Senior Project Manager

Title: Senior Project Manager
Reports To: Vice President of Operations
Location: Aurora

Position Summary: A Trade Show Senior Project Manager is expected to lead complex exhibit and event projects
from concept through post-show closeout with greater independence, strategic judgment, vendor coordination,
onsite execution leadership, risk ownership, and delivery accountability. The goal of this plan is to build evidence that
the employee can manage higher-impact trade show programs, align clients and internal teams around clear show
objectives, guide projects through fabrication and logistics complexity, communicate effectively with back-of-house
teams, and deliver measurable outcomes in budget, schedule, quality, client satisfaction, and post-show
improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate closely with the VP of Operations to ensure the Project Management team adheres to allprocesses and procedures established by the Operations department.
• Develop, document, and implement departmental processes and Exhibit Force procedures. Provide training and mentorship to the Project Management team.
• Manage high-caliber projects, including new custom exhibit builds and the ongoing maintenance of existingclient (Legacy) projects.
• Serve as a resource for the Project Management team by offering first-line guidance and assistance inovercoming project obstacles, escalating major issues to the VP of Operations as needed.
• Attend project turnovers led by other Project Managers as needed to support successful handoffs.
• Communicate effectively with customers regarding event and exhibit requirements, ensuring all details are accurately captured and addressed.
• Collaborate closely with internal departments, including Account Executives, Account Management, Warehouse, and Production teams.
• Develop comprehensive project timelines for clients, including key deadlines for artwork, product inbounds, final decisions, and more. Regularly update all relevant departments on project status and changes.
• Procure job-specific materials and maintain accurate tracking of estimated versus actual costs.
• Review exhibit renderings, analyze cost estimates, and provide clear direction for fabrication. Guide detailers in producing approved production drawings.
• Monitor and manage cost-to-revenue ratios to ensure financial objectives are met.
• Promptly and effectively communicate schedule conflicts to all relevant parties.
• Stay current with market trends, new materials, suppliers, and industry techniques.
• Collaborate effectively with installation and dismantle labor teams at show sites.
• Review Show Services estimates and coordinate with Account Executives and Account Managers to ensure all items are accurately accounted for upon delivery.
• Maintain active job files, assist with invoice reviews, and ensure all project documentation is accurate and complete.
• Lead without waiting for direction, coordinate cross-functional workstreams, support on-site decision- making, coach project contributors, and create accountability across internal and external partners.
• Travel to show sites, supervise assets, and provide on-site support to clients as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Preferred Qualifications:
 Bachelor’s degree or similar equivalent experience
 Experience in the trade show and exhibit industry
 Proficient in project pricing, purchasing, and vendor negotiations
 Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
 Ability to work with diverse personalities in sales, design, account management and production, while
managing costs, time requirements, and customer expectations
 Ability to read design drawings
 Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects with varying
deadlines
 Ability to clearly and effectively communicate with clients, vendors, and colleagues

 Highly skilled in critical thinking and problem-solving
 Proficient with Microsoft Office
 Willingness/Capability to travel for site installations required