Meetings Manager

Position Summary: The Meetings Manager play'sa critical role in providing high-quality meeting and events experiences for The Conference Board's valued Members. This Meetings Manager role is primarily focused on planning for our Council Meetings, and is responsible for sourcing, selecting and booking restaurants, ground transportation and activities for a portfolio of approximately 30-40 Councils, which each meet 2-3 times a year. This role collaborates with the Councils staff, primarily Council Relationship Managers (CRMs), to provide a high-quality meeting experience, while also ensuring the most cost effective and efficient pricing and terms with vendors possible. Accountabilities: Vendor Research, Selection and Process Management Conduct ongoing research for restaurants, ground transportation companies and activities in major cities/host location sites for Councils. Solicit input and feedback from Events and Councils staff to fuel research in addition to keeping up to date with trends in the markets TCB's meeting frequent. Maintain a shared database of potential vendors and ideas. Evaluate vendor pricing, capabilities and experience to determine viability for future needs. Negotiate favorable terms and conditions with frequently used/preferred vendors to align with TCB's needs and budget. Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors. Develop and create resource templates and materials related to restaurant selection, ground transportation and activity bookings. Advise and conduct trainings with Councils staff as needed around restaurant, transportation and activity vendor management. Review meeting logistics evaluations, input feedback into the internal database, and communicate feedback to restaurant or activity contacts. Continuously seek opportunities to improve processes and collaboration across departments. Individual Meeting Sourcing Maintain and optimize process and tools used for Council meeting requests Obtain understanding of Council history, preferences and past experiences from Council staff Research and recommend restaurant, activity and ground transportation options near hotel or host location Conduct in-person site visits to restaurants and activity venues in New York City to assess quality and standards. Present options that meet a consistent level of quality standards and align with council culture, expectations and budget to Councils staff. Maximize the use of preferred vendors in recommendations. Align on final selection with Councils staff and proceed with booking process. Obtain and review vendor contracts to ensure program specific and legal terms and conditions are accurate, favorable and protective to The Conference Board, including minimums and cancellation policies. Secure Certificates of Insurance from transportation vendors and include legal requirements within contracts to meet TCB standards, collaborating closely with the TCB legal department. Sign and process contracts to book and retain services in a timely and accurate manner. Conduct a handoff with Councils staff (primarily CRM) providing detailed documents outlining logistical information for restaurants, ground transportation and/or activity. Be a resource for questions, advice or adjustments for Councils staff post-handoff. Review and assess performance of selected vendors post-meeting. Additional meeting and event planning projects and tasks as needed. Qualifications: 1-3 years' experience in meeting planning, venue sourcing and/or event management Proficiency with the MS Office suite of products (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) CRM experience preferred Client service oriented, passionate about planning quality experiences Highly organized and detail-oriented Strong written and verbal communication skills Strong time management skills, able to prioritize and balance competing demands Keen eye toward operational efficiency University Degree preferred