Manager, Exhibition Operations & Sponsorship Fulfillment at Water Environment Federation – WEF in Alexandria, Virginia

Job Description:

How This Position Contributes to the Team

The Manager of Exhibition Operations and Sponsorship Fulfillment oversees the logistical execution of exhibitions, sponsorships, and pavilions at the Water Environment Federation's (WEF’s) Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) and other Education & Training events. This role ensures seamless onsite support for exhibitors and sponsors by coordinating with service providers and fostering collaboration. The manager is responsible for ensuring compliance with exhibitor Certificate of Insurance requirements, safeguarding WEF and its stakeholders. Additionally, this position leads the exploration, selection, and implementation of innovative mobile app solutions to enhance the attendee and exhibitor experience at WEFTEC and other events.

NOTE: This position is only open to hybrid work – approximately 80% remote and 20% in-office (Alexandria, VA).

Principal Functions:

Conferences

• Manages exhibit hall operations for contracted vendors, exhibitors, and other key stakeholders for Education & Training events and others as assigned.
• Collaborates with the Sales & Corporate Development Team, providing pricing and specifications for the development of sponsorship opportunities, and fulfillment of sponsorship deliverables.
• Evaluates and contracts vendors to support exhibition services, including security and first aid, and manages onsite performance.
• Develops the expense budgets for conference exhibition operations and maintains monthly projections.
• Supports Sales & Corporate Development Team creating sponsorships budgets Education & Training events and others as assigned.
• Collects and maintains exhibition operations web content for assigned events.
• Administers the mobile app and online planner for WEFTEC, Education & Training events and others as assigned.
• Develops exhibit floor plans for Education & Training events, collaborating with Sales & Corporate Development Team.
• Consolidates information from conference team - Sponsorships, Exhibits, Conferences, Registration, Education and Training, to determine and order onsite signage.
• Provides pros and cons list for conference site research and selection.

WEFTEC

• Collaborates with the Sales & Corporate Development Team by providing pricing and specifications for the development of sponsorship opportunities, and fulfillment of sponsorship deliverables.
• Facilitate communication with sponsors regarding deliverables and required fulfillment items, ensuring clarity and alignment.
• Manage procurement of sponsor collateral and oversee onsite execution to fulfill commitments and meet sponsor expectations.
• Facilitates the design and development of specialty pavilion floorplans and other specialty areas serving as the lead for internal and external stakeholders.
• Develops and implements logistics for pavilion and specialty areas in collaboration with the general service contractor.
• Develops and communicates to pavilion exhibitors and sponsors on display requirements, guidelines, and logistics.
• Supports onsite operations of pavilion and specialty area exhibitors and sponsors through coordination with service providers.
• Collaborates with consultants to engage and educate exhibitors on WEF’s commitment to sustainability.
• Coordinates with key stakeholders to select and implement mobile app and online planner for WEFTEC.

Administrative

• Provides customer service support to all exhibitors and sponsors.
• Collects, confirms compliance, and tracks submission of exhibitor Certificates of Insurance for all conferences involving exhibits.
• Oversees the administration of exhibitor sustainability efforts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in event management, communications, marketing, or related field.
• 3+ years exhibit operations experience.
• Computer literate with proficiency using Microsoft Office 365, Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel, Fonteva, Map Your Show, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editor/Content Management System, and email.
• Excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills with strong customer service orientation.
• Detail oriented and accurate.
• Deadline oriented with excellent follow-through.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to handle multiple projects.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and problem-solving skills.
• Good reporting and analysis skills.
• Travel is required, up to 15% of the year.

Core Competencies

• Accountability - Accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
• Adaptability - Adapts to changing business needs, conditions, and work responsibilities and works with a variety of situations, individuals, groups, and varying customer needs.
• Initiative - Takes prompt action to accomplish tasks and meet goals and objectives.
• Teamwork & Cooperation - Creates team spirit by speaking positively of others to promote a friendly climate and strong morale; shows confidence in others; recognizes their ability to meet expectations and to contribute effectively to the team’s duties.
• Quantity/Quality of work - Pays close attention to detail. Strives to achieve accuracy and consistency in all tasks.
• Service Orientation – Applies effective interpersonal and problem-solving skills when responding to clients.
• Conflict Management – Facilitates the prevention and/or resolution of conflict while preserving working relationships with staff and clients.

Position Specific Competencies

• Relationship Building - The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.
• Communication - Listens; speaks and writes clearly and concisely.
• Decision Making - Makes timely, informed decisions that take into account the facts, goals, constraints, and risks.
• Development & Continual Improvement - Displays an ongoing commitment to learning and self-improvement; desires and makes an effort to acquire new knowledge or skills for work.
• Ethics & Integrity - Earns others’ trust and respect through consistent honesty and professionalism in all interactions.
• Fiscal Accountability - Follows fiscal guidelines, regulations, principles, and standards when committing fiscal resources or processing financial transactions.
• Flexibility - Adapting to and working with a variety of situations, individuals, and groups. Open to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things.
• Initiative - Recognizes situations that warrant initiative and moves forward without hesitation; work independently with little supervision; reasonably resolves issues, problems, or situations.
• Interpersonal Skills - Gets along and interacts positively with co-workers and others; understands and relates to others.

This person will work primarily in an office environment using standard office equipment. Onsite duties will require longer periods of standing and/or walking. Must be able to lift at least 20 lbs.

WEF reserves the right to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or other compliance with public health measures as a condition of employment. This is not mandatory at this time.

WEF is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Who We Are

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of more than 30,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations (MAs) representing water quality professionals around the world. Since 1928, WEF and its members have protected public health and the environment. WEF and its global network of members and member associations provide water quality professionals around the world with the latest in water quality education, training, and business opportunities. WEF’s diverse membership includes scientists, engineers, regulators, academics, utility managers, plant operators, and other professionals. WEF uses this collective knowledge to further a shared goal of improving water quality around the world.

WEF is operating under a new Strategic Plan built on the vision of a life free of water challenges. Our ultimate goal is a world where each person has access to clean water and sanitation, where communities prosper, and where nature thrives. The key strategic goals under the new Strategic Plan are: 1) to attract and develop a diverse and passionate workforce; 2) to cultivate a purpose-driven community to sustainably solve water challenges for all; and 3) to lead the transformation to the circular water economy.

The new Strategic Plan embodies WEF’s embrace of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. WEF is committed to equity and inclusion in all aspects of our work, including within the governance structure and leadership, WEF partners, WEF staff, and the WEF membership. This commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will guide our work and our programs, culminating in outcomes that improve public health for all.

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