Head of Operations - Exhibitions

****B2B conferences, exhibitions Trade Show experience Mandatory***

Head of Operations - Hanoi, Vietnam

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Operations to lead the operational delivery of our exhibition portfolio from planning through to post-event.

The successful candidate will have strong experience within the exhibitions and events industry, with a proven track record of managing large-scale B2B exhibitions, venues, contractors, suppliers, logistics, health & safety, budgets, and operational teams.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for ensuring every event is delivered on time, on budget, to a high standard, and with an excellent experience for exhibitors, visitors, partners, and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Exhibition Operations

• Take overall responsibility for the operational planning and delivery of exhibitions from initial planning through to event close-out.
• Develop detailed operational plans, timelines, budgets, schedules, and delivery milestones for each event.
• Oversee the full exhibition lifecycle, including venue planning, floorplans, build-up, show open, breakdown, and post-event activities.
• Ensure exhibitions are delivered efficiently, professionally, and in line with company standards and client expectations.
• Identify operational risks and implement contingency plans to minimise disruption.

Venue & Contractor Management

• Manage relationships and negotiations with exhibition venues, contractors, production companies, logistics providers, security, catering, AV, cleaning, and other suppliers.
• Lead contractor and supplier selection, briefing, negotiation, performance management, and evaluation.
• Ensure all suppliers deliver against agreed specifications, budgets, timelines, and service levels.
• Oversee exhibition build and dismantling operations, ensuring all deadlines and venue regulations are met.

Exhibitor & Client Experience

• Ensure exhibitors receive a high level of operational support throughout the event lifecycle.
• Work closely with Sales and Account Management teams to ensure exhibitor requirements are understood and delivered.
• Establish efficient processes for stand builds, technical requirements, sponsorship activations, branding, shipping, and onsite services.
• Resolve complex operational issues quickly and professionally during events.

Budget & Commercial Management

• Own and manage operational budgets across the exhibition portfolio.
• Monitor costs, supplier spend, margins, and financial performance.
• Negotiate with suppliers and contractors to achieve competitive pricing without compromising quality.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and profitability.
• Ensure all operational expenditure is accurately forecast, approved, and controlled.

Team Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop the Operations team.
• Establish clear responsibilities, KPIs, processes, and performance expectations.
• Build a high-performing, accountable, and service-focused operations culture.
• Manage temporary event staff and onsite teams where required.
• Provide leadership and direction during the critical build-up and live-event periods.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all events comply with venue requirements, local regulations, health & safety standards, and company policies.
• Oversee risk assessments, emergency procedures, crowd management, contractor compliance, and onsite safety.
• Ensure appropriate insurance, permits, licences, and documentation are in place.
• Maintain high standards of operational governance across the portfolio.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Conference Production, Finance, and Senior Management to ensure seamless event delivery.
• Participate in event strategy and planning from the early stages of portfolio development.
• Provide operational input into new event launches, venue selection, pricing, floorplans, and commercial strategy.
• Ensure operational teams are aligned with commercial objectives and customer expectations.

Post-Event

• Lead post-event debriefs and operational reviews.
• Analyse supplier performance, budgets, incidents, exhibitor feedback, and operational KPIs.
• Identify improvements and implement best practices across future events.
• Maintain strong supplier and venue relationships for future editions.

Key Requirements

• 8–12+ years experience within exhibitions, events, conferences, or a related live-events environment.
• Proven experience managing the operations of large-scale B2B exhibitions.
• Strong knowledge of exhibition venues, contractors, stand build, logistics, health & safety, and onsite delivery.
• Experience managing significant operational budgets and supplier contracts.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills.
• Proven experience leading and developing operational teams.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple exhibitions and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Willingness to travel internationally when required.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on operational leader who understands the exhibition business from the ground up. They should be commercially aware, highly organised, solutions-focused, and comfortable taking ownership of complex events.

They should have a strong network of venues, contractors, suppliers, production partners, and event-service providers, together with the ability to negotiate effectively and build long-term partnerships.

Most importantly, they should be someone who can take ownership, anticipate problems before they happen, and ensure the exhibition is delivered seamlessly from build-up through to breakdown.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time and successful delivery of all exhibitions
• Operational budget performance and cost control
• Supplier and contractor performance
• Exhibitor satisfaction
• Health & safety compliance
• Reduction of operational issues and incidents
• Team performance and productivity
• Operational efficiency and profitability
• Successful delivery of multiple events simultaneously
• Post-event improvement and implementation of best practices

***We will be shortlisting candidates within the next two weeks. If you do not hear from us during this time, it means your profile has not been selected on this occasion. We truly appreciate your interest and the time you invested in applying.

Please feel free to continue checking our website and LinkedIn page for future opportunities that may be a great fit for you.****