Senior Hotel and Venue Sourcing Manager
BCD Meetings & Events
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
BCD Meetings & Events, a global meetings and events agency, is seeking a Senior Sourcing Manager dedicated to a Life Sciences client in Germany. You will lead site sourcing, negotiate contracts, and help shape the budget for hotel and venue.
The role requires strong negotiation skills, fluency in German and English, and ability to coordinate with client contacts and operations. Location options include Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, or remote within Germany.
Qualifications
- Experience in industry contract negotiations and consultation on business and legal terms.
- Experience on Life Sciences clients.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- German and English proficient in both oral and written communication.
- Experience in preparation of high-level venue PowerPoint decks.
- Adept at organization and time management.
- Up to 25% travel may be required.
Responsibilities
- Drive the Meeting and Congress Sourcing Strategy balancing client and partner interests.
- Negotiate supplier contracts for best prices, concessions and commissions.
- Communicate cancellation penalties to mitigate attrition with Operations and client.
- Consult with Operations Leadership during venue research to meet client requirements.
- Review Meetings Sourcing Requests and participate in Kick Off Calls.
- Begin sourcing for complex events using internal tools and consider client hotel preferences, meal caps, and AV rules.
- Secure floor plans and meeting room capacities; maintain Hotel Availability Grid in line with SLAs.
- Contract and negotiate rates, commissions, and cancellation terms; manage inclusions and concessions (F&B, WiFi, flip charts).
- Train new team members and provide back-up for junior staff; escalate feedback and process improvements.
Skills
Tools
Job description
At BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E), we provide more than meeting and event planning services: we create connections that inspire, motivate and change behavior for our customers. As the world’s most trusted and innovative meetings and events agency, BCD M&E cultivates a culture of people, passion and purpose to drive business forward.
At BCD Meetings & Events (BCD M&E), we provide more than meeting and event planning services: we create connections that inspire, motivate and change behavior for our customers. As the world’s most trusted and innovative meetings and events agency, BCD M&E cultivates a culture of people, passion and purpose to drive business forward.
Headquartered in Chicago, with locations in 60+ countries across the world, BCD M&E’s team of 2,000+ people are committed to sustainability and driving success for our customers, our business and ourselves. Our values are at the heart of everything we do, and we look for people that want to be a part of something special, can rise to our standards and love to bring their unique perspective to the table.
While we can’t guarantee every day will be the best (who can?), we can promise a community of people who genuinely care and lead with empathy, a flexible workplace with awesome perks and challenging work that means something.
See what life is about at BCD M&E at bcdme.com/careers
Permanent, full time, based in Germany (Düsseldorf, Frankfurt or remote in Germany)
As a Senior Sourcing Manager, you will be fully dedicated to a client in Life Science industry. You will be responsible for site sourcing, vendor contract negotiation, and cost savings generation. You will work directly with the client contact and prepare the initial hotel/venue budget.
- Drive the Meeting and Congress Sourcing Strategy for the team which delicately balances the engagement of Preferred vendors from the client first and then further engages with BCD M&E Preferred Global Hotel Partners in the context of both standalone meetings as well as National and International congresses.
- Negotiate all supplier contracts for the best possible prices, concessions and commissions in order to meet client’s expectation whilst maintaining the highest level of quality, professionalism and integrity when negotiating with suppliers.
- Communicate cancellation penalties opportunities to mitigate attrition with the Operations Manager and the client.
- Consult with Operations Leadership and client during research of venues ensuring client requirements are met in meeting specifications.
- Upon Receipt of Meeting Sourcing Request Form, review request and align with requestor and/ or actively participate in Kick Off Call with Meeting Owner.
- Begin Sourcing activity for more complex events/ Congresses through use of internal BCD tool with consideration for the following:
- Client´s preferred hotels suppliers
- Meal caps and catering menu pricing
- Determine AV supplier regulations – i.e. if must utilize services from in-house AV company
- Secure floor plans and meeting room capacities
- Reporting of Global Meeting Sourcing Activity in relation to international congresses
- Creation and maintenance of Hotel Availability Grid in compliance of SLAs
- Contracting and Negotiation of rates and commissions
- Negotiation of cancelation terms
- Negotiation of inclusions and concessions (F&B, WiFi, Flip Charts, etc)
- Development of Contract Summary (if applicable)
- As the Senior Sourcing Manager of the team you will be responsible for:
- Training of new team members; provide ongoing support to new team members
- Out of office back up for junior meeting coordinator & other team members as necessary
- Provide feedback to Operations Manager when coaching is necessary to address challenges and increase service levels
- Work with leadership to address service challenges and monitor issue resolution.
- Escalate feedback/suggested changes and process improvements to leadership.
- Experience in industry contract negotiations and consultation specifically business and legal terms.
- Experience on (a) Life Sciences client(s)
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
- German and English language proficient in both oral and written communications. Additional languages are a plus.
- Experience in preparation of high-level venue power point decks.
- Adept at organization and time management.
- Up to 25% travel may be required.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong analytical skills
- Problem-solving mindset with the ability to lead issue resolution efforts
- Knowledge of industry trends and best practices related to the role
- Strong organizational skills that can coordinate multiple projects.
We believe that a flexible working environment is key to getting the best out of our teams. We will support you to work where you need to and when you need to, depending on how you work best.
Our line of work and business structure challenge our people in a way that inspires growth, with learning and development built into every role. We give individuals ownership over the direction and speed in which they grow.
We thrive on conversations that spark curiosity and empathy. No matter how big or how small, every voice is heard, considered and respected.
The diversity of roles across BCD M&E’s global locations means that our people often find new adventures during our time with us. Join us as a meeting planner role in the UK, stay for a global marketing career — there’s always room to move.
Our extensive benefits include comprehensive healthcare, retirement plans, continued education support, diverse work locations, travel and hotel discounts, volunteer and sustainability opportunities and a successful employee recognition program.
It starts from the top. Our leaders lead with positivity, believe in our people and trust us to do the right thing. There will always be support along your journey, in little and big ways.
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