Exhibits Manager

Description

About NAFSA: Association of International Educators

With almost 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the largest and most comprehensive association of professionals committed to advancing international higher education. NAFSA is based in the United States. It provides programs, products, services, and a physical and virtual meeting space for the worldwide community of international educators. The association leads its varied constituencies by setting principles of good practice and offering professional development. It also encourages networking among professionals, convenes conferences and collaborative dialogues, and promotes research and knowledge creation that strengthen and serve the field. We lead the way in advocating for a better world through international education.

NAFSA believes that international education advances learning and scholarship, fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, is essential for developing globally competent individuals, and builds leadership for the global community. We believe that international education lies at the core of an interconnected world characterized by peace, security, and well-being for all.

Position Summary

The Exhibits Manager owns the sales plan, management and execution of the International Education Expo at the NAFSA Annual Conference, one of the largest international education events in the world. The Manager delivers against the approved annual Expo revenue target and advises the Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development, on Expo strategy. Approved strategy becomes sales plans, pricing recommendations, forecasts and new Expo offerings.

The Manager leads exhibitor sales, customer service, payments, logistics and on-site operations. This work is done in close collaboration with the Conferences, Marketing, Finance and Technology teams. The Manager also maintains the Expo sales database and the reporting that SPD leadership and the CEO use. The role faces outward and works closely with colleagues inside NAFSA. It builds innovative exhibit experiences and sustains strong relationships with exhibitors, Global Partners, country and government partners, and vendors.

The position is central to NAFSA’s revenue and brand visibility. It keeps the Expo financially successful, professionally run and aligned with NAFSA’s mission.

Essential Functions

1. Exhibitor management and service (30%)

• Manage year-round relationships with exhibiting organizations at NAFSA’s annual conference and expo.
• Oversee booth reservations and the annual rebooking process.
• Maintain the online interactive floor plan and exhibitor service portal, including booth assignments, holds and moves.
• Deliver orientation materials and concierge services for new exhibitors.
• Lead exhibitor customer service, including the shared exhibits inbox, and route payment, logistics and sales questions.
• Plan and send regular exhibitor communications (about monthly), and run exhibitor webinars on deadlines and logistics. 
• Manage exhibitor payments, credits and cancellations under documented procedures including regular follow-up on overdue and upcoming payments. 
• Prepare and coordinate the contracting and compliance documents that some international and government partners require. Examples include proof-of-legal-capacity forms and tender paperwork. 
• Run the exhibitor sustainability program (Eco Pledge) and related Expo sustainability work in collaboration with other NAFSA departments. 
• Serve as the on-site point of contact and problem solver for exhibitor issues during the Annual Conference.

2. Sales and revenue generation (30%)

• Lead booth sales to new and returning exhibitors, country pavilions and tabled pavilion partners. Examples include state study consortia and national agencies. (new)
• Manage the active prospect pipeline and exhibitor account follow-up through each sales cycle. 
• Run new Expo offerings from start to finish: concept, pricing, sales and logistics. 
• Develop and sell paid exhibitor visibility in the conference app and on the expo platform, such as enhanced listings and cross-sell sponsorship opportunities to exhibitors to maximize revenue. 
• Work with Marketing on promotional materials and campaigns that drive booth sales, including early-bird deadlines.
• Support SPD by packaging exhibit benefits for Global Partners and managing partner sales onsite during conference before sales open to the public.
• Share Expo sales and outreach procedures with other NAFSA teams to support NAFSA-wide revenue goals. 
• Support website content related to exhibiting.

3. Operations and vendor oversight (10%)

• Manage contracts and relationships with the general services contractor (currently Freeman), lead retrieval vendors, insurance providers, and venue partners.
• Coordinate with Freeman year-round: exhibitor portal setup, regular exhibitor-list updates from February, monthly floor-plan updates, and furniture orders for NAFSA-run spaces. 
• Oversee creation and implementation of custom expo hall floor plans based on venue layout and exhibitor seniority.
• Manage booth decor and services NAFSA purchases on behalf of partners, for example EAIE, APAIE and the Booth-in-a-Box option. 
• Coordinate exhibitor registration with registration provider (currently Maritz).
• Work with venue contacts on catering, electricity and rigging. Flag labor-rule, space and access risks early, and reduce them.
• Keep standard operating procedures for payments, discounts, reservations and cancellations current.

4. Systems, data and reporting (15%)

• Maintain the Expo sales database in Airtable: bookings, reservations, cancellations, payments, company and contact records, and sales pacing.
• Review and update payment records in the expo platform every week. Record wires and checks as Finance reports them, and reconcile received and outstanding amounts with Finance, including for audit requests.
• Lead the Expo team’s part in moving from Cadmium to Map Your Show for the 2028 conference, working with Technology. After launch, own exhibitor-side setup and data quality.
• Produce regular Expo sales updates for SPD leadership.

5. Strategy input, planning and evaluation (10%)

• Own the annual Expo sales plan and advise the Director on Expo strategy and on how to improve the exhibitor experience.
• Build the revenue models and sales forecasts that inform the annual Expo budget and revenue target.
• Recommend pricing, packages and new offerings, and turn approved strategy into the annual sales plan.
• Prepare analysis on Expo performance for SPD leadership and other internal briefings.
• Stay current on exhibition industry trends and recommend enhancements.

6. Other duties (5%)

• Perform other duties as assigned to support NAFSA’s strategic goals and objectives.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least three years of successful experience managing tradeshows or events, including sales.
• Experience building revenue forecasts, sales plans or business cases for leadership.
• Experience managing a CRM or sales database, such as Airtable or Salesforce, and producing regular reports from it.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Creative problem-solving, negotiation and interpersonal skills, with a strong commitment to customer service.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail, especially with payments, contracts and data.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work well both on a team and independently, in a fast-paced environment, and to adapt as responsibilities change.
• Willingness to travel and to work extended hours during peak events.
• Passion for international education and alignment with NAFSA’s mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a membership association or nonprofit.
• Experience with expo and event platforms, such as Map Your Show, Cadmium, Swapcard and interactive floor plans, and with association management systems such as iMIS.
• Experience working with a general services contractor such as Freeman, and with venue labor rules.
• Experience implementing or migrating an event or sales system.
• Customer/partner facing experience.
• Exposure to international education, global partnerships, university relations, or government and country pavilions.
• Familiarity with sustainable event practices.

Behavioral competencies

• Customer focus: anticipates exhibitor needs and resolves issues quickly and fairly.
• Commercial judgment: weighs revenue, exhibitor experience and staff capacity when recommending pricing and offerings.
• Ownership: follows sales, payments and data through to completion without prompting.
• Collaboration: works smoothly across Conferences, Marketing, Finance and Technology.
• Cultural agility: works comfortably with partners from many countries and governments.

Work Environment

Regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. From the week after Memorial Day through Labor Day, hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday.

The role requires travel, mainly for the Annual Conference, site visits and leadership meetings. Attending the Annual Conference during the week of Memorial Day, including the holiday itself, is a job requirement. The conference location changes each year.

Work takes place in a typical office environment and involves sitting for long periods. The role also involves intermittent sitting, standing, bending and lifting up to 10 lbs. It requires constant use of a computer keyboard and monitor, and intermittent use of a headset and microphone. During the conference, the role includes extended periods of standing and walking on the expo floor.