Trade Show Freight Operations Manager (United States)

Diversified Transportation Services (DTS) | Remote | Full time

Candidates in major trade show and convention markets strongly preferred: Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Nashville, and Phoenix.

Short Version

Trade show and event freight is its own world. Advance warehouse deadlines, targeted move in dates, marshalling yards, drayage, and move out paperwork that has to be right the first time or it costs the exhibitor real money. We move a lot of this freight already, and we are building a dedicated function around it.

We are looking for someone to own our trade show and event freight operation end to end. You will keep us in front of every repeat show and convention on the calendar, build the decorator and carrier relationships that make exhibitor move in and move out go smoothly, and make sure no exhibitor who shipped with us last year slips through the cracks this year. This is part operations, part relationship building, part revenue protection, and it is a role you can grow into something much bigger.

About DTS

We are a family owned freight brokerage based in Torrance, California. We compete on service, communication, and knowing our customers' freight better than anyone else. Trade shows and events are a segment where that approach wins, because exhibitors are stressed, deadlines are unforgiving, and they remember the broker who made it easy. That is who we want to be in this space, and this role is how we get there.

What You Will Own

The trade show calendar. Maintain a full calendar of every show, convention, and event where we have moved freight. Know when the shipping windows open and close, and make sure sales and operations hear about them well before the deadline, not after.

Repeat business. Watch our inbound and outbound exhibitor shipments for repeat opportunities. Spot the clients who shipped last year but have not booked yet, and get sales on them before the window closes. Losing repeat show freight because nobody flagged the date is the exact thing this role exists to prevent.

Decorator and venue relationships. Build and maintain working relationships with the major general service contractors, Freeman, GES, T3 Expo, and the independents. Get to know the show coordinators and floor managers at the convention centers we work. The goal is smoother move in and move out for our exhibitors, better dock access, and real visibility into scheduling.

Show attendance. Travel to select shows to work the floor in person. Handle material handling agreements, oversee our exhibitors' move in and move out, and keep freight moving through the dock on schedule. Meet decorators and show management face to face while you are there. Being on site is how you catch problems before they become fires and how a phone relationship becomes a real one.

Carrier development. Work with our carrier team to build a reliable network of long haul and final mile carriers who actually know trade show and event freight, marshalling yards, targeted move outs, and time sensitive show deadlines. A carrier who has never worked a show floor is a problem waiting to happen, and part of your job is knowing the difference.

Operational execution. Partner with operations to make sure show shipments are scheduled, tracked, and executed clean. When something goes sideways during a move in or move out, you are the person who knows how to troubleshoot it fast.

Reporting. Track trade show revenue and gross margin against our goals and keep leadership updated on progress. Surface the trends, the opportunities, and the operational fixes worth making.

Process and tools. Help build standardized workflows for quoting, booking, documentation, and tracking show freight. Push for the technology and process improvements that give clients and our internal team better visibility.

Client support. Be the internal expert sales leans on for trade show exhibitors. Help with the tricky quotes, the complex logistics planning, and the scheduling that makes or breaks a client's event.

What We Are Looking For

• Experience in freight, logistics, or trade show and event operations. Direct exhibitor, convention, or event freight experience is a big plus, but a strong LTL or brokerage background with the drive to learn the show side works too.
• Someone organized enough to run a calendar that other people depend on, and proactive enough to chase the date before it becomes a fire.
• Comfortable building relationships, with decorators, carriers, show management, and internal teams. This role only works if people want to pick up your call.
• Calm under a deadline. Move in day is chaos and you need to be the steady one.
• Solid with the tools, or quick to learn them. We use a TMS and are always improving how we track and coordinate freight.
• An owner mentality. We are building this function, not maintaining one, and we want someone who treats it like their own business.

Why This Role

This is not a seat where you run someone else's playbook. Trade show and event freight is a real growth segment for us and you would be the person shaping how we win it. If you want a role with room to build, visible impact on the numbers, and a direct line to leadership, this is it.

Details:

• Location: Remote. Candidates based in major trade show markets like Las Vegas and Orlando are strongly preferred.
• Type: Full time
• Compensation: $70,000 to $85,000 per year base, plus performance incentives tied to trade show revenue and growth. Total compensation grows with the segment you build.
• DTS is an equal opportunity employer.