Conference Associate

RR Donnelley•New York, NY

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Conference Associate ensures the seamless planning and coordination of meetings, conferences, and other events. The Conference Coordinator serves as the main concierge for all meetings, conferences, and events and acts as the single escalation point for all vendors and end users.

Requirements

High School diploma or equivalent
Minimum (2) year’s experience with conference planning experience in a corporate or conference center environment
Good knowledge of conference center reservation systems
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and multi-task efficiently.
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Exceptional client service skills to exceed expectations
Strong computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and products (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)
Punctual, dependable, and dedicated to achieving operational excellence
Discreet, ethical, and committed to maintaining a high degree of confidentiality
Maintain a consistently professional approach, with a willingness to take ownership and responsibility

Responsibilities

Coordination of a wide range of services for meetings which have been booked, including Audio Visual and other IT requirements, food and beverage requests, conference room set-ups, signage, distribution of materials, etc.
Includes delegation of work assignments/tasks to the Hospitality Associates to ensure department deadlines are achieved.
Quickly identify booking conflicts or potential booking conflicts and suggest solutions.
Communicate with clients before, during, and after their events, maintaining a positive relationship and responding to inquiries and requests in a timely manner.
Produce daily reports of all comprehensive meetings in order to document events and share detailed information with all involved departments.
Handle meeting room bookings, using the reservation system and focusing on the strategic assignment of meeting space so as to maximize utilization.
Send initial confirmations in connection with bookings and following up at specified intervals prior to the event to confirm the current status of the meeting, the accuracy of participant counts, the need for special equipment, etc.
Manage all post-conference/debrief feedback sessions with the client and relevant members of the operations staff so as to obtain first-hand comments on certain complex, critical and/or large scale events.
Respond to numerous phone calls and emails with new meeting requests and special “add-on” information for existing meetings.
Assist in stocking conference rooms with office supplies (pads, pens, pencils, staplers, tape, etc.)
Communicate to all relevant internal departments and subcontractors the specific needs of the client, both in advance of and during the course of meetings.
Ensure meeting rooms are set up correctly, with the proper equipment and amenities, prior to the start of meetings.
Conduct site inspections to ensure pristine condition and escalate maintenance issues.