Director, Meetings & Exhibits

Company: Tennessee Society of Association Executives
Location: Chicago
Posted on: March 26, 2025

Job Description:

Under the supervision of the Deputy Executive Director, the Director of Meetings & Exhibits is responsible for the oversight, development and execution of all in-person, virtual and hybrid conferences (excluding webinars), and meetings experiences.The Director of Meetings & Exhibits will demonstrate strategic competencies, experience, and expertise in meetings/events innovations and technology; will utilize best practices to create a high-quality experience for attendees; and continually drive process and quality improvements. The Director will sustain professional, collaborative, and high-functioning relationships with all AGD departments. The Director assists with organizational activities and special projects as directed.Business of Meetings

• Overall leadership responsibility for the successful execution of all AGD meetings, including but not limited to the annual Scientific Session, Annual Meeting/ House of Delegates, and all other AGD meetings and special events.
• Researches and directs the execution of best practices to improve meeting services for all AGD meetings and events. Positions the AGD for long-term viability and improves operational efficiencies.
• Leverages up-to-date knowledge of latest adult education delivery, hospitality industry and association trends to continuously add value and improve conference and event experiences for all AGD attendees and stakeholders.
• Ensures meetings are delivered in an innovative and competitive manner.
• Develops innovative opportunities to continuously improve exhibit revenue while also creating value for our attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors.Leadership
• Demonstrates exemplary partnership qualities by working collaboratively with all AGD program leaders to deliver high quality events.
• Event project management by utilizing strong organizational skills including the ability to set and drive requirements across multiple functional areas.
• Partners with the Director, Education; Director, Communications and Marketing, to strengthen connection between the intended audience needs/expectations and event programming requirements with strong organizational branding.Team Management
• Brings creative direction to the mission and vision of the Meetings team and assists in achieving corporate, departmental, and staff goals.Fiscal Acumen
• Researches, evaluates, and manages the logistics of all AGD meetings. Benchmarks and measures meeting services and delivery programs and consolidates the meeting related purchasing for the AGD.
• Oversees and negotiates supplier relationships to include hotels, exhibitors, convention and visitors' bureaus, housing company, general service contractors and destination management companies.
• Develops and manages meeting related AGD budgets and forecasts. Ensures meetings are executed in a fiscally responsible manner that result in a surplus for AGD.
• Negotiates contracts that are favorable to AGD.Committees/Councils
• Serves as staff co-liaison to the Scientific Meeting Council to jointly plan the Scientific Session.
• Serves as staff liaison to the Local Advisory Committee.
• Works in collaboration with the Executive Director and Scientific Meeting Council to identify and select future sites for the annual scientific session and as appropriate.Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Management, Hospitality/Tourism, or a related field.
• CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) or other related certification strongly preferred. 10-12 years of meeting and exhibition leadership experience within a professional association, not-for-profit, government or similar organization. Proven history of progressive meeting and convention leadership, healthcare or technology association experience preferred. Minimum of five years of supervisory/ management experience. Knowledge of dentistry and dentists extremely helpful.
• Ability to work in a fast paced, collaborative environment with high expectations for achieving and exceeding organizational goals.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with all levels of staff, volunteers, hotel and convention center personnel, and other vendor partners with diplomacy and professionalism at all times.
• Strong customer service and negotiation skills.
• Understanding and ability to achieve balance between dominant stakeholder expectations and professional industry best management practices.
• Demonstrated experience creating engaging and interactive learning environment for conference attendees.
• Ability to think creatively and develop new ideas within budget guidelines.
• Familiarity with developing/producing large conferences (3,000+ attendees) in terms of site selection, contracting, budgeting, programming, marketing, logistics, and customer relations.
• Ability to innovate to and pivot, such as conference restructuring, identifying co-location opportunities, conference webinar rebroadcasts, and virtual meetings environments.
• Ability to meet deadlines, manage projects and personnel, set priorities, develop budgets, monitor, and control expenditures, and demonstrate a high degree of attention to detail.
• Some travel and work outside of normal work hours may be required.
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Keywords: Tennessee Society of Association Executives, Chicago , Director, Meetings & Exhibits, Executive , Chicago, Illinois