Vice President, Operations - Tradeshow Rental & Fabric

Derse; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay & benefits

Energetic culture

Strong financial stability

Job summary

Derse is a full‑service face‑to‑face marketing agency and exhibit builder seeking a VP, Operations - Tradeshow Rental & Fabric in Milwaukee. You will lead the Rental and Fabric departments, guiding directors and collaborating with Sales, PM, and field teams to ensure profitable, on‑time client delivery.

This role requires 10+ years of leadership in exhibit production, strong budgeting skills, and willingness to travel. Competitive compensation and strong career growth are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Construction Management, Engineering, or similar required.
• 10+ years of leadership within exhibit production, fabrication, rental operations, graphics production or related.
• Strong understanding of exhibit fabrication, rental inventory, graphics production, vendor management, budgeting, cost control, and continuous improvement.
• Financial acumen with experience managing departmental budgets, project profitability, cost of sales, and capital equipment.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Derse’s Rental and Fabric departments, overseeing quality, scope, standardization, and profitability.
• Directly oversee the Rental Director and Fabric Director in efficient, profitable delivery of products and services to Derse customers.
• Establish and maintain operational standards, processes, and procedures for rental products and related graphics.
• Develop and maintain vendor and supplier relationships to support department operations and growth.
• Oversee department budgets, cost of sales, project profitability, and capital equipment needs.
• Collaborate with Sales, Operations, PM, and field teams to ensure successful large client opportunities.
• Travel throughout the year to support department operations and client opportunities.

Skills

Leadership experience

Exhibit fabrication

Rental operations

Graphics production

Vendor management

Budgeting and cost control

Project profitability

Capital equipment management

MS Office proficiency

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Description

Derse is a complete face-to-face marketing agency and exhibit builder. We bring a smarter approach to building client sales while managing their trade show, marketing environments and event programs. Our teams are made up of smart and forward-thinking people who bring experiential marketing solutions to life!

We believe in committing to a long-term investment in your career with a total rewards package including:

• Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits package
• A bright and energetic culture where your ideas are valued
• 75+ years of financial stability

Derse employs over 600 people in marketing, program management, creative & skilled production, and corporate support. Locations include Milwaukee, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and various communities in Poland & Germany. Visit our website derse.com to learn more!

As the Vice President, Operations - Tradeshow Rental & Fabric, you'll take the main leadership responsibilities for our Rental and Fabric departments, ensuring each function maintains operational success. In this role, you'd oversee the Rental Director and Fabric Director in daily client deliveries, while also collaborating with a variety of teams to optimize each department function. This position is crucial to long-term success both for Derse and our clients.

VP, Operations - Tradeshow Rental & Fabric Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Derse’s corporate exhibit production services, overseeing quality, scope, standardization, and profitability across Rental and Fabric departments.
• Directly oversee the Rental Director and Fabric Director in the efficient, profitable, and timely delivery of quality products and services to Derse customers.
• Establish and maintain operational standards, processes, and procedures for rental products, printed SEG graphics, hanging signs, and other fabric and graphics products.
• Develop and maintain key vendor, supplier, and equipment manufacturer relationships to support department operations, capacity, and future growth.
• Oversee department equipment, software, inventory, and other operational resources to ensure efficient production and service delivery.
• Provide strategic and operational support for large client opportunities utilizing Rental and Fabric products and services, ensuring successful project organization, communication, profitability, and field execution.
• Monitor and manage Rental and Fabric department budgets, cost of sales, project profitability, and capital equipment needs to support annual business objectives.
• Collaborate with divisional and corporate operations leadership to integrate Fabric production into divisional production strategies and optimize Rental capacity and inventory.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Project Management, and field support teams to ensure successful delivery and execution of large and complex client opportunities.
• Provide leadership and support for department staff development, training, onboarding, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain operational training resources and standards to improve efficiency, consistency, and ongoing staff development.
• Monitor department performance, quality, capacity, staffing, and service levels, implementing corrective actions and improvements as needed.
• Provide leadership and support for Corporate Operations initiatives involving Rental, Fabric, and other future production service areas.
• Travel throughout the year to support department operations, large client opportunities, field execution, and corporate operational initiatives

Requirements

VP, Operations - Tradeshow Rental & Fabric Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Construction Management,Engineering, or similar required. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• 10+ years of leadership within exhibit production, fabrication, rental operations, graphics production or related.
• Strong understanding of exhibit fabrication, rental inventory, graphics production, vendor management, budgeting, cost control, and continuous improvement practices.
• Financial acumen with experience managing departmental budgets, project profitability, cost of sales, and capital equipment needs.
• Proficiency in MS Suite including; Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and related.
• Ability to travel throughout the year to support business climate.