Please read the full posting, as the job description and requirements are extensive. This is a strong career opportunity for the right candidate.
Event Operations Manager — Extensive Travel Required
Location: Boca Raton, Florida, with frequent nationwide travel
Job Type: Full-time
Compensation: $47500 to $55000 (Based on experience)
Travel Requirement: Extensive—frequent overnight, weekend, and multi-day travel
Schedule: Variable; includes early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays when events require them
This Is Not a Traditional Desk-Based Project Management Position
Express Kafeh is a mobile espresso and specialty beverage catering company producing premium hospitality experiences for corporate clients, major trade shows, convention centers, and international events.
We are hiring an experienced Event Operations Manager to take complete ownership of assigned events, from pre-event planning through final breakdown and reporting.
This is a hands-on field operations position. You will travel frequently, lead event teams, coordinate logistics, communicate directly with clients, transport and set up equipment, solve problems under pressure, and ensure every event meets Express Kafeh’s operating and hospitality standards.
If you enjoy travel, take pride in operational excellence, remain calm when plans change, and are comfortable being personally accountable for the outcome of an event, we want to hear from you.
What You Will Be Responsible For
Pre-Event Planning
- Review event contracts, schedules, client requirements, menus, service hours, branding specifications, and venue regulations.
- Confirm staffing, transportation, equipment, product, supply, power, water, storage, loading dock, and access requirements.
- Participate in pre-event meetings with internal departments.
- Identify missing information and potential operational problems before the event.
- Prepare and verify event-specific inventories, packing lists, schedules, contact sheets, and execution plans.
- Maintain timely communication with the Director of Operations, account managers, warehouse team, baristas, vendors, and clients.
- Ensure assigned events are fully prepared well before departure, not at the last minute.
Travel and Transportation
- Travel throughout the United States and, when assigned, internationally. Valid passport required.
- Fly or drive to event destinations, sometimes for several consecutive days. Valid driver’s license required.
- Drive rental vehicles, passenger vans, or cargo vans when required.
- Coordinate airport pickups, local transportation, equipment movements, and staff arrival times.
- Safely transport event equipment and supplies between warehouses, hotels, convention centers, and event venues.
- Adjust professionally to flight delays, schedule changes, weather disruptions, and other travel complications.
On-Site Event Execution
- Serve as the on-site operational leader and primary representative of Express Kafeh.
- Coordinate with clients, convention center personnel, loading dock teams, general contractors, exhibitors, and food-and-beverage partners.
- Receive, inspect, organize, and distribute equipment and supplies.
- Lead the setup of mobile espresso bars and other beverage or food-service stations.
- Verify electrical power, water access, station placement, branding, cleanliness, menu presentation, and overall readiness.
- Conduct staff briefings before service begins.
- Ensure stations open on time and remain properly stocked, clean, professional, and fully operational.
- Monitor service quality, guest experience, employee performance, attendance, uniforms, breaks, and station productivity.
- Troubleshoot equipment, staffing, inventory, transportation, and client-service problems without waiting for someone else to take ownership.
- Escalate serious issues promptly while arriving with possible solutions.
- Protect company equipment, inventory, client relationships, and reputation.
Team Leadership
- Lead baristas, setup personnel, drivers, temporary staff, and other assigned team members.
- Clearly communicate schedules, assignments, performance expectations, and service standards.
- Hold team members accountable while treating them professionally and respectfully.
- Reassign employees and resources when event conditions change.
- Address lateness, dress-code violations, poor performance, and failure to follow procedures.
- Create an organized, disciplined, and positive working environment.
- Set the example through punctuality, preparation, professionalism, and willingness to perform hands-on work.
Breakdown and Post-Event Responsibilities
- Supervise station breakdown, cleaning, packing, labeling, loading, and equipment returns.
- Verify that all equipment, products, and supplies are accounted for.
- Complete final inventory counts and document missing or damaged items.
- Submit required photographs, receipts, expense documentation, staff hours, incident reports, and event summaries by established deadlines.
- Report client feedback, operational failures, employee concerns, and recommended improvements.
- Ensure company property is returned to the appropriate warehouse, storage facility, or carrier.
- Remain accountable for the event until all assigned post-event responsibilities are complete.
Minimum Qualifications
- At least two years of experience in one or more of the following:
- Live event operations
- Trade shows or conventions
- Hotel banquet operations
- Catering operations
- Food-and-beverage management
- Hospitality management
- Field operations
- Production or logistics management
- Previous experience directly supervising employees or temporary event teams.
