Tradeshow and Fulfillment Coordinator

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for a Tradeshow and Fulfillment Coordinator, to join our team in Chicago or Washington DC. Our Event Services unit provides meetings, conventions, events and tradeshow management worldwide through the expertise of our meeting professionals, who manage every facet and detail of our client organization’s events. Our goal is to work closely with client organization leaders to create an enjoyable conference experience for all attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, while ensuring a successful outcome based on the organization’s event objectives.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.

What You Will Do…

This professional will be responsible for directly managing relationships with Smithbucklin events’ exhibitors and sponsors, while working with colleagues to service and support these partners using best-in-class processes, tools and technology. In this role, you will be accountable for coordination of pre-show and onsite execution for Smithbucklin trade shows and their associated sponsorship programs.

• Review vendor proposals/contracts and negotiate agreements
• Create General Services Contractor specifications, develop exhibitor service manual, exhibit and sponsorship prospectus’ and create signage and security plans
• Oversee and participate in exhibitor space selection process, and sponsorship program renewal process
• Create trade show floor plan designs, exhibit hall experiences and activations
• Partner with Smithbucklin sales professionals to design and deliver high impact exposure opportunities for our exhibitors and sponsors, pre, at, and post-show.
• Develop relationships with, and fulfill year-round partner programs and serve as the primary contact for exhibitor and sponsor companies
• Sponsorship program fulfillment and tracking, including creation, trafficking and implementation of sponsor benefits, as well as financial tracking and reconciliation
• Create and deliver post-show exhibits and sponsorship ROI reports
• Bring innovation and invention to tradeshow and sponsorship planning and management

This Role Might Be for You If…

• You love the events and tradeshow industry, you possess strong knowledge of industry terminology, sponsorship fulfillment, and tradeshow management processes
• You love innovation and creating new processes, and new creative ideas
• You love to multi-task, have strong time management skills and are known for your ability to prioritize effectively and flex when needed
• You are proactive, with a default towards taking action
• You thrive in pulling people together for a greater cause, eliciting cooperation from and inspiring clients, colleagues and suppliers
• When presented with a problem, you demonstrate a positive attitude, eagerness and open-mindedness towards solution seeking
• You possess intellectual curiosity and strong analytical skills, are a continuous learner and seek to understand the “why and how”
• You possess strong written and oral communication skills
• You have strong interpersonal skills and a high degree of responsibility, initiative and professionalism
• You possess familiarity with venues, facilities and conventions centers
• You have the ability to travel 25%, both domestic and international, and work overtime as needed to attend events and client meetings (may include weekends)

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution or equivalent experience
• 2-4 years relevant professional experience

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 years of experience in tradeshow or sponsorship planning environments is a plus
• Experience with exhibit management software, Salesforce and/or other CRMs is a plus
• Proficiency with basic computer programming, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferrable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.

Our hybrid environment offers you the option of working from home two days per week. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.

Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $63,000 – $67,000k for Chicago and $70,000 – $75,000k for Washington DC.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently