Manager, Trade Show and Events

The Manager, Trade Shows & Events is responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing Agilysys' global portfolio of trade shows, conferences, customer events, and marketing activations. This role partners closely with Sales, Product Management, Customer Marketing, and Corporate Marketing to deliver high-impact experiences that strengthen brand awareness, generate qualified pipeline, and deepen customer engagement.

Reporting to the Director of Events & Customer Marketing, this position manages multiple concurrent events of varying size and complexity, overseeing logistics, vendor management, budgeting, event strategy, and post-event performance analysis. The ideal candidate is highly organized, collaborative, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where attention to detail and flawless execution are critical.

Trade shows and customer events represent one of Agilysys' largest marketing investments and play a vital role in driving customer acquisition, brand visibility, and revenue growth. This role ensures those investments deliver measurable business results through exceptional planning, operational excellence, and strategic execution.

Success in this role directly contributes to:

• Generating qualified sales opportunities through industry events
• Strengthening customer relationships and brand reputation
• Maximizing return on marketing investments
• Delivering exceptional experiences for customers, prospects, partners, and employees
• Ensuring consistent execution across nearly 200 annual events worldwide

Event Strategy & Planning

• Plan, coordinate, and execute a high volume of domestic and international trade shows, conferences, customer events, and marketing activations.
• Develop event strategies, timelines, project plans, and execution schedules aligned with marketing and sales objectives.
• Partner with Sales, Product Management, and Marketing teams to ensure event messaging, demonstrations, and customer engagement strategies support business goals.

Event Execution

• Manage all aspects of event logistics, including booth operations, meeting spaces, hospitality events, sponsorship activations, vendor coordination, shipping, and on-site execution.
• Coordinate internal resources and external vendors, including exhibit partners, production agencies, destination management companies, venues, and contractors.
• Support on-site event management, ensuring a professional experience for attendees while quickly resolving operational issues.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Develop and manage event budgets ranging from small regional events to large-scale conferences.
• Monitor event spending, forecast expenses, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure budget compliance.
• Negotiate vendor agreements and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and event partners.

Marketing Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing to coordinate pre-event, onsite, and post-event campaigns, including digital marketing, email communications, social media, event websites, and promotional materials.
• Collaborate with creative teams to develop event collateral, signage, and branded experiences.

Performance Measurement

• Track event performance metrics, including lead generation, attendee engagement, budget performance, and return on investment.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Maintain accurate event documentation, reporting, and inventory management.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Hospitality Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of experience managing trade shows, conferences, or corporate events.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience managing event budgets and vendor relationships.
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel up to 20%, including occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to lift and move event materials up to 45 pounds during event setup and teardown.

Preferred

• Hospitality or hospitality technology industry experience.
• Experience marketing SaaS or enterprise software solutions.
• Experience managing large customer conferences or user events.
• Experience with Salesforce, Pardot, Cvent, ExhibitDay, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Copilot.

• Exceptional project and event management skills.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Budget management and financial planning.
• Vendor and contract management.
• Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate event effectiveness and ROI.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Word.
• Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively develop solutions.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A proactive, self-starting approach with strong ownership and accountability.
• Excellent judgment and the ability to make informed decisions independently.
• Creativity in developing memorable customer experiences and innovative event concepts.
• Adaptability and resilience in managing changing priorities and tight deadlines.
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to build strong relationships across departments.
• Professionalism, composure, and confidence while representing Agilysys at customer-facing events.
• A passion for delivering exceptional experiences that positively impact customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• A commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.