Vice President & General Manager, Connections

Emerald; Toronto; On-site; CAD 210,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonuses

Salary increases

Job summary

Emerald is seeking a Vice President & General Manager, Connections to lead and grow our events portfolio, including tradeshows, conferences, and peer-to-peer gatherings. Reporting to the President, Connections, this role will drive strategic plans, manage budgets, and inspire a high-performing team to meet business goals.

The ideal candidate will bring 7+ years in international trade shows, 5+ years in leadership, and strong capabilities in P&L management, cross-functional leadership, and

Qualifications

• Master's degree required.
• 7+ years of international trade show experience and management across a portfolio of diverse events.
• 5+ years in a leadership role overseeing sales, marketing and brand leadership.
• 5+ years of event/trade show P&L management including budgeting and forecasting.
• Proven track record leading teams and driving business improvements.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: set growth plans, profitability targets, and delegate authority to leadership.
• Operational Excellence: oversee end-to-end trade show execution and cross-functional coordination.
• Revenue Generation: drive sponsorship, attendee and exhibitor sales; develop pricing strategies.
• Customer Experience: ensure high-quality exhibitor and attendee experiences; act on feedback.
• People & Resource Management: lead, mentor, and set performance goals with accountability.

Skills

Strategic leadership

P&L management

Revenue growth

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Education

Master's degree in Business or related field

Job description

Position: Vice President & General Manager, Connections

Terms of Employment: Full-time / Permanent

Hours of Work: 40 hours/week

Existing Vacancy: This posting reflects an ongoing opportunity for future openings

Benefits:

Eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or salary increases in accordance with company policy.

Salary:

$ 237,500 CAD / year

Role Summary:

Emerald is hiring a Vice President & General Manager, Connections to manage and grow our Events (tradeshows, conferences, and peer to peer events) portfolio. This leadership position, reporting to the President, Connections, will be responsible for a portfolio of trade shows, conferences and events. In the role, the VP & GM, Connections will be responsible for leading the team and business, ensuring action and resource requirements are properly aligned to meet the business goals and inspire the team to achieve them.

Duties:

• Strategic Leadership:
• Developing and guiding strategic plans to drive growth and profitability for trade shows and conferences
• Selecting middle managers, directors or other executive staff; delegating the necessary authority to them and creating optimum working conditions
• Identifying new market opportunities and trends to enhance competitive positioning
• Overseeing P&L for assigned trade shows, ensuring financial targets are met
• Managing budgets, forecasts, and financial reports
• Implementing corrective actions to address financial deviations
• Operational Excellence:
• Ensuring efficient execution of trade shows from planning to post-event analysis
• Managing cross-functional teams for seamless event execution
• Maintaining relationships with key vendors, partners, and stakeholders
• Revenue Generation:
• Driving revenue growth through sponsorship, attendee and exhibitor sales
• Developing innovative pricing strategies and packages
• Fostering strong relationships with key clients and industry influencers
• Customer Experience:
• Ensuring high-quality experiences for exhibitors and attendees
• Collecting and analyzing feedback for continuous improvement
• Implementing innovative features to enhance value propositions
• Representing the organization in negotiations or other official functions
• Leading and mentoring a high-performing team, fostering accountability and excellence
• Setting performance goals, providing regular feedback and managing performance
• Allocating material, human and financial resources to implement organizational policies and programs
• Effective communication of vision, strategy, and regular business updates
• Encouraging professional development and continuous learning
• Identifying and mitigating potential risks for trade show execution
• Ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and safety requirements
• Developing contingency plans for unforeseen challenges
• Performance Metrics:
• Establishing KPIs to measure trade show success
• Regularly reviewing and reporting performance against KPIs
• Optimizing future trade show performance through data-driven decisions

Requirements:

• Masters degree in Business or a related field is required
• Certification in Technology, Digital Marketing or a related field is preferred
• 7+ years of international trade show experience and management, leading a portfolio of diverse trade shows and events
• 5+ years in a leadership role, leading sales, marketing and overall brand leadership
• 5+ years of event and trade show P&L management including budgeting and forecasting
• Experience leading organizations through strategic change with positive results
• Proven track record successfully managing teams and driving business improvements
• Ability to track the effects of action plans and determine if actions are effective at meeting goals or if plans should be changed
• Deep industry expertise in tradeshow and conference management leading a portfolio with a track record of driving revenue growth and profitability
• Well versed in developing and interpreting analytical reports used to measure effectiveness of plans
• Strong written, verbal, communication and presentation skills
• Strong prioritization skills – the ability to assess and reassess where to invest the time and energy of the business
• Ability to align organizational goals and resources and to continually learn

AI Disclosure:

We may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with scheduling interviews and managing screening times. We do not use AI to evaluate applicants or make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams.