Director, Events + Tradeshow

• Location: Toronto, ON, hybrid, three days onsite per week (Tuesday + Thursday MUST + 1 additional day)
• Travel: to Winnipeg, MB mid November
• Language: Strong written and spoken English required
• Duration: 3 month contract, with the possibility of extension
• Background Check: Criminal record check required

About the Opportunity

A national, membership-based non-profit organization is seeking an experienced Director, Events & Tradeshow to provide hands-on leadership for its conferences, annual Transit Show and related revenue activities.

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned events professional to step into a high-profile national event, quickly assess what has been completed and take ownership of the remaining planning and execution.

Working closely with senior leadership, internal teams, exhibitors, sponsors and external partners, you’ll help deliver an event welcoming approximately 600 delegates and up to 130 exhibitors. Your focus will span tradeshow execution, exhibitor and sponsorship revenue, event technology and the development of stronger processes that set the organization up for continued success.

What’s In It for You

You’ll have significant autonomy and direct exposure to senior leadership while making an immediate operational and financial impact.

You’ll take the lead on a major national tradeshow, bring structure and direction to an established team and help drive the event successfully across the finish line. You’ll also have the opportunity to improve how future events are delivered by creating practical tools, playbooks and processes that continue to add value beyond your contract.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead conference and tradeshow planning, including timelines, budgets, logistics, floor plans, exhibitor communications and onsite execution
• Quickly assess the current state of the event, identify risks and establish clear priorities for the remaining delivery period
• Drive exhibitor and sponsorship revenue through structured pipelines, proactive sales activity, forecasting and relationship management
• Review exhibitor and sponsorship packages, pricing and value propositions to identify opportunities for revenue growth
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective exhibitors, sponsors and industry partners
• Oversee the event technology platform, including registration, payments, exhibitor setup and sponsorship workflows
• Work closely with platform providers and other vendors to resolve existing issues and improve the user experience
• Introduce stronger testing, quality-control and approval processes to improve platform accuracy and reliability
• Coordinate across internal departments, venues, tradeshow suppliers and external partners, establishing clear roles, timelines and accountabilities
• Provide hands-on leadership and direction to internal event resources throughout the planning and delivery process
• Oversee onsite setup and execution in Winnipeg from approximately November 12–18, 2026
• Lead the post-event review and document recommendations, lessons learned and opportunities for improvement
• Create practical playbooks, checklists, templates and controls to support future conferences and events

Skills and Qualifications

• At least seven years of progressive, hands-on experience leading large conferences and tradeshows
• Proven success generating exhibitor, sponsorship and event revenue while managing a disciplined sales pipeline
• Strong knowledge of the full tradeshow lifecycle, including exhibitor sales, sponsorships, registration, logistics, vendor coordination and onsite execution
• Experience working with event and tradeshow platforms, including configuration, testing, payments, vendor management and issue resolution
• Demonstrated experience developing event processes, playbooks, controls and standard operating procedures
• Strong project management, budgeting, forecasting, negotiation and vendor-management skills
• A confident, hands-on leadership style with the ability to assess priorities quickly and independently drive execution
• Strong communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively across multiple departments and stakeholder groups
• The ability to bring structure, clarity and accountability to a fast-moving environment
• Experience within an association, non-profit or membership-based organization is an asset
• Experience delivering conferences or tradeshows in Canada or North America is strongly preferred
• French-English bilingualism is an asset but is not required
• Availability to travel to Winnipeg from approximately November 12–18, 2026

Why Partner with Altis?

If you’ve never worked with a staffing agency before, we make it easy. We work with top employers across Canada who have great jobs to fill, each vetted and verified by our team.

When you apply for a job with Altis, we get to know you as a candidate and learn about your experience and strengths. If you’re a strong match, we handle the logistics, advocate for you throughout the hiring process, provide access to coaching and connect you directly with the hiring manager.

We appreciate the time and effort all applicants invest in their submissions. Please note that only candidates shortlisted for this role will be contacted directly. However, your profile will remain under consideration for future opportunities that align with your experience and career goals.All qualified applicants will receive fair consideration for employment. We welcome individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities including those who identify as women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. If you require an accommodation, please review our accessibility policy and reach out to our accessibility officer with any questions. Our human recruiters review all applications and always make the final hiring decision. On occasion, we also use AI-assisted tools to help review applications.