Manager, Trade Shows & Events

Remote position based in Dearborn; up to 50% travel within the U.S. and Canada.

About the role

The Manager, Trade Shows & Events is responsible for developing and executing the enterprise-wide event marketing strategy across trade shows, partner events, and consumer activations and experiential marketing programs. This role leads the strategic direction, planning, and performance measurement of Carhartt’s external event portfolio, ensuring all activations drive a premium execution of the brand and meet business objectives. Inspired by the values of hard work—dependability, honesty, and trust—this role upholds Carhartt’s mission to serve and protect all hardworking people.

Responsibilities

• Coach, mentor, and develop a high-performing events team, providing strategic direction, prioritization, and professional growth opportunities for direct reports
• Develop and lead the enterprise-wide event marketing strategy across industry trade shows, partner events, customer activations, and experiential programs
• Own the end-to-end planning and governance of all event programs, ensuring consistent processes, timelines, stakeholder alignment, and execution excellence
• Lead the development of innovative event experiences and brand activations that create meaningful customer engagement and differentiate the brand
• Manage and optimize a multi-million-dollar annual event budget, including forecasting, resource allocation, contract negotiations, and ROI accountability
• Serve as the primary relationship owner for the company’s event agency, directing strategic planning, creative development, production, and performance management
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Product Marketing, Brand, and CCG Marketing teams to align event strategies with business priorities
• Define event success metrics and establish measurement frameworks to evaluate pipeline contribution, customer engagement, brand impact, attendee and partner satisfaction, and ROI
• Deliver executive-level reporting, insights, and recommendations to inform future event investments and strategic decisions
• Drive continuous improvement across the event function by identifying opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, attendee experience, agency performance, and program effectiveness

Requirements

• BA in Event Activation or Experience, Marketing, Communications, or related field
• 8+ years of progressive experience in event marketing, experiential marketing, trade show management, or brand activation
• 3+ years of people leadership experience managing direct reports and cross-functional teams
• Proven experience developing and executing complex, large-scale event strategies across multiple event types
• Experience managing external agencies and vendor partnerships
• Demonstrated ownership of significant marketing or event budgets
• Strong understanding of event measurement, ROI analysis, and pipeline attribution
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for leadership and enterprise-wide business needs

Working Conditions

• Ability to work effectively in both office and event environments
• Significant travel within the U.S. and Canada (up to 50%)
• Remote position with no regular on-site requirement; travel on-site limited to special events
• Tobacco-free workplace