Conference & Meeting Planner

American College of Cardiology•Washington, DC

37d•$75,000 - $90,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is seeking a detailed-driven Meetings & Event Manager to join our dynamic meetings team. This role plays an integral part in planning and executing ACC's meetings and events, with a primary focus on our Annual Scientific Session with 17,000 to 20,000 attendees. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in meeting planning with a strong emphasis on managing registration and housing operations in partnership with Maritz Global Events, and will thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the success of ACC's meetings and events and to work with a team committed to delivering exceptional service, operational excellence, and continuous innovation in the meetings and events space Function & Scope: The Conference & Meeting Planner will manage and coordinate all aspects of the meetings and events planning for the American College of Cardiology (ACC) internal and external meetings including the development of RFPs for hotels, venues and vendors, site selection, contract and service negotiations, logistical arrangements, liaison with clients, manage onsite implementation with hotels, venues and vendors, and complete review and reconciliation of all logistics-related expenses. The role requires superior customer service and implementation of activities and events aligned to the goals and expectations of the offering. The associate is highly detail-and results-oriented, organized, and professional with a proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously. This position is based in Washington, DC where we have a hybrid work environment (two days per week in the office).

Requirements

Bachelor's degree
4+ years of experience in meeting planning and registration and housing management
At least 2+ years of experience working in a team environment with internal and external constituencies
Proven track record of successfully planning and executing large-scale, complex conference and meeting planning experience that includes working with convention centers and multiple hotels
Strong customer service skills with proven demonstrated abilities to interact professionally and pleasantly with internal and external clients
Experience planning the logistical aspects of meetings (e.g., working with hotels, event venues, audiovisual vendors, caterers, décor companies)
Experience with developing RFPs, sourcing venues and overnight rooms, negotiating contracts, and implementing contract agreements
Strong interpersonal skills that support teaming with a broad array of stakeholders including medical professionals, executive leaders, contractors, consultants, partners, and internal colleagues
Demonstrated ability to organize complex projects, be attentive to details, and deliver accurate work which will influence the success of a project
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing multiple meetings and events and the associated tasks simultaneously, to set priorities, and to meet established deadlines
Ability to prioritize under tight timelines to solve problems, while maintaining composure and a positive attitude with meeting and event stakeholders
Flexible and able to work well in a collaborative environment with internal and external constituents
Familiarity with developing and monitoring budgets and expenditures
Excellent creative thinking and proactive problem-solving skills
Strong oral and written communication skills necessary to interface with relevant stakeholders
Superior organizational skills, highly detail oriented and dedicated to accuracy
Knowledge of industry standards and guidelines related to meeting and event planning and implementation
Excellent time management skills and ability to staff meetings
Ability to carry out responsibilities independently
Requirement to periodically work outside of standard work hours to meet deadlines, including the publishing of news from scientific meetings.
Ability to be onsite in support of job responsibilities (anticipated at approximately 15% of time annually; may require travel and be up to one week at a time) including work during the evenings and weekends
Proficiency with Microsoft Suite of Products (Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel, Outlook) and Adobe Professional
Ability and willingness to learn new software applications as necessary

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of industry standards and guidelines related to medical meetings and events
Experience with contract negotiations and implementation of contract agreements
Experience using Salesforce
Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) Certification

Responsibilities

Serve as the subject matter expert for internal or external meeting and event logistics, including by providing guidance and education to stakeholders through the planning process
Partner with colleagues to understand meeting and event goals and requirements, providing superior customer service and guidance as a logistics expert
Manage all logistical aspects of meetings and events in alignment with the goals, specifications, and budget
Develop and manage timeline requirements, ensuring milestones are reached according to schedule and clear communication is provided to activity manager on progress to meeting deadlines
Development of RFPs for site selection, review responses, document site recommendations with rationale, negotiate contracts
Manage room set up and AV requirements ensuring proper equipment and services are ordered and provided
Document and manage food and beverage requirements
Coordinate pre and onsite management of registration directly or in collaboration with vendor(s)
Establish and monitor hotel room blocks, coordinate reservations, and provide housing list(s) to hotel(s) for member leadership, staff, faculty, vendors, etc.
Arrange offsite events including set up, food and beverage, and transportation needs (e.g., faculty dinner, committee reception and/or dinner)
Manage ground transportation requirements
Provide onsite management for all logistical details
Develop and maintain processes and documents used to manage signage, including capturing text, costs, sizes, sign locations and all other details
Oversee onsite placement of signage in coordination with venue(s)
Oversee shipping to venues for meetings and events and return shipping processes
Setup onsite staff office, including room setup, supplies, food & beverage requirements
Manage meeting budgets to specifications, including setting up direct billing, and processing invoices which include reviewing reconciling and coding expenses

Benefits

ACC values all members of our College family, including ACC staff. As the foundation of the organization, ACC staff enjoy world-class benefits and a culture of work-life balance.
Our benefit offerings include insurance (medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability, and supplemental options), generous paid time off (pre-loaded vacation and sick, 12 holidays and an organizational shut-down during the last week of the year, parental leave, 2 community service days, and half-day summer Fridays), tuition assistance and a very competitive 10% retirement contribution after a year of service, and much more!
You can visit our careers site for an overview of our full offerings: https://www.acc.org/about-acc/jobs-at-the-acc.
ACC believes in fair and equitable pay.

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