Sponsorship & Events Manager — Own It Start to Finish

Koelnmesse, Inc. | Sponsorship & Events Manager

📍 Chicago, IL | Full-Time | Hybrid | Chicago-area applicants preferred

5 Years of Growth — and Just Getting Started

Koelnmesse, Inc. is the North American subsidiary of one of the world's leading trade show organizers with events in 80 countries. Our craft portfolio (h h americas Fiber Fabric Craft Festival) covers B2B and B2C audiences across quilting, sewing, yarn, fabric, cosplay, and beyond.

• 🏆 Tradeshow Executive Fast 50 — three categories, multiple consecutive years
• 🏆 TSNN Awards: Best Use of Technology and Data, Best Engagement, Best Exhibitor Program, Best Community
• 🏆 Outstanding Show Professional Award recipient
• 🏆 Grown from one show to four since 2022 — 25% year-over-year growth heading into our fifth edition

The team is small, fast-moving, and proud of what it has built. You will work directly with senior leadership and have exposure to the international Koelnmesse network. People come here for a job and stay for a career.

The Role

You will own the sponsorship program from start to finish. That means you develop the concept, build the packages, set the pricing, pitch it, close the deal, and then show up on the floor and make it happen all the way through final delivery with the operations team. No handoffs. No waiting for someone else to figure out the details.

You will sell the fashion show package and run the fashion show. You will pitch the VIP bag-stuffing opportunity and make sure every bag is stuffed properly. The work is visible. The wins are yours.

This is also a growth opportunity. The portfolio is expanding — new events, new markets, new revenue streams. The person who steps into this role has a direct path to grow with it. The bigger the portfolio gets, the bigger this job gets.

What You Will Own

• Develop, build, price, sell, and deliver the full sponsorship and marketing upgrade program
• Create compelling packages and bring them to market with exhibitors, brands, and industry partners
• Own every activation you sell, fashion show, evening events, VIP bag stuffing, and other signature moments
• Collaborate with the exhibit sales team to support floor sales and integrated sponsorship opportunities
• Manage all logistics, timelines, and vendor relationships tied to sponsorship programs
• Partner with the operations team to execute every deliverable. If you sold it, you see it through to the end
• Work with marketing on print, digital, and advertising assets that fulfill sponsor commitments
• Manage accounts from first conversation through post-show follow-up
• Keep an accurate, active pipeline and clean records in HubSpot
• Be on-site for all event days and make sure everything runs exactly the way it was sold

What Good Looks Like

• Sponsorship revenue targets hit consistently
• Every program delivered on time and exactly as sold
• Sponsors and partners that renew because the experience was worth it
• A clean CRM with an active, well-managed pipeline
• A reputation on the team as someone who gets it done and makes the event better

What You Bring

• 3 years in sponsorship sales, event coordination, account management, or B2B business development
• Trade show or live event experience strongly preferred
• You have worked a show floor, and you know what on-site actually means
• A track record in developing and selling sponsorship or marketing packages
• Experience working cross-functionally across sales and operations teams
• Strong written and verbal communication, you can write a pitch and a run-of-show with equal confidence
• Comfortable managing several projects at once without losing the details
• Proficiency with HubSpot, Canva, and current sales and marketing tools
• A genuine interest in the craft community, quilting, sewing, yarn, fabric, cosplay, or related areas, is a real plus

Why This Role

• Full ownership of the sponsorship program from concept to delivery
• Work alongside a passionate team that cares about the craft community and about doing good work
• Direct path to grow into a senior sponsorship or events management role
• Hands-on exposure across sales, marketing, and event operations at a company with real global scale
• Come for the job, stay for the career. Koelnmesse is a place where people build long-term

Ready to own it from the first pitch to the last bag stuffed?

Apply with your resume and a brief note on the sponsorship program or event you are most proud of. Tell us what you built, what you sold, and how it ran.

Some evenings and weekends are required during event weeks. Limited travel.

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