Booking Specialist, Public Programming

National Geographic

2d • $66,500 - $70,000 • Remote

About The Position

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a significant renovation project on its campus (called Base Camp). In 2026, we are opening the Museum of Exploration, featuring a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, food and beverage, education center, archives, tours, and exciting new event space. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime experience in the courtyard. The Public Programming team creates ticketed and free experiences at the Museum of Exploration that engage local and global audiences, showcase National Geographic Explorers, and highlight the Museum’s exhibitions and collections. In addition to enriching the on-campus guest experience, the department currently manages two other primary business lines: the National Geographic Live touring speaker series, which brings Explorer-led storytelling to performing arts venues worldwide, and the Speakers Bureau, which provides compelling speakers for private engagements around the globe. These programs are designed to advance the Society’s mission by deepening public understanding of science, exploration, and storytelling, while driving sustainable revenue for the organization. How You’ll Contribute The Booking Specialist, National Geographic Live, supports business development, speaker relations, and revenue-generating activities for National Geographic Live and Speakers Bureau. This role focuses on market research, lead generation, client engagement, data management, and performance reporting while providing essential support to the Booking Manager throughout the sales and Explorer engagement process. The successful candidate will be goal-oriented and data-driven, with a proven record of achieving measurable performance and revenue targets. They will demonstrate the ability to analyze market trends, manage CRM data, and translate pipeline activity into actionable insights for business growth. Your Impact

Requirements

• Educational Background Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum Years and Type of Experience 3+years of professional experience in the speakers bureau, corporate events, MICE, or live entertainment industries, ideally supporting speaker or talent bookings for conferences, associations, and corporate programs.
• Selection Criteria Proven ability to achieve or exceed measurable sales, revenue, or engagement targets in a structured sales environment.
• Familiarity with live-event formats and deal structures common to corporate programs, conferences, museums, festivals, and performing arts centers, with the ability to identify revenue opportunities and mitigate risk.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong partnership relationships with clients, internal teams, and external partners.
• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain data-driven reports and performance dashboards for senior-level audiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize and present complex information clearly.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with precise attention to detail and documentation.
• Collaborative, mission-driven mindset with the ability to partner effectively across teams.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic environment that supports multiple overlapping projects, shifting priorities, and deadlines.
• Willingness to work occasional nights or weekends as needed for events or client schedules.

Nice To Haves

• Extensive knowledge of current trends and best practices in the live events, MICE, and corporate meetings industries is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with keynote speaker bookings, talent agencies, or live-event sales.
• Established network of meeting and event planners across North America and key international markets.
• Understanding of nonprofit or cultural-institution business models and mission-driven programming.
• Experience with data visualization or reporting tools (e.g., Salesforce dashboards, Monday.com reporting, or Excel analytics).
• Proficiency in Monday.com and Salesforce preferred; bonus if familiar with Nonprofit Cloud.
• Proficiency in both the Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace tools.

Responsibilities

• Market Research & Prospecting (40%): Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities across corporate, association, university, festival, performing arts, non-profit, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sectors, both domestically and internationally. Build and maintain a comprehensive CRM database of prospects, tracking decision-makers, industry segments, and event trends. Drive outbound lead-generation efforts in partnership with the Booking Manager by identifying prospects, conducting direct outreach, and converting early-stage engagement into new business opportunities for the Bureau. Analyze market and performance data to inform prospecting strategy, identify priority markets, and refine sales targets. Generate accurate, detailed sales reports and performance dashboards using Salesforce and Monday.com to provide senior-level visibility into leads, conversion rates, and revenue progress.
• Sales Support & Client Engagement (25%): Serve as the primary point of contact for inbound client inquiries; assess event objectives and recommend suitable speakers from the roster. Prepare customized proposals, pricing summaries, and speaker recommendations in partnership with the Booking Manager. Support all phases of the client sales cycle, from initial outreach to proposal follow-up and contracting, ensuring timely responses and professional communication. Manage CRM updates and documentation for client interactions, proposals, and confirmed bookings to maintain visibility across teams. Partner with Account Services and Operations team members to ensure seamless communication from booking confirmation through event delivery. Track client satisfaction and identify repeat-business opportunities for cultivation.
• Speaker Agreements & Talent Development (20%): Support the Booking Manager and Account Specialist in executing agreements and negotiations with prospective talent, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and financial guidelines. Request and organize essential speaker materials, including bios, headshots, topics, videos, fees, and availability for Creative, Marketing, and Content teams. Collaborate with Marketing and Creative to develop and update speaker one-sheets, digital listings, client newsletters, and promotional campaigns. Maintain speaker calendars, track engagement history and performance feedback, and identify high-potential talent for repeat or premium bookings. Support speaker development by identifying event opportunities that enhance visibility, strengthen storytelling impact, and align each speaker’s work with the Society’s mission.
• Performance Tracking & Administrative Support (15%): Establish measurable quarterly goals in collaboration with the Booking Manager and provide regular progress updates through written reports and dashboards. Produce concise, actionable performance summaries highlighting KPIs such as lead-to-booking ratio, total revenue booked, client retention, and average deal size. Maintain contract and proposal documentation to support accurate forecasting and strategic planning. Assist in developing templates, systems, and reporting processes that improve workflow consistency and departmental efficiency. Compile data and insights to support senior-level presentations, budget planning, and long-term growth strategies.

Benefits

• The National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package.
• Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar-sized nonprofit organizations.
• The salary range for this position accounts for a wide range of factors including but not limited to organizational need; specific skill sets; experience and training; certifications; and more.
• At the National Geographic Society, individuals are typically hired at or near the starting point of the salary range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.
• In addition, the National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31 (May not apply to all roles that are required to work during high volume seasons or essential workers. Please check with the hiring manager for confirmation.); paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees