Vice President, Products & Services

Our Client is a global provider of exhibition and event services, supporting organizers, exhibitors, and brands across North America, EMEA, and other key markets. Backed by a leading private equity sponsor, the company is executing a strategy centered on growth in discretionary exhibitor services, enhanced productized offerings, improved operational consistency, and ongoing digital transformation. Within this context, the company is seeking a Vice President, Products & Services (VP, P&S) to lead the strategy, development, and commercial performance of its full Products & Services (P&S) portfolio. This role oversees an established team responsible for core booth products, rental items, and exhibitor-facing services, while also driving a significant new initiative: the commercialization and scale-up of a custom exhibits offering. This initiative is expected to be a defining focus of the role in its early stages. It represents an opportunity to capture exhibitor demand that sits between the company’s stock offerings and the fully bespoke solutions delivered through a subsidiary. Once established, it will function as a component of the broader P&S portfolio as the team shifts to a more commercially oriented, VOC‑aligned, and innovation‑focused model. The VP, P&S will report to the Executive Vice President of Marketing, Products & Services and will oversee the Senior Director of Products & Services and a multidisciplinary team spanning product management, design coordination, inside sales, show‑site services, and related commercial support functions. Role Evolution Near‑Term (~0 to ~18 months): Custom Exhibits Buildout and Team Alignment Assume leadership of the existing P&S team, gaining deep understanding of current capabilities, product structures, and operational processes, while delivering on current revenue targets. Lead the definition, launch, and early commercialization of the Custom Rental Exhibits offering, including offer architecture, pricing, marketing, sales enablement, and operational alignment. Establish foundational governance, workflow standards, product information structures, and collaboration models with marketing, sales, eCommerce, design, and operations. Identify immediate capability gaps and recommend targeted adjustments or additions to team structure and talent. Embed custom exhibits into show‑site operations and sales channels, ensuring consistent execution and predictable customer experience across priority events. Medium‑Term (~18 to ~36 months): Scaling Custom Exhibits and Reinforcing Commercial Orientation Strengthen the P&S team’s commercial alignment, shifting toward a more proactive, revenue‑aware operating model with clear ownership of product performance. Normalize processes around forecasting, revenue contribution, performance metrics, pipeline support, and cross‑functional coordination with commercial leaders. Assess ongoing portfolio performance and lead refinements to ensure custom exhibits and other P&S offerings remain competitive and operationally scalable. Long‑Term (~3 to ~5 years, beyond): Portfolio Leadership, Innovation, and Voice‑of‑Customer‑Driven NPI Lead a mature, high‑performing Products & Services function operating with strong commercial discipline and consistent delivery across shows. Drive ongoing product innovation, ensuring P&S introduces new offerings that reflect customer insights, market trends, and the company’s long‑term strategy. Partner cross‑functionally to integrate Voice of the Customer (VOC) feedback loops into the NPD/NPI roadmap, ensuring alignment with sales, marketing, operations, and technology. Maintain holistic leadership of the combined P&S portfolio, including enhancements, retirements, pricing evolution, and margin optimization. Responsibilities Business and Growth Leadership Lead the Products & Services group, with accountability for defining the strategy, growth plan, and operating model for the segment. Size and prioritize market opportunities across company‑managed shows, identifying target exhibitor segments and events where mid‑tier custom rentals can drive incremental wallet share. Develop annual and multi‑year plans covering revenue targets, margin objectives, and key initiatives. Offer and Productized Services Development Define the portfolio, including standard configurations, modular components, customization options, and pricing and packaging structures. Partner with design, engineering, and production to ensure offerings are visually compelling, operationally feasible, and cost‑effective. Establish governance for ongoing offer evolution based on performance, customer feedback, and operational learnings. Go‑to‑Market, Sales, and Marketing Design the go‑to‑market approach, including segmentation, value propositions, messaging, and sales motions. Determine the optimal sales structure (e.g., inside sales, show‑site sales, hybrid) and make recommendations on resource allocation and headcount. Partner with Marketing to develop campaigns, sales enablement materials, and digital content that promote the offering to exhibitors and organizers. Work closely with the eCommerce and Exhibitor Services teams to ensure product offerings are effectively merchandised and surfaced in pre‑show communications and online channels. Operational Execution and Delivery Collaborate with operations, logistics, and project management teams to define delivery standards, processes, and SLAs across the product portfolio. Establish playbooks and standard operating procedures for estimating, scheduling, installation, and show‑site support. Monitor delivery performance and implement continuous improvement efforts to enhance quality, reliability, and efficiency. Team Leadership and Organizational Design Lead, coach, and develop the Products & Services team, including the Senior Director and broader team members across product management, inside sales, and show‑site services. Assess current capabilities and recommend a future‑state organization for the Products & Services group, including additions in business development, account management, and production support. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer focus across the team. Stakeholder and Sponsor Engagement Serve as the primary Products & Services point of contact for the EVP, senior leadership, and PE sponsor, as appropriate. Provide regular updates on performance, key risks, and opportunities. Ensure alignment with broader strategic initiatives across the company. Requirements 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in exhibits, experiential marketing, retail environments, event services, or closely related sectors. Demonstrated experience building or scaling a productized services or rental business, ideally in a B2B context. Experience integrating product, marketing, and sales to launch and grow new offerings. Strong commercial acumen, including comfort with revenue planning, pricing, and margin management. Ability to structure and manage a portfolio of offers that balance standardization with customization. Proven success working cross‑functionally with design, marketing, operations, and account management. Effective communicator with the ability to influence across a matrixed organization. Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, design, or a related field required. Advanced degree preferred but not required. Role Location & Travel The VP of Products & Services may be based anywhere in the United States, with a preference for candidates based in or near Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlanta, or other major trade show cities. Candidates must be located within close proximity to a major airport and be able to travel regularly (up to 50%). Company Background Our client is a global leader in event management, providing a comprehensive range of services and technology solutions for exhibitions, conferences, and live events. The company specializes in creating engaging experiences for brands, event organizers, and exhibitors through innovative approaches to event design, execution, and technology integration. The company’s experienced and approachable team of experts provides best‑in‑class show services that make the company the go‑to partner for trade show excellence around the world. It offers exhibition and trade show services for organizers, agencies, and exhibitors in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. Backed by a leading private equity sponsor, the company is in the midst of a transformative journey to leverage technology across all aspects of its business, from customer‑facing platforms to internal operations. Seniority level Executive Employment type Full‑time Job function Product Management, Management, and Sales Industries Events Services and Marketing Services #J-18808-Ljbffr GlassRatner