The Meetings Manager is responsible for managing various aspects of logistics for conferences, meetings, educational programs, and webinars produced by AAAE, managing and planning approximately 14-18 meetings per year, including managing specific areas of the association’s annual conference and managing operations of AAAE in-house conference center.
Required Skills
- Develop RFPs, create proposal comparisons and negotiate contracts for various services/venues to include hotel, audiovisual, transportation, venues, catering, etc.
- Create individual meeting budgets and keep track of revenue and expenses to meet budget requirements.
- Prepare meeting requirements and orders for F&B, room setup, AV, virtual needs, housing, exhibits, internet, signs, security, badges, transportation, offsite venues, etc.
- Communicate with speakers, attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors.
- Plan and execute virtual meetings to include producing, executing speaker dry runs, creating run-of-shows and setting up the meeting environment in the virtual platform.
- Update and maintain meeting websites, including setting up online registration.
- Monitor registration and housing pick up and make adjustments to alleviate potential liabilities.
- Maintain weekly hotel and registration reports for all meetings and distribute report to staff.
- Run in-house conference center operations to include maintaining and ordering supplies, setting up/tearing-down and liaising with in-house customers to order catering.
- Assist in exhibition/tradeshow management and sponsorship deliverables.
- Collaborate with marketing and content leaders on strategy and promotion for events.
- Provide timely and accurate meeting status reports, post event and final reports.
- Recommend improvements and innovations to event capabilities and processes to enhance attendee experience and improve efficiency.
- Review and reconcile various vendor invoices for accuracy and payment.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create a cohesive event experience.
- Keep up to date on industry and technology trends.
- Provide on-site staff support as needed at meetings.
- Perform other duties as required.
Required Experience
- Bachelor’s degree, CMP preferred.
- 5-7 years of experience in planning meetings.
- At ease with learning new technology quickly.
- Self-motivated, able to take initiative, and work independently with minimal direction.
- Takes personal responsibility and accountability for their work - maintains high standards despite pressing deadlines.
- Creative, innovative, resourceful, with a get-it-done mentality.
- Exceptional project manager with experience gaining team consensus and driving deliverables.
- Ability to handle competing priorities seamlessly and efficiently prioritize tasks.
- Detail oriented, highly organized, team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent time-management skills, manage multiple tasks and projects, track details, and ensure timely and accurate results.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Impeccable attention to detail, excellent proofreading skills.
- Strong financial management and negotiation skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; experience in iMIS, Steam Yard and Vimeo a plus.
- Able and willing to work flexible hours as needed; work hours may require some evenings, early mornings and/or weekends.