Sr. Marketing Manager, Events

Location: San Jose, California (Hybrid) 
Annual salary: USD 140,000 - USD 185,000 
Type: Full Time 
Reports to: VP of Marketing

The Role

As our Sr. Marketing Manager, Events, you will own Nex's global events program. That includes trade shows, industry conferences, press events, influencer pop-ups, and consumer and community events, in the US and internationally.

Nex Playground is best understood by playing it. Your events will put the product in people's hands and create the moments that press, partners, creators, and families remember. You'll lead event agencies and production resources, and partner closely with PR, Design, and the broader marketing team to bring each event to life.

This is a senior individual contributor role with no direct reports. Expect roughly half your events in the US and half internationally, with significant travel throughout the year.

What You'll Do

Global Events Strategy

• Build and own the annual global events calendar, tied to launch plans, brand goals, and international expansion.
• Decide where Nex shows up and why, and set clear goals for every event.
• Own the events budget and measure results, from leads and press coverage to content and consumer reach.

Trade Shows & Industry Conferences

• Plan and execute Nex's presence at major consumer tech, gaming, and toy industry shows and conferences.
• Lead booth concept, demo experience, meeting programs, and on-site operations.
• Make every show a great place to experience Nex Playground and meet the team.

Press, Influencer & Community Events

• Partner with PR to plan press events, product previews, and launch moments.
• Create influencer pop-ups that generate authentic content and conversation.
• Deliver consumer and community events where families can play together and share the experience.

Agency & Production Management

• Lead event agencies, fabricators, and production vendors, from briefs and timelines to budgets and delivery.
• Collaborate with Design on booths, signage, and collateral that feel distinctly Nex.
• Serve as the on-site lead, solving problems in real time so the experience feels effortless.

International Events

• Adapt events for international markets in partnership with local teams, PR agencies, and partners.
• Navigate regional logistics, vendors, and cultural expectations with care.
• 50% US Event support, 50% international events

What You'll Bring

Experience

• 8+ years in event marketing, experiential marketing, or trade show management.
• Proven experience running large trade shows and international events end to end.
• Background in consumer technology, gaming, or toys is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing event agencies, production vendors, and significant budgets.

Skills & Strengths

• Exceptional project management, with command of timelines, logistics, and budgets.
• Strong negotiator with vendors and venues.
• An eye for experience design, especially hands-on product demos.
• Clear communicator who keeps PR, Design, and cross-functional partners aligned.

Collaboration & Mindset

• Calm, resourceful, and decisive on-site.
• Comfortable in a small, fast-moving environment with evolving priorities.
• Willing and able to travel extensively, about half of it international, including around show schedules and weekends.
• Passion for creating joyful, memorable experiences for families and fans.

What Success Looks Like

• Deliver a brand-building calendar of major events and activations across the year that fuel consumer awareness of Nex Playground and position the company for strong organic growth via exposure, earned media (PR), and social media currency
• Orchestrate events around the world with high return-on-investment, and premium positioning for the brand to fuel local recognition and provide aircover for international market GTM initiatives
• Drive quality of execution while staying on budget and orchestrate engagement from all relevant stakeholders including marketing, BD, Business team, product, design, retail, and leadership teams.
• Show how major events contributes to the awareness growth of Nex and Nex Playground and ties directly to marketing goals and KPIs—through high-impact impressions and reach. Quality of impressions should translate into tangible metrics that fuel the business and the brand concurrently.
• This role is highly cross-functional, the needs of a variety of business functions should feel empowered by the events and activations that Nex invests in to tell our story with quality and ROI.