About the Role
Second Front Systems (2F) is seeking an Experiential Marketing Manager to lead our global events program and the experiences that put our brand in front of the customers, partners, and operators who matter most. Your north star is building experiences that last—the moment people are still talking about a month later, the piece of swag they actually keep on their desk, and the image of 2F that leaves a lasting impression. It also has to drive results; your activations should connect to pipeline and measurable outcomes. This is a builder's and an instigator's role where you will design and run the full portfolio of 2F's live presence, including our annual symposium, happy hours, socials, sporting activations, executive engagements, and trade shows.
What You'll Do
- Own the strategy, budget, and execution for 2F's flagship annual symposium, from concept through day-of operations and post-event measurement.
- Build experiences that last by designing highlight moments—the unexpected venue, the activation with a line around the block, and the standout swag that resonates.
- Generate fresh, counterculture, off-the-wall concepts that make 2F the standout in a crowded, conservative market.
- Run high-touch engagements such as happy hours and executive dinners, reinventing the format so they don't feel like everyone else's.
- Manage sporting and action-sports activations, suite hospitality, racing partnerships, and VIP programs.
- Lead trade show presence and large-scale booth activations, including design direction, vendor management, logistics, and lead capture.
- Build customer engagement programs that deepen relationships across our customer and partner base.
- Partner with sales and demand gen to connect activations to pipeline and measurable outcomes.
- Manage external vendors, agencies, and production partners, pushing them past their comfort zone while maintaining strict adherence to budgets and quality.
What You Bring
- 5+ years running experiential, events, or field marketing—ideally including large-scale (250+) flagship events.
- A portfolio of memorable moments that connected back to business growth.
- Evidence of bold, unconventional ideas that were successfully executed.
- Full end-to-end ownership experience: strategy, budget, logistics, vendor management, and measurement.
- Existing relationships and fluency within the defense tech, govtech, or national security ecosystem (Highly preferred).
- The taste to balance creative, unconventional ideas with business discipline.
- Comfort operating in a fast-moving environment with tight timelines and high standards.
- Willingness to travel and a hospitality instinct that shows up under pressure.