CDS Full Time Event Manager - Product Demonstration

Advantage Sales & Marketing dba Advantage Solutions•Niles, IL

About The Position

Club Demonstration Services (CDS) is seeking an Event Manager to recruit, hire, train, and supervise in-store Product Demonstrators. The role oversees product preparation and presentation, including food safety and sanitation, and provides training and service to Club members. The Event Manager communicates with warehouse managers, vendors, and Product Demonstrators, and participates in new-location grand openings as required. The position directs activities for successful events, promotions, and vendor-product sales; communicates strategies and tactics to achieve sales, service, and operational excellence; and works with the District Manager to review event performance metrics and make operational adjustments. It is accountable for revenue and net income objectives, expense management, and customer satisfaction. The role has direct reports and is responsible for hiring, retaining, training, coaching, guiding, directing, and developing them. The work may take place in an office, field, retail store, or warehouse. The schedule is Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and may vary based on business needs. The role involves considerable physical activity, travel and driving, and handling or preparing products and food for demonstrations.

Requirements

High school education or equivalent is listed in the role overview.
Associate's degree or equivalent experience required; a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
Two to four years of related experience in retail, hospitality, or food environments is listed in the role overview.
Three to five years of experience in a client-side branded consumer-packaged-goods company, or a combination of supplier-side and client-side experience, is listed under minimum qualifications.
NEHA Professional Food Handler Certification required.
Strong leadership, written and verbal communication, and attention-to-detail skills.
Ability to lead and develop teams, work independently, prioritize with minimal supervision, and meet deadlines.
Supervisory skills, including delegating responsibility, training, and evaluating performance.
Flexibility and adaptability to changes in projects or the business environment; ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to build and maintain customer and client relationships.
Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Outlook, and web browsers.
Ability to exercise independent judgment.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including considerable physical activity, lifting or pushing up to 50 pounds, standing for long periods, using products or cooking food for demonstrations, and potentially working in very cold conditions.
Ability to travel and drive, and to follow proper safety practices when handling products or cooking.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Recruit, train, and hire part-time staff and Product Demonstrators.
Direct activities for successful events, promotions, and sales of vendor products.
Oversee product preparation and presentation, including food safety and sanitation.
Train Product Demonstrators in demonstration preparation and customer service.
Communicate with managers, vendors, and demonstrators, and communicate strategies and tactics for sales, service, and operational excellence.
Participate in new-location grand openings as required.
Support maintenance and ongoing development of the corporate governance framework, policies, and procedures.
Collaborate with the District Manager to assess event execution rates, sales performance, labor hours, and operational costs, and make adjustments as needed.
Achieve revenue and net income objectives through sales activation, strategy, and expense management.
Improve operations to optimize customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Hire, retain, train, coach, guide, direct, and develop direct reports.
Coach and counsel employees and take corrective measures as needed.