Senior Project Manager II (Trade Shows & Events)

Location: Onsite 5 days per week in Addison, Illinois, United States; frequent travel, including weekends, is required for onsite event management.

Company

Experiential marketing organization that designs and builds brand experiences, exhibitions, tradeshows, and live events for clients.

What you will do

• Manage large-scale tradeshow, exhibition, experiential marketing, and event projects from client intake and planning through design, production, installation, onsite execution, and post-event analysis.
• Develop project plans, schedules, milestones, deliverables, budgets, forecasts, and resource plans while maintaining scope, timelines, quality, and financial performance.
• Act as the primary operational contact for stakeholders and collaborate with Client Services, Account Management, Operations, Production, and Finance.
• Source, negotiate with, and manage vendors, contractors, transportation providers, show service partners, and installation and dismantle services.
• Lead cross-functional teams, provide guidance and mentorship to project management team members, and maintain a collaborative, solutions-oriented working environment.
• Manage risks, contingency plans, technical production oversight, safety and venue requirements, project reconciliation, reporting, invoicing support, and post-project financial analysis.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of project management experience within the tradeshow, exhibition, experiential marketing, events, or related industries.
• Proven success managing large-scale, complex projects from inception through completion.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies, scheduling, budgeting, and resource planning.
• Experience managing vendors, logistics, and production partners.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings, blueprints, and production specifications.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with project management software; experience with ERP and business systems, including Microsoft Dynamics or similar platforms.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office skills, with strong reporting, budgeting, and financial tracking capabilities.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently, including weekends, for onsite event management.

Culture & Benefits

• Work onsite five days per week at the Addison, Illinois location.
• Work in a collaborative environment that values curiosity, boldness, ownership, shared success, and cross-functional partnership.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and equal employment opportunity.
• Work on brand experiences designed to create meaningful client and audience connections.