Director, National Events

Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid – 3 days in office, 2 days remote)

About the Organization

Our client is a leading organization that produces a portfolio of large-scale B2B events, including a flagship trade show that serves as a key revenue driver and industry platform.

Overview

The Director, National Events will lead the strategy, performance, and execution of the organization’s trade show and broader events portfolio, with accountability for profitability, scalability, and operational effectiveness. This role requires a leader who can bring structure, discipline, and strategic direction to complex, high-volume events.

Why Join

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for someone looking to move beyond execution into a more strategic role. The organization is seeking a leader who can strengthen performance, introduce more scalable systems, and influence how events are managed and grown over time. The role offers direct exposure to leadership and the ability to make a meaningful impact on both the events and the broader business.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Define and lead the strategy and operating model across trade shows and events
• Evaluate and evolve event formats, scale, and overall performance

Financial Ownership

• Own full P&L across events, including forecasting, budgeting, and cost management
• Drive revenue growth and improve profitability

Operational Oversight

• Oversee execution of large-scale trade shows and supporting events
• Ensure alignment across vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, and internal teams

Systems & Process

• Implement scalable systems, tools, and processes
• Oversee event platforms and improve reporting and operational efficiency

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop the events team and external partners
• Establish clear roles, structure, and accountability

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with sales, marketing, and leadership teams
• Ensure sponsorship and exhibitor commitments are delivered

Risk & On-Site Leadership

• Own operational and financial risk across events
• Provide leadership oversight during live events

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of experience leading large-scale trade shows and/or complex B2B events
• Proven experience managing high-revenue, high-volume events
• trade show is very large-scale:
• ~25,000 attendees
• ~600 exhibitors
• ~250,000 square feet of space
• Experience owning multi-million-dollar budgets and P&L
• Strong strategic mindset with the ability to drive performance and growth
• Demonstrated expertise in project management, including managing multiple workstreams, vendors, and timelines in complex event environments
• Experience implementing or working with event management tools, systems, and structured processes
• Strong vendor and contractor management experience, with the ability to coordinate large, cross-functional teams
• Experience leading teams and managing external partners

*This is a hybrid role requiring three days per week in the Toronto office. Some evening and weekend work is required during live events.

Compensation

• Base: $120,000 – $160,000
• Bonus: ~10%