment to developing emerging talent and creating meaningful opportunities for UL students to learn, contribute and grow." said Dr Susan Daly, Manager of Co-op Education, Business and IT, at the University of Limerick. "We are delighted to have been part of the journey and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future." Looking ahead "WP Engine's growth in Limerick over the past decade is an endorsement of the Mid West region's technology talent and its established innovation ecosystem. Since 2016 the company has become an important part of Limerick's technology cluster, from where it supports high-value global functions. Its continued investment, including the development of AI expertise in Ireland, reflects the strategic role regional locations play in helping FDI innovate and scale across Ireland", said Dónal Travers, Executive Director IDA Ireland. "I wish WP Engine continued success as it marks this important milestone and look forward to our continued partnership as it embarks on the next phase of its growth." WP Engine remains committed to its presence in Limerick and to developing the skills and capabilities needed to support the next phase of the company's growth. The team is taking the lead in the company's global adoption of AI, helping to shape its internal roadmap and the continued integration of AI across the business. This year, WP Engine appointed its first AI Technical Architect and AI Principal Product Manager in Ireland, strengthening its local expertise and creating further opportunities for AI innovation and research. "The technology landscape has changed enormously since we first arrived in Limerick in 2016. What's remained constant is the quality of our people and their appetite to solve difficult problems and support our customers." "This milestone belongs to our customers and to the partners and organisations who've supported us along the way. We're incredibly proud of our first ten years in Limerick, and excited about what the next ten will bring," adds Brunner.
WP Engine celebrates a decade of growth and innovation in Ireland. From a team of 10 to a strategic international office of hundreds, WP Engine marks a decade of investment, talent, and community impact in Ireland LIMERICK, Ireland-(BUSINESS WIRE)-WP Engine, a global web enablement company for websites built on WordPress(R) 1, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Limerick office, reflecting its long-term commitment to the people, businesses and economy of the region. WP Engine has invested €98 million in its Irish operation and the regional economy. Share Headquartered in Austin, Texas, WP Engine opened its Irish operations in September 2016 with a team of 10. A decade on, the office, now based on Henry Street in the heart of Limerick, has grown into a strategic international office with over 70 people and almost 100 people across the country - spanning multiple departments including finance, customer success, engineering, product, and HR - supporting customers and teams around the world. A decade of growth WP Engine selected Limerick as its first Irish office for the region's technology talent, strong education sector and growing reputation for international investment. Over the past decade, WP Engine has invested €98 million in its Irish operation and the regional economy, and supported over 180,000 customers through work led or delivered from Ireland. "It's amazing to see what a decade of resilience can do. I am so proud to see the WP Engine Ireland team grow into a global hub that touches almost every part of our business," said Heather Brunner, Chairwoman and CEO of WP Engine. "Being based in the heart of Limerick has given us access to extraordinary talent, and it's a big part of why this office has scaled the way it has over the past decade." Supporting Limerick's local community WP Engine has built long-term partnerships with several universities and technological institutions across Ireland, including the University of Limerick, IDA Ireland, and Limerick City and County Council, where they support employment and skills development through university co-op programmes, Transition Year placements and mentorships. "Over the years, 40 University of Limerick students have completed their placements with WP Engine, spanning a range of disciplines including AI, risk, computing and design. This is a reflection not only of WP Engine's evolution as an organisation, but also of its longstanding commitment to developing emerging talent and creating meaningful opportunities for UL students to learn, contribute and grow," said Dr Susan Daly, Manager of Co-op Education, Business and IT, at the University of Limerick. "We are delighted to have been part of the journey and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future." Looking ahead "WP Engine's growth in Limerick over the past decade is an endorsement of the Mid West region's technology talent and its established innovation ecosystem. Since 2016 the company has become an important part of Limerick's technology cluster, from where it supports high-value global functions. Its continued investment, including the development of AI expertise in Ireland, reflects the strategic role regional locations play in helping FDI innovate and scale across Ireland," said Dónal Travers, Executive Director IDA Ireland. "I wish WP Engine continued success as it marks this important milestone and look forward to our continued partnership as it embarks on the next phase of its growth." WP Engine remains committed to its presence in Limerick and to developing the skills and capabilities needed to support the next phase of the company's growth. The team is taking the lead in the company's global adoption of AI, helping to shape its internal roadmap and the continued integration of AI across the business. This year, WP Engine appointed its first AI Technical Architect and AI Principal Product Manager in Ireland, strengthening its local expertise and creating further opportunities for AI innovation and research. "The technology landscape has changed enormously since we first arrived in Limerick in 2016. What's remained constant is the quality of our people and their appetite to solve difficult problems and support our customers," said Heather Brunner. "This milestone belongs to our customers and to the partners and organisations who've supported us along the way. We're incredibly proud of our first ten years in Limerick, and excited about what the next ten will bring," adds Brunner. About WP Engine WP Engine empowers companies and agencies of all sizes to build, power, manage, and optimize their WordPress websites and applications with confidence. The global technology company serves and powers more than 5 million sites, providing premium, enterprise-grade solutions, tools, and services, including specialized hosting platforms for websites built on WordPress, industry-tailored agency solutions, and developer-centric tools like Advanced Custom Fields, NitroPack, Local, and more. Innovative technology and industry-leading expertise are why Pandora, Experian, Equifax, VMware, HubSpot, and Dell choose WP Engine. Learn more at wpengine.com. [[1]] WP Engine is a proud member and supporter of the community of WordPress(R) users. The WordPress(R) trademark is the intellectual property of the WordPress Foundation, and the Woo(R) and WooCommerce(R) trademarks are the intellectual property of WooCommerce, Inc. Uses of the WordPress(R), Woo(R), and WooCommerce(R) names in this website are for identification purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc. WP Engine is not endorsed or owned by, or affiliated with, the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce, Inc.
