Project Manager - Trade Show & Special Projects

The Trade Show & Special Projects Project Manager is responsible for managing the planning, production, coordination, and execution of client trade shows and special projects from project kickoff through onsite delivery and closeout. This role owns assigned projects throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring requirements, timelines, budgets, production needs, and deliverables are effectively managed while keeping projects on track, within scope, and aligned with client expectations.

The Project Manager serves as the primary point of contact between Sales, internal teams, production partners, vendors, clients, and show services, facilitating communication and driving projects forward from planning through execution. Because trade show timelines, production requirements, and client needs can evolve, success in this role requires prior trade show and production experience, sound judgment, strong organization and communication skills, and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to managing changing priorities and incomplete information.

Key Responsibilities

Client & Project Management

● Maintain clear, proactive communication with clients and Sales regarding project status,

timelines, deliverables, outstanding items, and next steps.

● Lead project kickoffs and gather the information required to initiate and plan assigned

trade shows and special projects.

● Establish project requirements, timelines, deliverables, responsibilities, and next steps

with clients and project stakeholders.

● Own assigned projects from kickoff through post-show reconciliation, ensuring

deadlines, budgets, scope, and client expectations are effectively managed.

● Identify changes in project scope or requirements and communicate potential impacts to

timelines, budgets, or deliverables.

Production & Vendor Coordination

● Work closely with the Detail and Production teams to ensure drawings, specifications,

materials, and other required information are available for fabrication according to project

schedules.

● Partner with internal and external production teams to execute project fabrication

requirements and keep projects on schedule.

● Purchase and source project-specific materials and supplies, coordinating delivery

timelines to ensure required items are available for production as scheduled.

● Work closely with the internal graphics department to communicate artwork

requirements, obtain client approvals and production-ready files, and ensure all

necessary information is provided to meet production deadlines.

● Proactively identify production risks, missing information, or potential delays and take

appropriate action to keep projects moving forward.

● Communicate expectations and hold vendors and project partners accountable to

established deadlines and deliverables.

Project Management & Documentation

● Manage multiple active trade shows and special projects simultaneously, maintaining

accurate schedules, task lists, deadlines, components lists, and project priorities.

● Maintain organized and accurate project files, documentation, approvals, and

communication records within Exhibit Force, our company’s project management and

operations system.

● Track outstanding action items and proactively follow up with clients, vendors, show

services, and internal teams.

● Facilitate the flow of project information between Sales, internal teams, vendors, and

external partners to ensure all parties have the information necessary to execute their

responsibilities.

● Make informed project decisions as details evolve, using prior trade show and production

experience, available information, and sound judgment.

● Identify project risks and issues early, develop solutions when appropriate, and escalate

matters requiring additional support or approval.

● Maintain visibility into project budgets and identify changes or circumstances that may

impact project costs.

● Work with installation teams and vendors to ensure project installation is completed

according to project requirements and show schedules.

Working Style & Expectations

● Operate with a high level of ownership and autonomy while managing approximately

15–25 active projects at various stages of planning, production, execution, and closeout.

● Proactively identify project needs and next steps, taking ownership of commitments,

open items, and deliverables through completion.

● Use prior trade show and production experience, available i…