- Demonstrated ability to manage several moving parts under strict deadlines.
- Strong client-facing communication and customer-service skills.
- Excellent organizational, follow-up, and problem-solving abilities.
- Comfortable making decisions and giving clear direction under pressure.
- Proficient with email, mobile applications, shared calendars, spreadsheets, photographs, and electronic reporting.
- Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record. Valid passport.
- Ability to pass any job-related background or driving-record checks required by the company.
- Reliable transportation for reporting to the Boca Raton office or warehouse when required.
- Authorization to work in the United States.
- Ability and willingness to travel extensively.
Coffee or barista experience is helpful but is not required. We can teach coffee service. We need someone who already understands leadership, logistics, accountability, and live-event execution.
Physical and Scheduling Requirements
This is an active, hands-on position. The person hired must be able to perform the essential responsibilities of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, including:
- Remaining on their feet for extended periods.
- Walking throughout large convention centers and event venues.
- Frequently bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and working around event equipment.
- Lifting and carrying equipment or supply containers weighing up to approximately 65 pounds.
- Assisting with loading, unloading, setup, cleaning, packing, and breakdown.
- Working early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays based on event schedules.
- Traveling with limited notice when operational needs require it.
- Working consecutive event days and occasionally extended shifts.
Event schedules are determined by client and venue requirements. This position does not follow a guaranteed Monday-through-Friday or nine-to-five schedule.
You May Be a Strong Fit If
- You take ownership without needing constant reminders.
- You notice missing details before they become emergencies.
- You remain composed when schedules, staffing, or logistics change.
- You are comfortable directing a team and correcting performance issues.
- You communicate problems early and bring possible solutions.
- You understand that “almost ready” is not ready.
- You can move between client service, team leadership, physical setup, and administrative reporting.
- You take pride in leaving an event cleaner, better organized, and more successful than you found it.
- You treat company equipment, money, and client relationships as if they were your own.
This Position Is Probably Not a Fit If
- You are primarily seeking a remote or desk-based project management position.
- You cannot travel frequently or work an event-driven schedule.
- You prefer predictable hours every week.
- You are uncomfortable driving vans, handling equipment, or performing physical setup work.
- You need frequent supervision to complete assignments.
- You wait until the last minute to raise problems.
- You become easily overwhelmed when plans change.
- You avoid difficult conversations or hesitate to hold employees accountable.
- You believe leadership means delegating all physical work to others.
- You regularly blame other departments instead of helping solve the problem.
What Success Looks Like
A successful Event Operations Manager:
- Arrives prepared and ahead of schedule.
- Knows the event plan, client requirements, and team assignments.
- Opens every assigned station on time.
- Maintains professional, clean, and fully stocked operations.
- Communicates clearly with clients and internal leadership.
- Controls avoidable expenses, waste, loss, and overtime.
- Resolves problems calmly and documents them accurately.
- Returns equipment and inventory in an organized condition.
- Completes reports, photographs, receipts, and closeout requirements on time.
- Earns the confidence of clients, employees, and company leadership.
About Express Kafeh
Express Kafeh creates customized mobile espresso and specialty beverage experiences for corporate events, trade shows, conferences, brand activations, and private functions. Our teams work in major convention centers and event venues across the United States and internationally. Our clients trust us to arrive prepared, open on time, represent their brands professionally, and deliver consistent hospitality regardless of event size or location. That standard requires disciplined, accountable managers who understand that small details determine the success of a live event.
How to Apply
Please submit a current résumé that clearly describes:
- The live events, hospitality, catering, trade shows, or field operations you have managed.
- The number of employees you have directly supervised.
- Your experience traveling for work.
- Your experience handling logistics, equipment, transportation, or event setup.
- One example of an operational problem you personally resolved under pressure.
Applicants whose résumés do not demonstrate relevant leadership and hands-on operational experience may not be considered.
Express Kafeh is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, business requirements, and the ability to perform the essential responsibilities of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Pay: $47,500.00 - $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Application Question(s):
- Are you willing and able to travel approximately 60%–75% of the time, including overnight and multi-day trips?
- Are you comfortable performing hands-on work, including loading, unloading, event setup, breakdown, and remaining on your feet for extended periods?
- Do you have a valid driver’s license and are you comfortable driving rental cars, passenger vans, and cargo vans?
- How many years of experience do you have in live events, conventions, trade shows, catering, hotel banquets, hospitality operations, or field operations?
Language:
Ability to Commute:
- Boca Raton, FL 33431 (Required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: On the road
