Associate Meeting Planner

Your Role

We are seeking a creative and highly organized Associate Meeting Planner to execute memorable events that generate brand awareness and build business relationships. In this role, you will be an expert multitasker with impeccable attention to detail, capable of anticipating risks and needs to ensure every event is flawlessly executed from conception to completion.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Meeting Management
• Manage the complete meeting lifecycle from initial intake through post-event evaluation.
• Conduct discovery meetings with stakeholders to define business objectives, attendee experience, budget, and event requirements.
• Develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, and communication plans.
• Cook up all logistical aspects of meetings, conferences, training events, executive meetings, sales meetings, customer events, and internal corporate events.
• Cook up event logistics, including venue sourcing, attendee management, rooming lists, BEOs, transportation, event website registration via Cvent, and offsite activities.
• Cook up with suppliers, caterers (with a focus on dietary needs), hotel staff, and employees to ensure optimal event space logistics, setup, and AV needs are met.
• Cook up badge production, mobile app, and (pre/post) surveys.
• Cook up with internal departments to ensure guest guidelines, compliance, security, & employee health requirements are met.
• Financial & Budget Management
• Develop comprehensive meeting budgets.
• Monitor expenses throughout the planning process while tracking commitments against approved budgets.
• Forecast costs & identify opportunities for savings.
• Reconcile final invoices and ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining meeting quality & attendee experience.
• Reconcile meeting credit cards, manage budget updates, and oversee payment processing for all event suppliers.
• Manage the supplier Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
• Process Improvement & Reporting
• Develop post-event reports on event effectiveness and provide monthly reporting.
• Monitor and report end-to-end process metrics and KPIs.
• Identify and report meeting savings.
• Identify, implement, and monitor projects for ongoing process improvement initiatives.
• Maintain adequate process documentation and provide user education/training.

What You Need to Succeed (Basic Qualifications)

• Education: Bachelor's Degree with a minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in project management with a history of successful events.
• Required Experience: Experience with travel & meeting tools, including Cvent, Concur, & other relevant platforms.
• Experience supporting global meetings & travel management companies (TMCs).
• Experience with meeting payment solutions, purchase orders, procurement, and sourcing.
• Familiarity with expense management platforms such as SAP Concur.
• Experience managing supplier performance and service-level agreements.

What Will Give You the Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.
• Proven success in collaborating with external suppliers, outsource service providers, and internal business partners.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Control-oriented mindset based on prior operational business roles.
• Self-directed and able to work independently with high learning agility.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Meticulous attention to detail and expert time management skills.
• Financial savvy, with the ability to adhere to plan budgets and process invoices.
• Ability to adapt strategy to meet unique requirements in a multi-national meeting environment (cultural diversity, currencies, political climates, language barriers, time zones).

Additional Information

• Location: Indianapolis, IN Global HQ (Hybrid Environment)
• Travel: Up to 25%