Tradeshow Marketing & Events Manager

For nearly a century, The Jel Sert Company has focused on creating high-quality, high-value foods and beverages that help bring people together. Jel Sert is proud of being awarded the Great Place to Work certification along with making Fortune's Great Place to Work in Chicago and Great Place to Work in Manufacturing and Production. We are currently looking for a passionate and dedicated individual to join our team as a Tradeshow Marketing & Events Manager. If you are looking for a work environment that encourages personal growth, responsibility, and a shared vision for creating incredible products that help create lasting memories, then Jel Sert wants you!

The Tradeshow Marketing & Events Manager is responsible for the end-to-end planning, coordination, and execution of all events for JelSert-including tradeshows, retailer events, internal meetings, charitable initiatives, and more. This individual will ensure that every event is flawlessly organized, strategically aligned with business objectives, and executed with excellence. The ideal candidate will be a highly organized project manager with strong prioritization skills and an exceptional eye for detail in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Own the planning, coordination, and execution of all JelSert events, including but not limited to: tradeshows, retailer activations, conferences, sales meetings, and internal events.
• Maintain and manage a centralized marketing events calendar and event master tracker to ensure full visibility across departments.
• Oversee all aspects of tradeshow execution-from booth layout and logistics to staffing, on-site management, and post-event reporting.
• Develop and manage event budgets, ensuring cost-effective solutions and maximizing ROI across all events.
• Negotiate contracts with vendors, suppliers, and venues to secure favorable terms and deliver high-quality event experiences.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Leadership teams to ensure event strategies align with broader business goals.
• Oversee the management and fulfillment of branded swag and promotional materials, including relationships with third-party vendors.
• Serve as the point person for organizing charitable initiatives and community partnerships, including production and support for NOCC and ACCO events.
• Analyze and report on post-event performance, including attendee engagement, cost analysis, and areas for continuous improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Event Management, or a related field.

• 5+ years of experience in event planning, tradeshow management, or a similar marketing role.
• Ability and willingness to travel as required for tradeshows and events.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with internal teams, external vendors, and retailer partners.
• Proactive and approachable team player with strong interpersonal skills, able to take initiative and work independently while fostering collaboration.
• Resourceful and creative problem solver, comfortable adapting to changing situations and managing challenges with flexibility.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and efficient in time management, with the ability to juggle multiple projects in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.
• Self-starter and independent thinker who can rapidly assess situations and respond effectively without constant supervision.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize, multitask, and consistently meet deadlines across multiple events.
• Analytical mindset to evaluate event performance metrics and ROI, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with a strong aptitude for learning new software and event management tools.

BENEFITS & SALARY

Jel Sert Company is committed to pay transparency and will provide further compensation information during the interview process. minimum compensation for the Tradeshow Marketing & Events Manager is $91,446 annually. This position is also eligible for the EBIT Bonus program. Compensation is determined by a candidate's experience, education, skills, training, and the internal equity within our organization. Actual compensation to be paid will be determined upon an offer. In addition to a competitive compensation package, regular full-time corporate employees of Jel Sert are eligible for our extensive benefits programs that can be reviewed here.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces. This factor is important if the amount and kind of balancing the amount and kind of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, drag, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position to-position. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires the substantial use of the upper extremities and back muscles.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and making fine discriminations in sound.
• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Medium work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or assembly at distances close to the eyes.
• The worker is required to have visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of structures.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Office environment with up to 20% travel requirements to tradeshows and other corporate events.

• The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

FOOD SAFETY and QUALITY RESPONSIBILITIES

Follow applicable procedures and work instructions.

Back up Redundant

IMPACT ON JEL SERT SUCCESS

This position plays a key role in elevating a company's brand and supporting business growth. By managing the strategy and execution of industry events, they ensure the company is professionally represented, aligned with marketing goals, and positioned to connect with target audiences. Their work enhances brand visibility, fosters customer relationships, and drives measurable ROI through well-planned, impactful event experiences.