Project Manager
The Role
The Project Manager owns the internal execution of every booth assigned to them, from the Put To Work meeting through show floor install and dismantle. You don’t build the booth. You make sure it gets built right, on schedule, on budget, and exactly as specified.
This is an ownership role. You’ll get involved early, challenge how things are being built, chase down answers before they become shop emergencies, and bring solutions instead of open questions. The Account Manager owns the client. You own the booth.
This is not a desk-only project management position. The Project Manager is expected to be actively engaged with the production floor and understand the project from drawings through fabrication, pre-build, packing, shipping, installation, and dismantle. You should know where your projects stand, what is holding them up, what decisions are needed, and what could become a problem before it affects the schedule.
The PM is the internal quarterback of the project. That means bringing Estimating, CAD/Detailing, Graphics, Production, Purchasing, Warehouse, Freight, and the Account Manager together around the same plan. When something changes, the PM owns communicating the impact and making sure the right people are working from the latest information.
What You’ll Own
Project intake and planning
Take the handoff from the Account Manager at the Put To Work meeting: client specs, budget, show dates, booth description, and every custom fabricated piece.
Set critical dates for graphics layouts, setup drawings, production drawings, and ship date, and document who owns each deliverable.
Build and maintain the production folder for each job, color coded by ship urgency (30, 60, and 90+ days out), and keep it current in real time.
Constructability and materials
Review production drawings and specs with CAD/Detailing and the shop to catch build issues before they hit the floor.
Ask the hard questions: why are we building it this way, what could go wrong, is there a better way?
Build complete materials lists and place orders for laminates, substrates, frames and extrusions, lighting and electrical, acrylic, signage, and custom fabrication materials.
Track every order in Airtable and confirm delivery dates line up with the production schedule.
Verify received materials against POs and label everything with the job number.
Budget and cost control
Know the Estimated Cost Sheet for every job you own, including the estimator’s pricing assumptions.
Submit all purchase requests through the purchasing spreadsheet.
Review the Final Job Cost Summary and understand where actuals varied from the estimate, and why.
Production oversight
Run regular physical inspections of booths in production, verifying the build matches drawings, material specs, and client expectations at each stage.
Own the graphics QC gate before graphics go into the build.
Keep the Account Manager informed proactively, flag issues early, and confirm any changes in writing.
Make sure major project communications (design changes, freight changes) are tagged to the right owners in Airtable.
Maintain regular, hands-on communication with Production Leads and department leads. Do not rely solely on Airtable or written updates to understand project status.
Compare actual production progress against the required completion and ship dates and escalate schedule risks early.
Identify missing information, materials, graphics, hardware, approvals, or drawings before they interrupt production.
When a problem occurs, bring recommended solutions, not simply the problem.
Make sure production has the latest drawings, specifications, graphics information, and approved changes before work proceeds.
Coordinate priorities when multiple projects compete for the same production resources.
Maintain clear photo documentation of significant production issues, corrections, and completed milestones when appropriate.
Pre-build walkthrough and ship authorization
Walk every booth solo before the Account Manager walkthrough: completeness, structural integrity, graphics quality, lighting and electrical function, and brand accuracy.
Lead the joint PM and AM pre-build walkthrough, document deficiencies, and get them resolved.
Formally authorize the Production Lead to dismantle, pack, and ship.
Run partial walkthroughs when timelines require it.
Treat the pre-build as the final internal quality-control gate, not simply a presentation for the Account Manager.
Confirm that outstanding deficiencies are assigned, corrected, and documented before dismantle and packing.
Verify that loose components, hardware, graphics, electrical components, and project-specific items are accounted for before shipment.
Make sure lessons or special instructions discovered during pre-build are communicated to the onsite installation team.
Show floor
Verify the labor book is accurate against any changes, and available digitally and physically for the show floor team.
Brief the city manager or onsite lead on booth scope and Rockway’s install requirements.
Require first day, end of day, and completion photos from the labor crew before release.
Continuous improvement
Contribute to After Action Reviews and document lessons learned for the booth’s next build.
What You Bring
3+ years of project management in trade show exhibits, fabrication, or a similar build environment.
Hands-on understanding of how booths come together: frame systems (Aluvision, Nimlok, or similar), custom wood and fabrication, graphics, lighting, and electrical.
Ability to read and interpret production drawings, setup drawings, and graphic layouts.
Comfort managing multiple jobs at once, often with several booths shipping within the same 10-day window or to the same show.
A bias toward action: you go get the answer instead of waiting for direction.
Clear, proactive communication with account managers, detailers, shop leads, vendors, and labor crews.
Working knowledge of job costing and purchasing discipline.
Experience with project tracking tools (Airtable a plus).
What Success Looks Like
Projects move through production with clear priorities and minimal last-minute surprises.
Production teams have the information and materials they need before work is scheduled to begin.
Problems are identified early and brought forward with solutions.
Account Managers have confidence that the PM is driving internal execution.
Pre-builds are complete, organized, functional, and ready for review.
Project changes are documented and communicated to everyone affected.
Final job-cost variances are understood and used to improve future estimating and planning.
Every booth leaves the building complete, properly documented, packed correctly, and ready for a successful installation.
