Trade Show & Special Events Manager

Trade Show & Special Events Manager

Reports to: Global Director of Marketing

Department: Marketing; collaborating with Sales, Product & Ops

Work Location: Hybrid, 4 days onsite, 1 day WFH, Springfield, NJ

Travel: All US Trade Shows; potential travel to select EU trade shows

Justin Alexander Group sells through independent boutiques, no direct to consumer, no company flagship stores. That means the moments where our brands come to life, where a retailer walks a booth, touches a gown, and writes an order, carry extraordinary weight.

Trade Shows/Markets, pop-ups, and brand events are key to a season’s success. The Trade Show & Special Events Manager owns those moments, driving each event from concept through on-site execution and wrap, across B2B and D2C.

Who You Are | We are looking for someone who loves a checklist and makes a show feel effortless.

• You are a producer at heart. You know that great events are won in the months before anyone walks in the room, and you build the workback schedule before anyone asks for it
• You sweat details most people never notice. Signage alignment, style tag accuracy, the florals arriving two hours before the venue opens. You notice, and you are invested
• You are calm on show days. Plans change hourly on-site and you think quickly and pivot
• You hold vendors to a standard. You negotiate well, build long relationships, and are comfortable being a leader in the room
• You work across teams, seamlessly balancing the needs of each department

The best version of this hire is an event producer with a marketer’s eye for brand.

Event Strategy & Production | You are the heartbeat of every event, from concept to wrap report.

• Oversee the strategy, planning, and execution of B2B and D2C events, including Trade Shows/Markets and pop-ups, and assist with other key brand executions such as press moments, influencer/VIP experiences, and partnership-driven programming
• Translate creative ideas into actionable event plans, timelines, budgets, workstreams, and deliverables, with every event reflecting the Justin Alexander Group POV through attention to detail, elevated storytelling, and flawless execution
• Lead the full lifecycle of retailer-facing and brand-building events, from brief creation and timeline development through on-site execution and post-event closure
• Plan and coordinate key company events such as the Annual Sales Meeting and assist with any travel arrangements or logistics needed
• Partner with Marketing team members, Sales, and Finance to build and manage per-event budgets in tandem with the annual budget
• Lead creative ideation, production, vendor collaboration/sourcing, and any agency management, overseeing operational logistics
• Anticipate needs, remove roadblocks, and keep complex projects moving from concept through execution
• Maintain ongoing event checklists and workback schedules, keeping every deliverable organized, on track, and completed on time, and gather stakeholder feedback to improve each event

Trade Shows/Markets & Special Activations | Trade Shows are where retailers buy. You make sure our presentation is polished, buttoned up, and on brand.

• Lead preparation: organize, print, and confirm all marketing collateral, branded materials, and paperwork pre-show in partnership with cross-functional teams
• Communicate with venues before and during events, planning space logistics: lighting, furniture, florals etc.
• Support Sales and B2B teams on product shipping and logistics needs
• Post events on the Retailer Dashboard under Trade Events
• Manage all non-dress items needed for events: Trade Shows/Markets, photoshoots, pop-ups, and retailer events

On-Site & Post-Event | You are the calm center of every show day, and the one who closes the loop after.

• Oversee on-site event delivery, holding suppliers, talent, partners, and event teams to agreed creative and operational standards
• Conduct venue site visits, production meetings, supplier briefings, and post-event debriefs, delivering a post-show wrap report
• Oversee post-event management and reporting, including attendance reporting to internal stakeholders

Communications & Partnership | You brief, others broadcast. Marketing Communications owns the channels; you deliver the briefs and the timelines.

• Partner with communication leads within Marketing to brief event communications across channels such as email and B2B social
• Manage invitation logistics for key events in partnership with Strategy and Design
• Partner closely with internal and external stakeholders to keep all teams aligned
• Support the Influencer Manager & Marketing team on VIP events, including guest logistics, gifting, and on-site experience
• Provide support for international events on an as-needed basis

Event types include, but are not limited to:

• Stylist Summit
• Trade Shows/Markets and pop-ups
• Additional brand and retailer in-store events
• Influencer, Press, and VIP/D2C events

Point of Purchase (POP) | When a retailer’s floor carries our materials, you collaborate to keep deliverables accurate and on time.

• Support point of purchase requests for North America in partnership with the Marketing, Sales, Project Management, and Operations teams
• Partner with Brand Strategy and Design on point of purchase concepts and creative
• Work with cross-functional teams on fulfillment, quantities, distribution, and inventory needs

Gifting | Gifting is how the brand shows gratitude, and you own how that looks and feels.

• Own internal and retail partner gifting, including the annual Diamond Gift and End of Year gifting, from concept through creation, in partnership with Marketing team members and the Sales team
• Collaborate on gift distribution with the Senior Account Associate, Sales, and Project Management
• Own event gifting end to end
• Collaborate on company swag in partnership with the broader Marketing team

On the Road | Travel is not incidental to this role. Shows are where the work becomes real.

• All US Trade Shows
• Site visits, venue walkthroughs, and key brand events as needed

Experience We’re Looking For

• 5-7 years in event production and management
• Bridal industry experience preferred
• Demonstrated ability to run complex, multi-workstream events on time and on budget
• Comfort negotiating with and managing vendors, venues, and agencies
• Key skills: Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Organization, Problem Solving, Leadership

Compensation & Benefits

This role has an anticipated base salary range of $85,000 to $90,000 annually. The final offer will be determined based on experience, skills, and internal benchmarks.

Justin Alexander offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance with ancillary options
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (vacation, sick days, holidays)
• Family Building Benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee discounts and more