Trade Show Exhibit Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

This is a structured hybrid position which requires working in our Owatonna, MN facility: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Tuesdays and Fridays are home office workdays. Therefore, candidates must reside within reasonable commutable distance to the facility. 

At Wenger Corporation, our work is driven by M.U.S.I.C. (Motivation, Unity, Success, Innovation, and Customer Commitment) and united by purpose. With over 80 years of passion for performance, we enrich lives by enabling and inspiring great performances through world-class products and solutions for music education, performing arts, and athletic spaces. Across our family of brands, we are committed to our customers, to each other, and driven by the belief that great performances happen when great people work together.

As a Trade Show & Events Supervisor, you will contribute to Wenger Corporation’s strategy to provide exceptional customer experience by leading the planning, coordination, and execution of Wenger Corporation’s trade shows, conferences, expositions, and customer-facing events. This role supports marketing and sales strategy by creating consistent, brand-aligned event experiences that drive customer engagement, sales opportunities, and market visibility. The position manages annual event planning, budgets, vendor relationships, event logistics, exhibit inventory, event technology/tools, and cross-functional communication while leading and developing the conventions/event support team.

At a minimum, you’ll need:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Hospitality/Event Management, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Four (4) or more years of experience managing trade shows, conferences, corporate events, event marketing programs, or related event operations. Equivalent sales and project management experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, vendors, logistics, timelines, inventory, and cross-functional stakeholders. Equivalent sales and project management experience may be considered.
• Proven ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and execute multiple events and projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and budget expectations.

It would be great if you also have:

• Experience with Salesforce, SharePoint, Jira or similar systems, CRM/lead capture, reporting, or project management software.
• Prior supervisory, team leadership, or project lead experience.

A typical day may include:

Event Strategy & Planning

• Plans, directs, and executes trade shows, events, and corporate experiences that deliver a consistent, engaging, and brand-aligned Wenger customer experience while supporting strategic business objectives.
• Develops and manages the annual trade show and events calendar in alignment with marketing, sales, product, and business priorities.
• Partners with Sales, Marketing Communications, Product Management, Customer Service, Finance, and leadership to define event objectives, participation levels, timelines, staffing needs, and success measures.
• Leads event kickoff meetings, workback schedules, planning checkpoints, and post-event evaluations to ensure clear communication, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partners with the Content Specialist, Marketing Communications Leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders to develop event creative strategies and customer experience objectives, leading implementation through exhibit design, booth layouts, messaging, product storytelling, and attendee engagement initiatives.

Trade Show & Event Execution

• Plans and executes trade shows, conferences, expositions, and customer-facing events that deliver consistent, professional, and brand-aligned Wenger experience.
• Coordinates booth and exhibit design, layouts, signage, product displays, printed collateral, promotional items, shipping, setup, tear-down, show services, and related logistics.
• Manages event inventory, warehouse coordination, booth properties, demo equipment, graphics, literature, promotional materials, and event supplies.
• Ensure event requirements, deadlines, show rules, safety expectations, certificates, and venue requirements are met.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Administers and manages the annual trade show and events budget, tracks expenses, reconciles costs, and ensures spending remains within approved amounts.
• Sources, negotiates, and manages relationships with exhibit houses, show services providers, freight and logistics partners, venues, contractors, registration/event platforms, and promotional item vendors.
• Identifies and recommends cost savings, process improvements, and event solutions that improve efficiency and event impact.
• Evaluates and recommends new vendors, exhibit solutions, and emerging technologies that improve event effectiveness, operational efficiency, and return on investment.

Sales & Marketing Support

• Supports sales growth and market visibility by ensuring events generate customer engagement, qualified leads, and effective follow-up opportunities.
• Coordinates with Sales and Marketing on event communications, attendee experience, booth engagement strategies, product messaging, collateral, and lead capture processes.
• Collects and evaluates customer, sales, and event feedback and translates insights into improvements for future events.
• Prepares post-event recaps, including key outcomes, lessons learned, follow-up actions, and recommendations for future participation.

Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement

• Maintains SharePoint and Salesforce and/or related event management systems to support event planning, inventory, documentation, reporting, and process consistency.
• Develops and maintains event standards, checklists, process documentation, timelines, and planning tools for the convention/event support team.
• Research industry trends, competitor event strategies, emerging technologies, exhibit innovations, and customer engagement techniques to continuously enhance Wenger's event presence.
• Evaluate and recommend event technology solutions including lead retrieval systems, attendee engagement platforms, registration tools, digital displays, interactive experiences, analytics, and event management software.
• Identify opportunities to improve event processes, customer experience, operational efficiency, and measurable business outcomes through innovation and best practices.

People Leadership

• Supervises, coaches, and develops the Conventions Product Technician and provides direction, expectations, priorities, and feedback to support performance and team success.
• Assigns work, monitors progress, removes barriers, and ensures event team activities are completed accurately and on time.
• Leads project planning for large-scale events by coordinating internal stakeholders, external agencies, exhibit partners, and temporary contractors to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with business objectives.

Benefit offerings include:

• Paid Time Off
• 9 Paid Holidays
• Generous Profit Sharing
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Spending Accounts – HSA, FSA, DCFSA
• Company Paid Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program

Pay information reflects the anticipated compensation range for this position based on current market data. Individual pay is determined by skills, experience, and other relevant factors.

Wenger Corporation's core purpose is to ENRICH LIVES BY ENABLING AND INSPIRING GREAT PERFORMANCES.

Join our team, where motivation drives excellence, innovation shapes the future of performance, and customer commitment guides everything we do.

Wenger Corporation is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

All Qualified Candidates are Encouraged to Apply