We are growing and looking for a (SENIOR) CONFERENCE MANAGER
Location: Remote – Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto
The Conference & Events Team provides conference and event management and guidance for national and international conferences both in person, virtually and hybrid, to corporate, association, special interest groups and independent businesses. The Conference Manager is accountable for leading their conference teams and being the face of Venue West to our clients. We are looking for a self-starting, client-focused, creative and tech-savvy manager that can hit the ground running; a creative thinker with an appetite for learning, and someone who is not afraid to roll up their sleeves and work end to end on delivering results.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR - Must Haves
- You are a multitasker who is used to working on multiple projects at one time while being accountable to several different clients and internal stakeholders
- Prioritizing and deadlines are in your DNA and you don’t get flustered
- You understand budgets including developing and managing them
- Committee management is second nature to you
- You are familiar with abstract, speaker and program management
- You have previously worked for a 3rd party Congress organizer or PCO
- Highest level of professionalism in communicating with clients and internal teams
- You are a great mentor for junior staff and set the bar for conference management and understand how to manage multiple teams
- Willingness to learn, test, and share knowledge.
- You have managed conferences from A-Z with attendance from 200 to 5,000 delegates
THE DETAILS
Management & Administration
- Oversee all committees, including scheduling meetings, taking minutes and follow-up
- Liaising with clients to identify and define requirements, scope, and objectives
- Managing internal cross functional teams for each project
- Mentoring team members on their assigned duties on the project
- Prepare post-conference report including financial, survey results and organize a conference debrief with the committee and other stakeholders
- Develop and monitor each conference project plan with timelines, risk management assessment with mitigation actions relating to all aspects of the conference to ensure time, risk and cost run according to an established plan
- Work closely with the client’s program committee to understand their requirements, develop the program and assist in achieving their goals
Finance
- Develop and monitor budgets to ensure revenue and expenditure is kept within established boundaries
- Reporting on a monthly basis through KPI reports to clients on each assigned project
- Review all invoices for accuracy
- Ensure all financial transactions are accurate
- Final financial reconciliation of each project
- Monitoring working hours spent on each project, plans and expenditures
- Managing internal conference finances including management fees and commissions
Conference Logistics & Planning
- Evaluation geographic location for each conference and assist in the final selection
- Research and recommend appropriate venues
- Organize and participate in venue site inspections
- Negotiate a contract with the selected venue for approval by President and Client
- Evaluate options and negotiate contracts with service providers for services such as audio visual, entertainment, decorations etc.
- Work with contractors responsible to ensure all logistical details are delivered efficiently and in accordance with timeline and agreed costs
- Manage exhibition and sponsorship sales, and assist the marketing department with the development of the prospectus. Ensure all sponsorship entitlements are delivered following contractual arrangements
- Working with the destination management division to develop proposals, social events including welcome receptions and galas
- Work with registration to develop and launch the registration site
- Overseeing preparation of the delegate materials prior to arrival on-site
- Managing logistics, suppliers, and teams on-site
Marketing & Communications
- Develop the marketing and communication plan for each assigned conference in conjunction with the marketing coordinator if available
- Responsible for the development of the conference brand, website, app, and social media
- Ensure all aspects of the marketing and communication plan are delivered on time in accordance with the project plan
- You understand social media channels along with scheduling software
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE - Required
- Demonstrated experience multitasking and prioritizing is a must
- Degree or Diploma or combination of education and demonstrated experience
- 3-5 years experience as conference manager
- Excellent client management skills
- Strong English grammar skills - both written and oral
- Microsoft Office Package
- Ability to work with multiple teams and supervisors
HOW TO APPLY
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their resume, cover letter and salary expectations by email to [email protected]. Please include "Conference Manager Application" in the subject line. Venue West Conference Services encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
A BIT ABOUT US
Venue West was founded in 1970 and has been an important part of the Canadian conference and association industry ever since. We are one of only 5 companies in Canada and less than 150 in the world who are certified by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers to manage an international congress. We work with clients from across Canada and from around the world to manage small to large conferences, associations, and events. Since 2005, Venue West has been a family-owned and operated business.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Position Type: Non-Management
- Location: remote – Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto
- Reports To: President
- Job Status: Permanent Full-Time
- Application Deadline: When filled
- Benefits package after 3 months
- Competitive salary ($65,000 - $75,000 depending on experience and qualifications)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $65,000.00-$75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Work from home
Flexible language requirement:
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Application question(s):
- Do you have experience working within a PCO and for Association Clients?
- Do you have experience in Abstract, Speaker and Client Management
- Are you comfortable working remotely?
- Are you willing to travel for several days multiple times throughout the year?
Experience:
- conference manager: 5 years (preferred)
Work Location: Remote
Expected start date: 2024-10-15
