Director, Trade Shows

Sarasota, FL, Hybrid (commutable distance from HQ), full-time, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend travel required.

The Certified Collectibles Group is seeking a strategic and results-oriented Director of Trade Shows to lead our global events and trade show portfolio across all of its affiliated companies. This role is responsible for defining and executing a best-in-class Trade Show strategy that enhances customer experience and engagement, strengthens brand presence, and drives measurable business growth.

The Director of Trade Shows will oversee a high-volume domestic and international trade show portfolio, lead a cross-functional team, and ensure operational excellence across all phases of event execution – from planning and logistics to performance analytics and ROI optimization.

• Develop and execute a comprehensive global trade show and experiential marketing strategy aligned with organizational and brand objectives.
• Oversee a portfolio of 60–80+ trade shows annually, prioritizing investments based on business impact, audience reach, and ROI.
• Lead annual and multi-year planning cycles, including budget forecasting, resource allocation, and performance benchmarks.
• Identify new opportunities for market expansion and partnerships.

• Establish scalable systems and processes to ensure consistent, high-quality event execution across all shows.
• Oversee end-to-end event lifecycle: pre-show planning, on-site operations, and post-show reporting and analysis.
• Direct all logistics, including travel (airfare, accommodations, transportation), shipment of materials, and asset management.
• Ensure seamless booth operations, including design, staffing models, and customer engagement strategies.
• Act as executive escalation point for on-site issues, ensuring rapid problem resolution and brand integrity.
• Own and manage the trade show budget, ensuring cost discipline and maximizing ROI.
• Lead vendor sourcing, contract negotiation, and relationship management with show organizers, venues, and suppliers.
• Oversee financial processes, including purchase orders, invoice approvals, and third-party payments.
• Continuously evaluate cost structures and negotiate efficiencies at scale.
• Lead, coach, and scale a team of trade show managers, coordinators, and representatives.
• Establish clear performance goals, training programs, and career development pathways.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Develop staffing models to support increasing event complexity and global expansion.

• Partner with Marketing to integrate trade shows into broader campaign strategies, including pre-event outreach, on-site activation, and post-event follow-up.
• Align closely with Sales and Business Verticals to ensure events support revenue generation growth.
• Collaborate with Brand and Creative teams to evolve booth design, messaging, and customer experience.

• Define and track KPIs, including customer engagement, operational efficiency, and financial return.
• Build reporting frameworks to provide actionable insights and executive-level visibility into event performance.
• Leverage data to continuously refine trade show strategy.

• 8–10+ years of experience in trade show management, experiential marketing, or event leadership.
• Proven success managing large-scale, high-volume event portfolios with significant budget responsibility.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into scalable execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Expertise in vendor negotiation, contract management, and logistics operations.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Highly organized, process-oriented, and adaptable in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical mindset with experience measuring and optimizing ROI.
• Willingness to travel frequently (domestic and limited international).

The Certified Collectibles Group…