Position Title: Exhibit and Sponsorship Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports to: Director of Education

Location: Oakland (Hybrid)

ABOUT CWEA

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) empowers, educates, and connects

water professionals to protect California’s most critical resource: water. The association’s

community of over 10,000 professionals represents all facets of wastewater management and

resource recovery, from operators to lab technicians to engineers.

Founded in 1928, CWEA proudly unites wastewater professionals across California to address

real-time issues, develop and deliver cutting-edge training, raise awareness of the profession,

and shape the future of wastewater. In support of CWEA’s vision of a sustainable California

water environment, the organization pursues its mission of empowering, educating, and

connecting water professionals to protect public health and the environment. CWEA is a

nonprofit organization with an annual budget of approximately $6.5M and a dedicated staff

of 19 employees.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Exhibitor & Sponsorship Manager is responsible for the strategic management,

growth, and execution of CWEA's exhibitor and event sponsorship programs, which

generate approximately $800,000 annually in non-dues revenue and support the

success of four statewide events.

This position serves as the primary relationship manager for CWEA's corporate

partners, exhibitors, and event sponsors while overseeing the systems, processes,

and operational execution that deliver an exceptional partner experience.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, business-minded professional who combines

strong relationship management, operational excellence, strategic thinking, and

project management skills. This individual will take ownership of the day-to-day

management of CWEA's exhibit and event sponsorship programs while identifying

opportunities to improve processes, increase engagement, strengthen partner

relationships, and support long-term program growth.

Success in this role means exhibitors become advocates, sponsorships deliver

measurable value to events, operational processes run efficiently, and the Director of

Education can focus on broader strategic initiatives while maintaining confidence

that the program is thriving.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Leadership & Growth

• Own and manage CWEA's exhibitor and event sponsorship programs across

annual events.

• Develop annual strategies to maintain and grow exhibitor participation,

sponsorship revenue, and partner engagement.

• Identify opportunities to enhance the exhibitor and sponsor value proposition.

• Research and recommend new revenue opportunities, engagement initiatives,

and program enhancements.

• Develop annual growth plans that support CWEA's long-term organizational

objectives.

Exhibitor & Event Sponsor Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for exhibitors and event sponsors.

• Build trusted relationships with key exhibitors and event sponsors while

ensuring all partners feel valued, heard, and supported.

• Facilitate ongoing communication before, during, and after events.

• Gather, analyze, and respond to exhibitor and sponsor feedback to

continuously improve the experience.

• Support the development and management of exhibitor advisory groups and

other engagement initiatives.

Sales & Business Development

• Develop and manage annual exhibitor and sponsorship prospectuses.

• Secure sponsorship and exhibitor commitments for all CWEA events.

• Maintain strong relationships with returning exhibitors while identifying

opportunities to attract new partners.

• Monitor revenue performance and prepare regular reports and forecasts.

Event Operations & Program Execution

• Oversee all exhibitor and event sponsorship logistics from initial commitment

through post-event follow-up.

• Manage exhibitor registration, booth selection, sponsorship fulfillment,

contracts, payments, floorplans, and event logistics.

• Coordinate with venues, contractors, decorators, and service providers.

• Ensure event sponsor benefits and exhibitor deliverables are fulfilled

accurately and on time.

• Lead on-site exhibitor and sponsorship operations and resolve issues as they

arise.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Manage and optimize exhibitor and sponsorship workflows using event

management and registration platforms.

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce manual processes, and

enhance data accuracy.

• Maintain accurate records, reporting, and operational documentation.

• Collaborate with internal teams to improve cross-functional workflows and

customer experience.

Marketing & Engagement

• Partner with the marketing team to promote sponsorship and exhibitor

opportunities.

• Develop communications that clearly articulate exhibitor and sponsorship

value.

• Support initiatives that increase interaction between exhibitors and attendees.

• Track participation, engagement, and satisfaction metrics and recommend

improvements based on data.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities

required to perform the job successfully. The education and experience listed below are

representative of typical methods of achieving the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary

for the job but are not required, unless specifically noted.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Initiative and Professional Autonomy: Exhibits strong initiative and ownership,

operating with a high degree of autonomy and professionalism, capable of proactive

problem-solving and decision-making

• Creative Problem-Solving and Business Acumen: Combines creative problem-solving

skills with solid business acumen, developing solutions to challenges while leveraging

analytical skills to drive CWEA's strategic goals; approaches challenges through a lens

of problem-solving

• Professional Communication and Relationship Building: Possesses exceptional

communication skills and a professional presence, adept at building relationships,

collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and enforcing CWEA's standards with tact

and respect, both internally and externally

• Adaptability and Detailed Orientation: Showcases exceptional flexibility, adaptability,

and time management practices and staying highly organized and detail-oriented to

ensure the success of CWEA's events and sponsorships in a fast-paced environment;

able to respond positively to unexpected challenges and changes

• Industry Knowledge and Trend Awareness: Maintains deep knowledge of the

exhibition and conference industry's terminology, rules, and regulations, staying

current with trends to apply best practices in CWEA's event management

• Analytical and Strategic Planning Skills: Demonstrates strong analytical skills and

strategic planning abilities, essential for navigating the complexities of event and

sponsorship management in a dynamic membership organization

• Effective Communication and Stakeholder Engagement: Utilizes strong written and

verbal communication skills, crucial for engaging with volunteers, members, industry

professionals, and stakeholders in a manner that promotes collaboration and progress;

ability to translate industry knowledge into compelling value propositions

• Persuasion and Influence: Ability to thoughtfully advocate for the organization and

educational programs produced; ability to influence across various levels and to

manage and partner with diverse range of stakeholders

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS, AND LICENSES

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, event management, marketing, or

related field preferred

• Certified Exhibition Management (CEM) and/or Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

strongly preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Five or more years of experience working within associations, nonprofits,

professional societies, or membership organizations, in exhibit management.

• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex programs, or

projects.

• Strong relationship-building and customer service skills.

• Experience managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders

simultaneously.

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Strong problem-solving and organizational abilities.

• Experience using CRM, registration, or event management platforms.

• Ability to travel within California for event execution.

SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Strong working knowledge of MS Office Suite, especially Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel,

and PowerPoint

• Monday.com

• Vendor/exhibitor CRM, preferably Cadmium

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND TRAVEL

The physical demands of the position are:

• Stand and walk or sit alternatively depending on specific needs of day. Estimate 20%

of time is spent on feet and 80% sitting at desk

• Have occasional need to perform the following physical activities:

bending/stooping/squatting, climbing stairs, pushing, pulling, twisting, lifting and

reaching above shoulders

• Have occasional need to perform standing and walking activities

• Constant need to perform the following physical activities: writing/typing,

grasping/turning, finger dexterity

• Lifting/carrying up to 10 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally

• Vision requirements: constant need to complete forms, read reports, view computer

screen. Frequent need to see small details. Frequent need to see things clearly beyond

arm's reach

• Hearing requirements: constant need to communicate over telephone and in person

This position will require occasional travel, including overnight travel for up to 4-5 nights at a

time. CWEA expects this position to travel approximately 6-8 times per year for work

purposes.

CWEA is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to meet the physical demands

of this role as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).