Event Operations Manager

A job at Ferguson becomes a career destination for our employees—once here, they stay. We hire personable, smart and humble people who also have a sense of personal responsibility, accountability and an entrepreneurial spirit. We treat them with respect and allow them to do the job they were hired to do—without micromanagement or fear of retribution. We celebrate all of our differences—gender, age, ethnicity, sexual preference, disability—and ensure balance in our lives.

And we have fun.

Position:Event Operations Manager

Location: Fort Wayne, IN

Job :117

# of Openings:1

Ferguson is seeking an experienced, highly organized Event Operations Manager to lead the operational delivery of our growing Event Marketing practice. This role owns the infrastructure behind successful event execution—from warehouse and asset management to sourcing, estimating, logistics and field operations. The Event Operations Manager ensures our teams have the right resources, partners, processes and information to deliver exceptional events efficiently, reliably and profitably.

The ideal candidate understands how physical events come together and can move comfortably between planning, vendor management, warehouse operations and onsite execution.

• Lead operational planning and execution across trade shows and live experiences.
• Translate project requirements into operational plans, schedules, budgets and resource needs.
• Coordinate activity across account teams, project management, vendors, warehouse resources and field teams.
• Anticipate execution risks and solve issues before they affect timing, budget or client experience.
• Develop scalable processes and standards as the Event Services practice grows.

• Oversee warehouse organization, receiving, storage, staging, fulfillment, returns and inventory control.
• Maintain accurate visibility into client- and Ferguson-owned event assets, including location, condition and usage.
• Coordinate maintenance, repair, refurbishment and retirement of assets.
• Recommend when equipment should be reused, repaired, replaced, rented or purchased.
• Maximize utilization and financial return of Ferguson-owned rental inventory.
• Source exhibit systems, furnishings, graphics, fabrication, rentals, production services and other event resources.
• Build and manage a strong network of regional and national production, logistics and field-service partners.
• Solicit competitive bids, negotiate pricing and terms, and evaluate vendors based on quality, capabilities, timing and cost.
• Manage vendor performance and identify new resources or production methods that improve quality, flexibility or profitability.
• Develop estimates for structures, production, rentals, freight, labor, installation and other operational services.
• Translate project requirements into executable scopes and budgets.
• Maintain historical cost information and benchmarks to improve estimating speed and accuracy.
• Track costs against estimates, reconcile vendor invoices and support project profitability analysis.

• Develop logistics plans covering shipment, delivery, installation, event operation, dismantle and return.
• Coordinate freight, material handling, drayage, storage and installation/dismantle services.
• Review exhibitor manuals, venue requirements and deadlines to identify requirements and cost-saving opportunities.
• Ensure required show services are ordered accurately and on time.

• Lead or assign onsite operational responsibility for event installation, execution and dismantle.
• Develop field schedules, labor plans and onsite operating requirements.
• Coordinate staff, contractors, union labor and vendors.
• Troubleshoot onsite issues…