Lead Operations

About Us

As part of The Freeman Company, Event & Exhibit Services designs and delivers unforgettable moments that create a bond between audiences and our clients. It’s just one reason why we’re the leader in live events.

Summary

The Lead Operations is responsible for supervising and coordinating production activities while performing duties as needed, with a primary focus on demand planning, forecasting, transportation, inventory transfers, and rental equipment utilization at the branch level. This role partners with Supply Chain, Branch Operations, and Procurement to ensure rental equipment—including furniture, build systems, floor coverings, drape, and other assets—is available to meet event requirements. The position focuses on maximizing inventory utilization, optimizing equipment movement, and reducing transportation and labor costs while maintaining operational efficiency and delivering a high level of service through effective collaboration with customers, team members, and third-party vendors and partners.

This position will support our Event & Exhibit Services team. The position follows an in-person schedule working full-time in-office and/or show-site based out of Kearny, NJ.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Demand Planning

• Work with the field to capture and forecast rental equipment demand and keep Enterprise Inventory System up to date.

• Utilize Enterprise Inventory System for projections, identifying shortages, inter-branching, and general rental inventory tracking.

• Strategically evaluate future branch and regional demand of rental inventory to minimize transportation and labor costs associated with inter-branching.

• Ensure all inventory related processes are being followed per SOPs by the field, including full use of the Enterprise Inventory System, Inter-branching, and Inventory Adjustments.

• Generate reporting regarding utilization rates, substitutions, loss, damage, and shortages.

Operations Coordination

• Work with the Client Solutions Manager and/or Operations staff to gather specifications and enter them into the appropriate systems.

• Collaborate with Operations staff to drive efficiency of events.

• Communicate shortages or challenges to appropriate staff and work to remedy independently or under the direction of a manager as needed.

• Support show-site operations as needed.

• Produce show reports and statistics as requested.

Warehouse and Freight Supervision

• Ensure the proper loading and unloading of vehicles.

• Determine which vehicles are to be loaded and procure adequate numbers of trucks and trailers during peak periods.

• Ensure delivery of all trucks, equipment, trailers, freight trailers, and forklifts to the show site.

• Determine number of trucks needed daily and rent the appropriate number if needed.

• Ensure applicable paperwork procedures are followed for all shipping/receiving.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma required; college degree preferred.

• Minimum of three years of experience in trade show operations, warehouse operations, demand planning, or a related field.

• Experience using inventory management systems for demand planning.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, email, and relevant systems such as TSS and Concierge Elite.

• Ability to complete online reports, run system inquiries, enter data, and print and post documentation.

• Experience supporting the planning and execution of trade shows with 1,000–1,500 booths.

What We Offer

The Freeman Company provides benefits that aim to empower our people and their families to thrive mentally, physically, and financially. These are a handful of the types of programs and benefits our full-time people may be eligible for. There may be some variances in specific benefits across regions.

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Paid Parental Leave

• Life, Accident and Disability

• Retirement with Company Match

• Paid Time Off

• Pay Rate: $27-$31 per hour, depending on experience

Diversity Commitment

At The Freeman Company, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping us to create not only a great place to work, but also an environment where our employees, our customers and our communities around the world can reach their goals and connect with each other. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status and other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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