Conference Lead

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for a Conference Lead to join our Event Services team in Chicago or Washington DC. Our Event Services unit provides meeting, convention, event and tradeshow planning/execution worldwide through the expertise of our meeting professionals, who manage every facet and detail of our client organizations' events. Our goal is to work closely with a client organization's leaders to create an enjoyable conference experience for all attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, while ensuring a successful outcome based on the organizations' event objectives.

The Conference Lead is accountable for leading the overall delivery of meetings and events for a group of clients within a specified portfolio. The Conference Lead acts as a meeting and event specialist and develops and implements meeting and event components of event strategy and delivery. This role is accountable and responsible for meeting and event project management, financial management, team management and oversight of all aspects of meeting and event delivery for assigned clients.

What You Will Do

• Support the Event Director in developing and implementing aspects of event strategy
• Develops event strategies, solutions, and innovations that are tailored and relevant to client needs to support the overall event strategy and achievement of event outcomes.
• Development of registration budgets and forecasts
• Manages financials including developing budgets, tracking against budget and forecast and overseeing ongoing monthly financial reconciliation and final billing.
• Partners with Education and Marketing to design and develop general session programming and staging
• Manages and oversees all aspects for on-site preparation and delivery including staff travels plans, creation of on-site requirements and support documentation, VIP management, risk management
• Registration oversight, including budgeting, set-up of registration, financial management, on-site registration, and oversight of registration support team.
• Contributes to overall team success by identifying problems and proactively seeking out methods to improve self-performance and/or efficiency of an operation or task.
• Supports future year site selection strategy, confirms venue ability to deliver on client event specifications and develops recommendations with support of Event Directors in presenting recommendations to clients.
• Facilitate continuous communication between Smithbucklin units, clients, sponsors, attendees, and suppliers to meet the needs of client organizations

• You’re tech savvy and have a good grasp of computer programs, including Microsoft Office suite and exhibit software
• You exhibit strong multi-tasking and time management skills, including the ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks conforming to shifting priorities, demands and timelines
• You have a demonstrated ability to self-start as well as work as part of a team
• You have a proven history of demonstrating a high level of professionalism
• You possess strong written and verbal communication skills
• You exhibit a high level of detail orientation
• You display strong customer service skills (phone skills, in person, emails)

• Ability to travel 20%, both domestic and international to attend events and client meetings (may include weekends)
• 5+ years of event management experience
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in Event Management or related professional certification is highly preferred.
• A strong understanding of union and labor requirements in different states and destinations.
• Familiarity with venues, facilities, convention centers and convention city hotel packages throughout the country.
• Understanding of hotel contract terms and conditions
• Proficiency with basic computer programming, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferrable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.