Description
Brief Description
The Meeting Planner is responsible for leading the planning, execution, and management of 150–200 meetings annually across the United States and Canada. These include committee, council, and board meetings ranging in size from 10 to 150 attendees. This role ensures all meetings are strategically sourced, efficiently planned, and flawlessly executed in accordance with organizational standards, member needs, and budgetary parameters. The Meeting Planner also supervises meeting planning staff, provides internal stakeholder guidance, and acts as a key liaison with hotels, travel services, and third-party vendors.
Specific Duties
Meeting Planning & Detailing
Consult with internal stakeholders to define meeting goals, room requirements, A/V, F&B, and logistical needs.
Lead the development of comprehensive meeting specifications, BEOs, AV orders, and hotel group resumes.
Communicate and manage all meeting specifications including:
Housing lists
Meeting room setups
Food & beverage selections
AV/technology needs
Ground transportation
Approve final hotel orders and documentation ensuring accuracy and alignment with CAP requirements.
Hotel Sourcing & Contracting
Oversee sourcing of hotels and venues using third-party vendor partners and internal meeting request forms.
Serve as the primary liaison between internal customers and external sourcing partners.
Issue and manage RFPs, proposal evaluation, and site selection.
Negotiate hotel contracts in collaboration with contract specialists to secure favorable terms and mitigate risk.
Maintain and process hotel contracts, deposits, and W-9 documentation in accordance with CAP policies.
Ensure accurate and timely routing of documentation to internal departments (e.g., Finance, Events Project Manager).
Vendor & Expense Oversight
Evaluate, select, and monitor the performance of hotel and service vendors.
Ensure all vendors meet CAP standards and provide consistent, high-quality service delivery.
Resolve discrepancies in billing, attrition, or service performance.
Monitor expenses to ensure meetings remain within budget, including A/V, F&B, room rental, and ancillary costs.
Recommend and implement cost-saving measures and process improvements.
Meetings Support & Internal Communication
Responsible for the management and communication of the daily operations of the meetings services inbox, triaging requests and addressing tasks appropriately.
Provide ongoing updates to the Meetings & Events Team on sourcing, confirmations, and delivery status.
Conduct post-meeting evaluations with internal staff and vendors to document outcomes and improvements.
Ensure internal policies, procedures, and expectations are consistently applied across all meetings.
Leadership & Management
Supervise and mentor internal Meeting Planner(s); oversee planning workflows and resource allocation.
Collaborate with the Senior Director of Meetings & Events and other leadership to ensure meetings align with organizational goals.
Assist in training new team members, sharing best practices, and ensuring policy compliance.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal guidelines for meeting planning.
Requirements
Knowledge/Skills Required/Preferred
Must be proficient in Cvent Hotel Sourcing and Passkey, with a strong understanding of how to apply and use both tools effectively.
Highly organized with attention to detail and strong problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Deep understanding of hotel and convention facility operations, A/V, F&B, and travel logistics.
Skilled in RFP management, contract negotiation, and event budgeting.
Ability to remain calm under pressure and adapt to evolving meeting requirements.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Education/Experience
Bachelor’s degree required; equivalent experience may be considered.
CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) required
Experience
Minimum 7–10 years in professional meeting planning with progressive responsibility.
Demonstrated experience managing site selection, hotel contracting, and onsite meeting execution.
Proven ability to manage complex logistics across multiple concurrent events.
Strong vendor negotiation and budget oversight experience.
Additional Criteria
Available to work flexible hours and be on-call during national and priority meetings, including evenings and weekends as needed.
Willingness to travel for site inspections if necessary.
This position is based out of the Northfield, IL office. Candidates must reside within 75-miles of the Northfield headquarters.
Salary Range: $85,000 - $108,000
