Trade Show Manager - La Mirada, CA

Power Up Your Career with Makita USA!!!

At Makita USA, we believe our employees are the driving force behind our success. That's why we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to support your health, financial well-being, and professional growth. When you join Makita, you become part of a dynamic, innovative, and team-oriented culture that values hard work and dedication.

Makita is a worldwide leader in the professional power tool industry. Over the past 100 years, we have built a reputation for using the finest raw materials, the most advanced manufacturing equipment, and the most rigorous quality testing in the industry. Headquartered in La Mirada, CA, Makita U.S.A., with offices in Reno, NV, Wilmer, TX, and Flowery Branch, GA, has brought Makita's best-in-class engineering advantage to professional power tool users in America since 1970.

Salary $85,000 - $100,000 annually

Job Summary

Makita is the innovation leader in power tools, equipment, and accessories - so join the team at our U.S.A. headquarters in Southern California and help us make the Makita Advantage come alive at trade shows and events across the U.S.A.

As the Trade Show Manager, you will take a leading role in planning, coordinating, and executing trade shows and events to reach our target audiences, including pro-contractors, hardware dealers/distributors, and the media. You will help communicate the Makita Advantage to these audiences by creating and executing event plans that include compelling signage and graphics, hands-on product demonstrations, dynamic display structures, efficient lighting, effective lead collection, and more.

Areas of focus will range from budget and calendar planning to asset co-design and sourcing, inventory management, and hands-on activity, including booth set-up and on-site management at select events.

Your efforts will be a key part of our daily efforts to increase awareness and drive demand for Makita products, and these include industry-leading battery-powered tools and outdoor power equipment as well as vacuums and cleaning products, lighting, radios and speakers, job site apparel, modular storage, a full line of premium accessories, and more.

Across categories, Makita products have leading power and performance but with lower noise, less vibration, reduced weight, and superior ergonomics. This combination of performance and comfort is unique in the category, giving users of all types - from pro contractors to DIYers - a complete solution that helps get work done faster and more efficiently. Join our team and be a part of this exciting innovation story.

Essential Job Duties

• Work with the senior communications manager as well as product management, channel marketing, brand marketing, operations, and senior management on a full range of trade show activities. This will include live trade shows in major convention venues.
• Build the annual Makita U.S.A. trade show calendar and budget.
• Work with our off-site logistics partner to manage and track asset inventory and display tool inventory for use at trade shows. This includes inspection and inventory reconciliation as well as routine maintenance and repairs.
• Collaborate with in-house marketing staff and vendors to build booth assets, including structures and signage.
• Work with the in-house product management team (and occasionally outside vendors) to create demonstrations of key Makita products.
• Create effective lead collection tactics at trade shows.
• Coordinate show orders and shipping for select events.
• Coordinate on-site details for select events, including shipping and receiving, staffing, and set-up.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Skills Required

• Familiarity with best practices in trade show booth construction, including lighting and graphics.
• Basic inventory management of trade show assets.
• Building and managing a budget.
• Post-event actions, including reviewing and approving show invoices.
• Strong ability to proactively coordinate numerous projects while maintaining follow-up and follow-through skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, percentages, and area.
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including core apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) as well as cloud services, including OneDrive and SharePoint. AI knowledge is a plus.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, technical procedures, or trade show regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals (e.g., booth set-up instructions).
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers and vendors.
• Ability to learn: Obtain knowledge and understanding of our power tools, competition, target professional users, the product applications, and the types of dealers that support the users.
• Excellent critical thinking, interpersonal, communication, time-management, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work with a team
• Organizational skills
• Presentation skills: Organize information and present to both internal and external audiences.
• The ability to work under pressure and with constantly changing priorities
• Experience in executing a trade show booth "from the ground up", including arranging shipping and on-site booth set-up, as well as ordering and tracking on-site show services.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

This position is based full-time in the Makita U.S.A. Home Office in La Mirada, CA.

EVENTS: This position will include indoor and outdoor events. The work environmental characteristics for these events include the following:

• The employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions.
• In rare instances, activity goes into the night and proceeds until completion, rain or shine.
• The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, as well as risk of electrical shock and vibration. Personal protective equipment is provided, and professional labor is on hand to manage advanced electrical applications.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. At select trade shows, noise levels are similar to a construction job site. Hearing protection is provided.

Education and/or Experience Desired

• Education and/or Experience: Four-year college or university program, certificate, bachelor's degree preferred. Preferred academic focus includes marketing, business, communications, or design
• Five to ten years of related trade show and event experience in venues including convention halls.
• Experience in executing a trade show booth "from the ground up", including arranging shipping and on-site booth set-up, as well as ordering and tracking on-site show services.

Travel: The expected travel for this role is up to 15%.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance.
• The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 20 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must be able to safely operate a moving vehicle per our company policy.
• Occasional extended hours are expected to complete assembly or take-down activities on-site during trade shows and events, as well as in the office.

Our Benefits Include:

Health & Wellness

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options after 30 days of employment
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental health and well-being
• Paid subscription to Headspace and 5 other members of your choice

Financial Security

• Competitive pay & performance-based incentives
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Basic Term Life insurance is 100% company paid
• Long-term Disability Coverage 100% company paid
• Disability Coverage
• Voluntary Coverage: Critical illness, accidental, hospital indemnity, whole life, and supplemental life plans.

Work-Life Balance

• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays)
• Employee discounts on Makita tools and accessories - because we know you love quality tools!

Career Growth & Development

• Tuition reimbursement
• Internal promotion opportunities
• Collaborative, innovative work environment

Join Makita USA and power up your career with a company that values innovation, teamwork, and excellence!

Explore Opportunities & Apply Today!

Disclaimer:

This description is based on management's assessment of the requirements and functions of the job as of the date this description was prepared. It is a general guideline for managers and employees, but it does not intend to be an exhaustive list of all of the elements of the job. Management reserves the right to modify the description at any time, or to vary the duties and responsibilities of the job on a temporary or indefinite basis to meet production, scheduling, or staffing needs.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. Company policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, religion, marital status, age, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, veteran status, military service, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, genetic information, medical (including genetic characteristics or cancer diagnosis), actual or perceived sexual orientation, or any consideration protected by federal, state or local laws. All such discrimination is prohibited. Additionally, the Company will provide registered domestic partners with all rights and benefits as required by Law. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or a family member of the individual. The Company is committed to complying with all applicable laws and providing equal employment opportunities.