Conference Manager

CONFERENCE MANAGER - remote, Vancouver, Calgary or TorontoThe Conference Manager provides management and guidance for national and international conferences in person, virtually and hybrid, to corporations, associations, 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 who can hit the ground running; a solution-oriented 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 or more delegatesTHE DETAILSManagement & 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, and 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 the established plan» Work closely with the client’s program committee to understand their requirements, develop the program and assist in achieving their goalsFinance» Develop and monitor budgets to ensure revenue and expenditure are kept within established boundaries» Reporting every month 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 commissionsConference 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 the 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 per the timeline and agreed costs» Manage exhibition and sponsorship sales, assist the marketing department with developing 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 create and launch the registration site» Overseeing the preparation of the delegate materials before arrival on-site» Managing logistics, suppliers, and teams on-siteMarketing & 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 following the project plan» You understand social media channels along with scheduling softwareEDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE - Required» Demonstrated experience multitasking and prioritizing is a must» Degree or Diploma or combination of education and demonstrated experience» 3-5 years as a conference manager» Excellent client management skills» Strong English grammar skills - both written and oral» Microsoft Office Package» Ability to work with multiple teams and supervisorsHOW TO APPLYQualified candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter along with salary expectations by email to [email protected]. Please include "Application Conference Manager" in the subject line. Venue West Conference Services encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds. A BIT ABOUT USVenue 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 that 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-ManagementLocation: remote – Vancouver, Calgary or TorontoReports To: PresidentJob Status: Permanent Full-TimeApplication Deadline: When filledBenefits package after 3 monthsCompetitive salary ($65,000 - $75,000 depending on experience and qualifications)