Senior Meeting Planner

Sidley Austin LLP; City Of London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in London is seeking a Senior Meeting Planner to oversee event and conference planning. The position requires a Bachelor's degree and significant experience in meeting planning, along with exceptional organisational and interpersonal skills. The firm offers a collaborative culture and competitive benefits package, including a discretionary performance bonus and private health insurance.

Benefits

Annual discretionary performance bonus

Non-contributory pension scheme

33 days paid time off

Private Medical Insurance

Permanent Health Insurance

Life Assurance – x4 salary

Contribution towards health club membership

Interest free season ticket loan

Free GP Service and health checks

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in meeting planning.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop.
• Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) experience desirable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate logistics for firmwide events and conferences.
• Research and monitor economic factors affecting event planning.
• Provide updates to the Director on project status.

Skills

Organisational skills

Interpersonal communication

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Summary

Sidley in London

We are proud to offer lawyers and professional staff myriad opportunities to apply their talents toward important, challenging projects on a global stage. Our culture of collegiality attracts people with diverse skills and backgrounds who are dedicated to teamwork, collaboration and superior client service.

Sidley has built an inclusive, collegiate culture firmwide. We strive to maintain an environment focused on teamwork and cooperation.

Given our relatively small size, the London office has a relaxed, down-to-earth friendliness that you may not find elsewhere in the City. Lawyers and support staff at all levels treat each other with a friendly and genuine respect and value the skills and knowledge that each team member brings to the table.

We are located in a distinctive new development at 70 St. Mary Axe with panoramic views across London. Based in the in the heart of the City and close to Liverpool Street station with all the area has to offer - fantastic restaurants and bars, shopping and sporting facilities. You’ll find a great social scene within the office, with organised events including sailing and skiing weekends, seasonal parties and charitable team activities.

Inclusion

Sidley is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive culture. We recognise that bringing together individuals from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives strengthens the quality of our legal work and continues to position us as a trusted leader in the legal profession. Our commitment to inclusion not only enriches our workplace but also enhances our ability to fulfill our mission providing the highest quality legal services for our clients.

Role overview

Sidley’s Marketing and Business Development department is composed of a talented team of professionals with the wide range of skills and backgrounds required to support the diverse needs of a global law firm. Supporting Sidley's firmwide and practice area initiatives, as well as lawyers’ individual marketing goals, marketing team members enjoy a supportive and collaborative culture and have numerous opportunities to participate in projects that directly impact the growth of the firm.

The Senior Meeting Planner will be responsible for developing, prioritising, and managing all aspects of event and conference planning, including on-site execution. This role also involves coordinating inclusion-related events across the London, European, and Asia Pacific offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each Essential Duty and Responsibility (the “Essential Duties”) satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the Essential Duties.

• Assists in the development, organisation, and execution of logistics for firmwide events, meetings, and conferences of all sizes.
• Coordinates catering services, menus, room setups, audio visual, and transportation as needed.
• Researches, analyses, and monitors financial, technological, and demographic factors to maximise value across all programs.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with hotels and venues relevant to each project or event.
• Determines appropriate responses to challenges, and manages on-site execution of projects or programmes.
• Assists in the creation in internal and external meeting materials.
• Provides ongoing project status updates to the Director.
• Forecasts and projects budget cost analyses for programmes and events as assigned by the Director.
• Researches hotels, restaurants, and external venues for presentation to various partner committees.

Qualifications

Candidate profile

The following candidate attributes are essential for this position:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years’ experience in meeting planning
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel) and Adobe Photoshop

In addition, the following skills are desirable:

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
• Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) experience
• Strong judgement and interpersonal communication skills
• Well-developed analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to work harmoniously and effectively within a team
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and commitment
• Proven ability to exercise confidentiality and discretion
• High level of accuracy in proofreading

Benefits

• Annual discretionary performance bonus
• Non-contributory pension scheme – 5% from firm matched by 3% from employee
• 33 days paid time off (to include short-term sickness absence)
• Private Medical Insurance
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Life Assurance – x4 salary
• Contribution towards health club membership
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Free GP Service, and regular health checks