WP Engine launches Smart Search AI for all WordPress sites. Table of Contents WP Engine expands ai-powered Smart Search tool to all WordPress websites. WP Engine has officially broadened the availability of its innovative Smart Search AI tool, allowing all WordPress websites, rather than just its hosting customers, to benefit from this advanced functionality. This tool is engineered to supplant conventional keyword searching with a semantic search approach that discerns meaning and context. According to WP Engine, this enhancement significantly bolsters the relevance of results when users input lengthy phrases, ambiguous terms, or imperfect queries riddled with typographical errors. Aimed principally at organizations operating extensive websites with vast content repositories or comprehensive product catalogs, this tool serves visitors who heavily depend on search functions to locate precise information. The company asserts that users engaging with on-site search exhibit a heightened intent to purchase or interact, in contrast to casual browsers. WP Engine, which claims to empower over 5 million WordPress sites, positions this extensive rollout as a strategy to connect with site owners beyond its managed hosting clientele. Prominent brands employing its solutions include Pandora, Experian, Equifax, VMware, HubSpot, and Dell. Evolution of search mechanisms. The launch coincides with a pivotal moment for website administrators as they reevaluate search technologies in light of evolving user expectations influenced by AI-driven consumer services. Conventional site search systems often hinge on precise keywords, which can result in suboptimal outcomes when users phrase inquiries differently than the site's content dictates. Smart Search AI is designed to index new and modified content instantaneously and operates on external infrastructure as opposed to the client's own site. This framework aims to alleviate the operational strain for organizations aspiring to enhance search capabilities without overhauling their website's foundational structure. Tailored for WordPress, the tool seamlessly integrates with Advanced Custom Fields and WooCommerce. Additionally, it can be incorporated into headless WordPress environments via WPGraphQL and REST APIs, as stated by WP Engine. In conjunction with the broader availability of the primary search functionality, the plugin also encompasses access to the Smart Search AI MCP Server, which is currently in open beta. This feature empowers organizations to engage live site content with external AI agents in real-time. Driving a business case. The imperative for enhanced search functionalities is intricately linked to the metrics of conversion and customer retention. In promotional materials associated with the launch, WP Engine referenced studies indicating that a staggering 80% of consumers have abandoned a website due to inefficiencies in the on-site search experience. This is particularly critical for retailers, publishers, and service providers with dense content frameworks, as inadequate search capabilities may obscure products, articles, or support information from visitors actively seeking them. Traditionally, many site proprietors have relegated search functions to mere background features instead of integrating them into the customer journey. Ramadass Prabhakar, Chief Technology Officer at WP Engine, emphasized the overlooked significance of search in the digital landscape. "Search is one of the most neglected facets of the digital experience, yet it profoundly influences user engagement with site content," stated Prabhakar. "With Smart Search AI, we are democratizing access to one of our most robust tools for the entire WordPress community, ultimately fostering higher engagement, reducing time-to-conversion, and enhancing customer experiences." This tool is designed for marketing, content, and development teams seeking greater agency over the search functionalities of their sites. The configuration process is user-friendly, allowing adjustments via an interface without necessitating the construction of a bespoke search engine. Case study from a customer. Among the existing users of the Smart Search AI tool is Mitie, an outsourcing and facilities management organization that employed the search functionality during its website redesign. WP Engine reports that client interviews during the project underscored the challenges users faced in locating content through the site's previous search capabilities. "During our latest redesign, we consulted our top clients, and a primary concern was their inability to efficiently find what they sought on our website," remarked Melanie Clarke, Website Manager at Mitie. "They often left in frustration when their searches proved unfruitful. Smart Search AI has significantly enhanced user journeys, enabling our content to foster engagement rather than frustration."