Experiential Marketing Manager

About the Role Second Front Systems is seeking an Experiential Marketing Manager to lead our global events program and the experiences that put our brand in front of customers, partners, and operators who matter most. This is not a traditional field marketing role; you’ll build experiences that last and drive measurable outcomes that move the business.

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, crafting highlight moments, activations with long lines, standout swag, and moments that earn shares on LinkedIn.
• Generate fresh, counterculture concepts to stand out in a conservative market, with the rigor to pull them off.
• Run our happy hours, socials, and executive dinners—the high-touch engagements where deals and partnerships move—and reinvent formats so they don’t feel like everyone else.
• Manage sporting and action-sports activations and suite hospitality, including racing partnerships and VIP programs.
• Lead trade show presence and large-scale booth activations: design direction, vendor management, logistics, staffing, and lead capture with a distinctive creative POV.
• Build customer engagement programs that deepen relationships across customers and partners.
• Partner with sales and demand gen to connect activations to pipeline and measurable outcomes.
• Manage external vendors, venues, agencies, and production partners—pushing them past their comfort zone and holding them to deadlines, budgets, and quality.
• Bring an ecosystem-first instinct: lead with customers and partners and their wins, not with us.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years running experiential, events, or field marketing—ideally including large-scale (250+) flagship events.
• A portfolio of moments people still remember and a sense for how those moments connected back to the business.
• End-to-end ownership: strategy, budget, logistics, vendor management, and measurement.
• Existing relationships and fluency within the defense tech, govtech, or national security ecosystem (highly preferred).
• Bold, unconventional ideas you actually shipped—show the stunt, activation, or giveaway that worked because it was different.
• Comfort operating in a fast-moving environment with tight timelines and high standards; willingness to travel.
• Hospitality instincts that show up under pressure.

Nice to Have

• Existing relationships within the defense tech, govtech, or national security ecosystem (highly preferred).

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary for this position will fall between $120,000 - $150,000 per year; ultimate compensation determined by background, proficiency, seniority, and cost factors.
• Potential eligibility for equity awards and discretionary bonuses.
• This is a full-time position with benefits; public benefit corporation culture and mission-based team.