Conference & Meeting Manager

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Blacksburg (VA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech is seeking a Conference & Meeting Manager to provide planning services for its Continuing and Professional Education portfolio of academic conferences, meetings, and professional development programs in Blacksburg, VA. The role requires strong project management, budget development, and collaboration with faculty, staff, and external partners.

The successful candidate will supervise program planning professionals, develop budget plans, negotiate contracts with venues and services,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field or equivalent experience.
• Extensive conference, meeting or event planning experience, preferably in a higher education setting.
• Supervisory experience.
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience in program budget development and management.
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with internal and external clients.
• Proven excellent sales skills with strong results.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Strong computer competency with Excel, MS Teams, and Zoom.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and details simultaneously while prioritizing.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide planning services for conferences, meetings, and professional development programs.
• Develop comprehensive budget plans and manage program budgets.
• Negotiate and secure contracts with venues and services.
• Lead and supervise program planning professionals handling logistics.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and external partners to identify program needs.
• Travel as needed to provide local and out-of-town program support; adapt to irregular hours.

Skills

Project management

Event planning

Supervisory experience

Communication skills

Budget management

Client relations

Sales skills

Leadership

Microsoft Excel

MS Teams

Zoom

Multitasking

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in business

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

MS Teams

Zoom

Job description

Job Description

The conference & meeting manager will be responsible for providing planning services for Continuing and Professional Education's (CPE) large portfolio of academic conferences, meetings, and professional development programs. This role requires a detail-oriented individual with excellent project management skills, a strong business acumen, and the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and external partners. The Conference & Meeting Manager is responsible for generating program revenue to meet annual revenue targets for the unit. The conference & meeting manager will supervise one or more program planning professionals who specialize in logistics and implementation. CPE strives to create value-driven experiences that provide positive impact for the University, our clients, and our participants. The successful candidate should have a strong customer service ethos, and contribute to a work environment that supports positivity, creativity, teamwork, diversity, and mutual respect. The conference & meeting manager works with faculty, staff, and external partners to identify needs for each program, develop a comprehensive budget plan, negotiate and secure contracts with venues and other necessary services, and establish a detailed scope of services. Occasional travel may be required to provide local and out-of-town program support. Occasional overnight, weekend, early morning, and late evening work may also be necessary.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or a related field, or equivalent training and/or experience in business or hospitality management field
• Extensive experience in conference, meeting or event planning, preferably in a higher education setting
• Supervisory experience
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Experience in program budget development and management
• Ability to establish and maintain good rapport with internal and external clients
• Proven excellent sales skills with strong results
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Strong computer competency skills and high proficiency in office/collaboration tools and applications (Microsoft Office, specifically Excel, MS Teams, and Zoom)
• Ability to handle numerous projects and details simultaneously and accurately while prioritizing according to need and schedule
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field
• Advanced experience in project planning and budgeting in a continuing education setting
• Experience with Commonwealth of Virginia and/or university policies and procedures
• Preference may be given to individuals who have a designation of Certified Program Planner (CPP) or Certified Meeting Planner (CMP)

Pay Band

5

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

Hiring salary up to $68,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Hours per week

40+

Review Date

8/31/2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto,Ut Prosim(That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges,a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, andHonors College.The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerousExtension officesand research institutes.A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Shelly Jobst at [e-mail] during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.