What are the responsibilities and job description for the Trade Fair Coordinator position at Equestrian Events, Inc.?
Organization: Equestrian Events, Inc.
Location: Kentucky Horse Park | Lexington, Kentucky | On-Site
Position Type: Part-Time/Seasonal
Job Title: Trade Fair Coordinator
Position Overview
The Trade Fair Coordinator supports the planning, coordination, and execution of the Kentucky ThreeDay Event (K3DE) and American Eventing Championship (AEC) trade fairs under the direction of the Hospitality & Trade Fair Manager. For K3DE, the Coordinator supports the full range of trade fair operations, including vendor recruitment and renewals, exhibitor relations, financial tracking, logistics, and event-day execution. For the AEC, the Coordinator focuses on logistics and operational support, while the client organization manages vendor recruitment, selection, sales, and relationships. Hours vary significantly by season, increasing during planning and event execution and decreasing during lowervolume periods. Additional trade fair events may be added to this role as the EEI event calendar grows.
Key Responsibilities
• Coordinate planning and execution of the K3DE Trade Fair with the Hospitality & Trade Fair Manager, including booth layouts, vendor assignments, and event materials.
• Support vendor recruitment, renewals, sales, applications, and ongoing relationships, maintaining established product category standards.
• Coordinate vendor logistics (move-in/move-out, setup, teardown, credentials, supplies) and manage related systems (Expo Genie).
• Maintain accurate vendor, sales, and financial records; track revenue, expenses, and budget in coordination with the Hospitality & Trade Fair Manager; and support invoices and collections as directed.
• Serve as onsite customer service point of contact; staff the Trade Fair customer service booth and resolve routine vendor/event issues, escalating significant issues to the Manager.
• Serve alongside the Hospitality & Trade Fair Manager as staff liaison to the EEI Trade Fair Committee. • Support post-event reconciliation, reporting, inventory, and vendor follow-up.
AEC Logistics Coordination
• Coordinate AEC trade fair logistics with the Trade Fair and Hospitality Manager and client organization; manage vendor setup, access, deliveries, and teardown.
• Serve as onsite logistics point of contact for vendors/exhibitors secured by the client organization.
• Coordinate event materials, signage, credentials, and schedules; troubleshoot routine logistical issues, escalating significant matters as needed.
• Support event setup, move-in/move-out, and post-event inventory and reconciliation.
Administrative & Operational Support
• Maintain organized records, spreadsheets, and tracking documents related to trade fair operations.
• Communicate event information, deadlines, and vendor requirements clearly; proactively follow up on outstanding tasks.
• Assist the Hospitality & Trade Fair Manager with office, ordering, and administrative responsibilities related to trade fair and hospitality operations.
• Support hospitality, catering, and adjunct event activities as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Business, Marketing, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of experience in event coordination, trade shows, vendor management, hospitality, operations, customer service, or a related field.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and multi-vendor/deadline coordination skills.
• Excellent written/verbal communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to learn event management software; ability to track sales, revenue, and expenses accurately.
• Ability to work independently while taking direction; flexibility for extended hours during event preparation and execution.
Other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule
Part-time, seasonal position with variable hours based on the annual event calendar. Workload increases during planning and preparation, peaks immediately before and during each event, and is substantially reduced during lower-volume periods. Requires availability for extended hours during event days, setup, and breakdown.