Show Director (Rockville)

The Show Director, Cybersecurity Events is the strategic and operational leader responsible for the full lifecycle of Access Intelligence’s cybersecurity event portfolio, currently anchored by CyberSat, now in its 10th year as the premier space cybersecurity forum, and expanding with the launch of a new event targeting the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) cybersecurity market. This is a P&L ownership role: the Show Director is accountable for revenue, profitability, and growth across both events, with full oversight of marketing, sales, content, and operations.

This role carries two distinct mandates. The first is to sustain and grow CyberSat, an established, credibility-driven event serving the operators, government officials, and engineers defending space systems, while maintaining its unique character as a community built on trust, rigor, and mission. The second is to successfully launch the new DIB cybersecurity event, develop it as a distinct and compelling market presence, and build a long-term strategy that grows both events individually while identifying opportunities to combine, co-locate, or cross-leverage them over time.

The Show Director reports directly to the SVP, Aerospace Group and works in close partnership with the Brand Director of the media products to ensure cohesion between the cybersecurity events and the group’s media products, including Defense Daily and Via Satellite, across content, sponsorship, and audience strategy.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Operations & P&L Ownership

• Own P&L performance across CyberSat and the new DIB cybersecurity event; meeting or exceeding budgeted revenue and contribution goals across attendee, sponsorship, and exhibit revenue streams.
• Define and drive the overall growth strategy for both events, including audience development, new content tracks, sponsorship innovation, and long-term positioning within the space and defense cybersecurity market.
• Develop and execute the launch strategy for the new DIB cybersecurity event, including market positioning, audience identification, programming approach, sponsorship model, and go-to-market plan, in coordination with the SVP and internal teams.
• Build and maintain a long-term strategic roadmap for the cybersecurity event portfolio, identifying opportunities to grow both events individually and, over time, to combine, co-locate, or cross-leverage them for greater market impact.
• Work closely with the operations team to deploy effective expense management across contracts, F&B, AV, exhibitor build-out, and other event costs to protect margin and profitability.
• Engage regularly with clients, government partners, and the broader cybersecurity community on market issues; attend relevant industry events and functions to secure new business opportunities and extend brand reach.

Sales Leadership & Revenue Development

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for sponsorship and exhibit sales across CyberSat and the new launch, working closely with the sales team to ensure pipeline health, account development, and revenue targets are met.
• Participate in key client conversations and sponsor meetings to articulate the value of both events and support the sales team in advancing high-value or complex accounts.
• Develop and evolve the sponsorship and exhibit product mix for both events, identifying new package structures, custom partnership opportunities, and year-round media integrations that expand revenue potential.
• Collaborate with the Brand Director and sales teams for Via Satellite and Defense Daily to develop cross-portfolio packages that connect event sponsorship with year-round media engagement across the Aerospace Group.
• Establish and maintain key strategic external association partnerships, including with relevant cybersecurity, defense, and space organizations, to drive brand exposure, program differentiation, and audience reach.

Conference Programming Direction

• Set the strategic direction and KPIs for conference programming across CyberSat and the new DIB cybersecurity event, defining the thematic focus, audience priorities, and content standards that the Content Director and team execute against.
• Clearly articulate the programming vision for both events to the Content Director, including what success looks like for each, how the events should be differentiated from one another, and how programming connects to broader attendee revenue and audience development goals.
• Establish and evolve the overall framework for CyberSat's program structure, including the balance between its unclassified and TS/SCI classified components, ensuring the integrity and credibility of both are preserved as the event grows.
• Define the content identity and positioning for the new DIB cybersecurity event, providing the Content Director with clear direction on the audience served, the sessions that will differentiate the program, and the speaker profiles that will define the brand.
• Review programming plans, speaker slates, and session formats proposed by the Content Director; provide direction and approval to ensure alignment with strategic goals and audience expectations.
• Partner with the Brand Director to ensure thematic cohesion between the cybersecurity events and the group's media brands, including Defense Daily and Via Satellite, at the strategic level.

Marketing & Audience Development

• Set the strategic direction and KPIs for attendee marketing and registration performance across CyberSat and the new DIB cybersecurity event, providing the Marketing Manager with clear goals, audience priorities, and success benchmarks.
• Clearly define the target audience and persona strategy for the new DIB cybersecurity event at launch, giving the Marketing Manager the direction needed to develop list acquisition, messaging, and channel approach.
• Monitor registration pacing and performance reporting from the Marketing Manager across both events; identify risks early, make decisions on strategic pivots, and ensure the marketing team has the direction it needs to respond.
• Hold the Marketing Manager accountable for campaign performance against agreed KPIs; review progress in regular check-ins and provide clear direction when adjustments are needed.
• Partner with the Group Marketing Director to ensure the cybersecurity portfolio's marketing approach is aligned with broader Aerospace Group audience development goals and that resources are deployed effectively across both events.

Event Operations & On-Site Leadership

• Perform show director duties at CyberSat and the new DIB cybersecurity event, ensuring attendees, speakers, and sponsors receive a high-quality, well-executed experience throughout.
• Oversee all operational aspects of both events in partnership with the operations team — including venue management, logistics, registration, AV, security protocols, and classified program coordination (for CyberSat’s TS/SCI component).
• Regularly check in with registration, content, operations, logistics, AV, and the Chairperson to ensure each group is executing its responsibilities effectively.
• Serve as the primary point of contact with key association and government partners during each event.
• Provide constructive post-event feedback identifying areas of improvement and integrate findings into future program and operational planning.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Build yearly event budgets for both CyberSat and the new launch with special attention to growth and margin metrics, including multi-year growth plans with specific revenue and margin targets.
• Track revenue goals regularly across both events; implement timely adjustments to marketing and sales plans to ensure targets are consistently met.
• Review cost-tracker spreadsheets regularly with the operations team to ensure spending remains aligned with budgeted goals.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the financial team for cybersecurity portfolio KPIs, pacing metrics, and forecasting.
• Coordinate with accounting on clients who are behind on payments; pivot strategies as needed to ensure revenue and contribution goals are met.

Cross-Portfolio Collaboration & Media Cohesion

• Work in close and ongoing partnership with the Brand Director to ensure strategic alignment and content cohesion between the cybersecurity events and the group’s media brands (Defense Daily and Via Satellite) across programming, sponsorship, and audience strategy.
• Identify and pursue cross-portfolio opportunities that create incremental value, including joint content, shared sponsorship packages, and coordinated audience development, between the cybersecurity events and other Aerospace Group properties.
• Collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Editorial, and Event Operations to ensure the cybersecurity event portfolio is fully integrated into the Aerospace Group’s go-to-market strategy.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, or a related field; advanced degree a plus.
• 7+ years of experience in B2B event management, conference programming, or media, with demonstrated P&L ownership and a track record of driving revenue growth.
• Proven experience launching new events or products from the ground up, including business plan development, go-to-market execution, and post-launc]]>