Senior Meeting Planner

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a professional and educational organization of surgeons founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. With over 90,000 members, ACS is the largest organization of surgeons in the world, dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery and serving as an important advocate for all surgical patients.

About the role

The Senior Meeting Planner oversees the strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement of ACS meetings, including face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid formats. This role applies critical thinking to develop creative solutions, anticipate challenges, and balance competing priorities while delivering quality meeting experiences. The Senior Meeting Planner serves as a partner to internal stakeholders, volunteer leadership, and external vendors, leading complex venue and vendor negotiations, managing budgets, and handling all operational aspects of assigned meetings. This is a hybrid role based in the Chicago office: 3 days per week in the office and 2 days per week remote.

Responsibilities

• Manage planning and execution for ACS and association client meetings, including venue sourcing, vendor oversight, budgeting, and onsite management.
• Negotiate with venues and service providers such as hotels, convention centers, audio-visual providers, and other meeting vendors to optimize value while minimizing organizational risk.
• Collaborate with ACS staff liaisons, volunteer leadership, and program committees to develop meeting strategies, logistics plans, and program enhancements.
• Provide strategic guidance to clients and volunteer leadership regarding meeting planning best practices and operational improvements.
• Develop, manage, and monitor high-value meeting budgets, including expense forecasting, contract liability evaluation, and financial reporting.
• Provide onsite management for assigned meetings.
• Research emerging meeting technologies, industry trends, and operational improvements to enhance meeting effectiveness.
• Learn and use new meeting software, including but not limited to E Show and Aptify.
• Maintain working knowledge of the hotel industry, conference centers, and city meeting destinations, including relationships with respective partners.
• Manage site selection and creation of RFPs (requests for proposal) for hotel and vendor contracts, including contract negotiations for all terms and conditions.
• Oversee assigned meetings at the ACS conference center as needed (evenings and weekends may apply).
• Lead post-meeting evaluations and analysis to improve future meeting performance and attendee satisfaction.
• Participate in special projects supporting ACS and association client meeting initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience is required.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation preferred but not required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in meeting planning or conference management.

Skills

• Strong negotiation, project management, and vendor management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong budget and financial management skills.
• Ability to manage complex meeting logistics and multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to travel frequently and work evenings or weekends when supporting meetings and conferences.

Pay

The anticipated salary range for this position is $83,000 - $92,000.

Benefits

• Vacation, personal, and sick hours, including 13 paid holidays per year.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Medical—comprehensive coverage through BlueCross BlueShield.
• Dental, vision, and prescription drug program.
• 403(b) matching program.
• Pension plan.
• Flexible spending for medical/dependent care.
• Employee assistance program.
• Short-term/long-term disability.
• Life insurance.
• Domestic partner coverage.