Senior Director, Corporate Events

Arlington, TX, United States

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Position Summary:

The Senior Director of Corporate Events is a seasoned expert with 8 – 10 years of experience in meetings, conferences, event marketing and sponsorship. This position is primarily responsible for the planning and execution of AIA’s strategic corporate level events to achieve association goals and maximize profit. This critical position reports directly to the Senior Vice President, Operations.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning (25%)

Develop an annual Corporate Events strategic plan that aligns to the AIA’s overarching strategic priorities

Employ a collaborative process utilizing inputs from AIA’s division leaders

Focus the strategic plan on achieving member retention and recruitment.

Develop annual quantitative and qualitative goals for Corporate Events.

Identify risks and success factors.

Gain support and buy-in from leadership and key stakeholders.

Communicate the plan broadly and effectively.

Execution and Measurement (50%)

Execute AIA’s twenty-one corporate level meetings and conferences, including: Executive Committee board meetings, Board of Governors and Membership meetings, Supplier Management Council meetings, International Air Shows, and provides support for internal company-wide events.

Ensure quality control of all event contract activities, budgets, and deliverables.

Manage the financial and operational aspects of event budgets, including forecasting and budget analyses

Negotiate hotel contracts, including room blocks, food and beverage minimum, audio visual, and concessions to ensure AIA is getting the most financial benefit and is minimizing risks

Negotiate and manage vendor contracts (e.g., private venues, registration platforms, virtual meeting software, etc.) and identify cost savings

Coordinate with the Communications team to write and develop supporting marketing material and create marketing plans for each individual event

Oversee the creation and execution of the events website, registration software, and mobile event app

Develop and sell competitive sponsorship packages that benefit both AIA and its members

Communicate and collaborate effectively with key internal and external stakeholders and clients, including department heads, planning committee members, Conventions and Visitors Bureaus (CVB), hotel and venue personnel

Manage logistics and participate in pre-event calls for government, industry, and paid speakers

Develop a comprehensive run of show, event timelines, deliverables, and milestones for internal stakeholders

Serve as liaison to AIA committees and member companies for their attendance and participation at AIA’s signature events

Define clear roles and responsibilities for AIA staff and contractors onsite, supervise and evaluate junior staff at conferences.

Support the success of virtual programs and webinars

Leadership and Collaboration (25%)

Manage, mentor, and motivate Corporate Events team members

Openly communicate with team in performance reviews

Support the corporate Event team’s career development goals

Communicate and collaborate with AIA’s Leadership on progress, achievement towards goals, ideas for improvement.

Contribute to the overall success of AIA’s peers and take accountability for the overall success of AIA.

Contribute to a positive and high-performing culture/environment.

Qualifications and Experience:

Experience Required

10 years of experience across all Event and Meeting planning disciplines.

10+ years of experience in a management / leadership role.

An active Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Certification is required.

Demonstrated leadership skills

Balance multiple priorities, work independently and participate as a part of a cross-functional team, keep others informed through clear written and verbal communication, while maintaining a high level of productivity

Exceptional planning and project management skills, including the development of work plans, roles, and timelines, while maintaining high quality standards and attention to detail

Experience with cross collaboration and interacting with all levels, including c-suite

Willing and able to travel domestically and internationally 25% of time.

Detail oriented and possess exceptional organizational and inter-personal skills .

Proficient with virtual platforms (Zoom, WebEx, Teams, etc.)

Education

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university

An active Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Certification.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Equal Opportunity Employer

AIA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity/expression or veteran status.

Send us your resume and cover via email. Be sure to include your contact information and the title of the role you’re applying for. If we determine you might be a good fit for the role, an AIA representative will reach out to you.

AIA is proud to be committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity/expression or Veteran status. Consistent with these policies, we strongly believe that diversity contributes to a broader collective perspective that will consistently lead to a better organization and better results. We are working hard to increase the diversity of our team wherever we can, and we actively encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of it.

1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1700

Arlington, VA 22209-3928

703.358.1000

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