Director, Convention and Event Operations

GBTA•Alexandria, VA

13d•Remote

About The Position

The Director, Convention and Event Operations is a member of the events team, which is responsible for the management of convention, conferences, meetings, and other GBTA meetings and events taking place in the Americas region. This role will work closely with the Americas regional leaders, any global event leads and the VP, Americas to execute on regional goals, while maintaining budget and scope. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Oversight and project management of all aspects of Convention including CVB, housing bureau, RFP and vendor relationship and contract management; budget creation, tracking, forecasting and adherence; staff management for/at Convention. Regional event consistency of the representation of the GBTA brand including GBTA Zone, common give back themes, badges and uniforms, etc. Managerial responsibilities for direct reports. At GBTA, we put people first – we value collaboration, innovation, and adaptability along with global diversity, respect and empathy. As a member of our team, you’ll have the opportunity to grow your skills and career in an entrepreneurial environment and make a meaningful impact on the industry and professionals we serve.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent related field experience.
6-9+ years of strategic, large event management experience (minimum 5,000 attendees and $16m budget). Global event experience and staff management experience.
Strong leadership qualities, including the ability to effectively manage, guide, and motivate teams, delegate tasks, and provide clear direction.
Cvent event management experience.
Superior contract development, negotiation and cost-management skills. Demonstrated experience managing housing, registration, developing RFPs, contract negotiations with vendors and for convention venues, food and beverage, DMCs, transportation, AV and other event management categories.
Excellent interpersonal, (oral and written) communication, cross-team collaboration affinity, time management, and organizational skills.
Self-directed and able to work independently, with minimal supervision.
Strong technical skills, including cloud-based systems. Must have a high level of skills in MS Office Suite – Excel, PowerPoint and MS Word, and project management systems.
Ability to multitask various projects while remaining focused and dedicated to high-quality output.
Must have the ability to manage and track deadlines and action items, and professionally secure answers from internal and external staff on deadline items.
Must be flexible, detail-oriented, well organized, and be able to think on their feet.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

AI process improvement experience within an event management function.
CMP or PMI certifications.
Association and/or travel industry knowledge.
Multi-lingual.

Responsibilities

Project manage overall logistics of GBTA’s annual Convention in collaboration with area leads in Expo, Sponsorship, Registration, Education, ancillary events, Main Stage, Production, AV, Catering, etc.
Execute Convention according to GBTA standards, suggesting and presenting new standards where applicable.
Develop and manage Convention budget and expenses in collaboration with revenue and content owners. Reconcile and close budget post-event.
Negotiate and execute RFPs and contracts associated with Convention for venue, AV, Housing, Catering, Production, etc.
Scout, assess, and assist in the determination of future Convention locations 8-10 years out from current date.
Manage temps, onsite staffing, and onsite GBTA staff.
Collaborate on Sponsorship Fulfillment Execution.
Define and track best practices and improvements for subsequent years and other Americas events.
Manage and execute timelines. Regularly communicate with all constituents regarding deadlines and interdependency to ensure established milestones are met.
Use survey data and industry trends to enhance future Conventions.
Lead, support and manage the Americas events team.
Oversee operational planning, production, and execution of a portfolio of live meetings and events within the Americas region.
Align strategic event operations goals with the broader association OKRs.
Assist VP Global Event Operations with development of long-term strategies, standards, and professional upgrades for the future of GBTA events.
Provide input to VP Global Event Operations on strategic decisions related to GBTA events and meetings.
Work with Global Ops Team on event innovation and how to use AI to drive efficiencies and improve GBTA event offerings.
Work with Global Ops team to integrate standards and best practices across all GBTA events.
Lead the planning and execution of events as a vehicle to align strategy and messaging to members, volunteers, and stakeholders.
Manage data analysis and metrics reporting to provide key insights for program effectiveness and organizational goals.
Work with cross-functional teams and leaders to ensure they and the events team have relevant information and assets needed to effectively deliver key priorities.
Resolve escalated issues arising from event related operations. Coordinate with team leads on the execution of resolutions.
Lead, manage, or collaborate on relationships and contract negotiations with external vendors and suppliers (venues, catering, A/V, etc.) to ensure high caliber delivery of services.
Manage budgets, vendor invoice/expense tracking, and final reconciliation with events team.
Other duties and tasks as assigned.