Senior Meeting Planner
Position Summary:
The Conference Board’s Meeting Planners are key to our Events business. With each event comprised of 100-1500 attendees and 5-75 sponsors, the Senior Meeting Planner’s expertise and guidance help ensure that production of the event, from concept through onsite execution, delivers an interesting, informative, engaging, and high-quality experience. Ideal candidates are passionate about event and meeting planning; creative; detail-oriented; nimble; dedicated to delivering superb customer service at every stage of event planning; with strong decision-making and delegation skills.
Essential Functions:
Lead and oversee planning and execution for mid-to large sized events (150+ attendees):
• Working with the Senior Director Sourcing & Contracting, support the venue selection process by participating in site visits and related activities.
• Manage registration material preparation and front of house.
• Arrange for temporary personnel at assigned meetings when necessary. Instruct them as to their duties and supervise their performance.
• Monitor room blocks and adjust as needed.
• Manage menu selection, meeting specification details, accommodations for staff and speakers, audio visual equipment, banquet event orders and guarantees.
• Oversee preparation of on-site materials, including signage and attendee materials.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for onsite planning, production, staging, content, A/V
• Lead pre-production and rehearsal meetings
• Lead on-site operations - overseeing other Planners, Speaker Coordinators and temporary staff and collaborating with Programmers and Digital Operations to ensure excellent service to attendees, speakers, and sponsors.
• Ensure hotel and meeting information is correctly documented in CRM database.
• Support the Associate Director, Meeting Planning Services for designated, large meetings.
• Audit venue and vendor invoices to ensure accuracy; complete event wrap up including budget reconciliation, billing, invoicing and other administrative filing.
• Continuously seek opportunities to improve our processes and enhance the customer experience.
Collaborate with colleagues to ensure we meet and exceed our financial targets:
• Working with the Senior Director Sourcing & Contracting, support pricing negotiation with vendors to achieve the most favorable terms for The Conference Board.
• Review meeting location budgets for each event. Adhere to budgets when planning and/or negotiating with meeting vendors (hotel, audio visual, temporary staff, ground transportation and any other meeting vendor).
• Maximize the use of the preferred vendors, when possible.
• Provide estimated site costs for monthly forecasts for each assigned project.
• Verify the accuracy of all meeting-related invoices.
• Prepare final expense report for each assigned project as it relates to expenses incurred on site.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
• 5+ years meeting or event planning
• 3+ years’ experience budgeting, forecasting, and invoice reconciliation.
• 2+ years working in the hospitality industry or managing hotel vendors.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate contract terms and pricing.
• Keeps abreast of new industry trends.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Self-starter; a collaborative, flexible, creative problem solver.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail; technologically savvy.
• Ability to work on multiple projects in varying stages of development simultaneously and autonomously.
• Superior prioritizing and time management skills, and the ability to meet deadlines consistently.
• Proficient in MS Office; Teams, Sharepoint a plus.
• CRM, event technology experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
What We Offer
The Conference Board is proud to embrace best practices in employee wellbeing. We offer a competitive total compensation package. As part of our benefits package, we offer flexibility with remote working capabilities, employer-sponsored learning and development, advancement opportunities, on-site health initiatives, a communal and collaborative working environment, and a strong sense of comradery with sports teams, clubs, volunteer opportunities, and employee events.
The Conference Board does not discriminate. We are an equal opportunity employer/M/F/Vet/Disabled.