Conference Planner -- CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Civica Associations Conferences & Exhibitions; Centennial (CO); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation

Flexible hours

Telecommute

Health insurance

Health Savings Account

Vision and dental coverage

Cell phone reimbursement

401(k)

Industry membership dues

Job summary

Civica Management is an association management company supporting nonprofit associations, professional societies, trade associations, and foundations. The Conference Planner will lead conferences end-to-end, from strategy and budgeting through onsite execution, financial closeout, and post-event evaluation.

This is a true soup-to-nuts role, coordinating with Civica teams, volunteers, and external partners to deliver exceptional attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, and speaker experiences.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of progressive conference, convention, trade show, or meeting planning experience; association/nonprofit/AMC experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex, multi-day conferences from planning through onsite execution and closeout.
• Strong knowledge of hotel operations, event contracting, food & beverage, AV/production, room blocks, vendor management, and onsite logistics.
• Experience with registration, speakers/programming, exhibits, sponsorship fulfillment, and event technology.
• Exceptional project management skills and ability to manage multiple clients, conferences, priorities, and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead association conferences, meetings, trade shows, and special events from planning through onsite execution, reconciliation, and debrief.
• Build and manage project plans, critical paths, production schedules, and decision calendars.
• Translate association goals, committee priorities, and budgets into actionable conference plans.
• Lead planning meetings with clients, volunteers, Civica teams, and external partners; document decisions, owners, and deadlines.
• Maintain visibility across event workstreams and ensure deliverables stay on track.
• Anticipate challenges and develop contingency plans for operational and financial risks.
• Identify opportunities to improve conference services, systems, and experiences.
• Support venue sourcing, RFP development, site selection, site visits, and contract negotiation.
• Manage hotel and venue relationships, including room blocks, concessions, meeting space, F&B, service requirements, and master accounts.
• Source, negotiate with, and manage vendors including AV, catering, decor, transportation, security, internet, registration tech, signage, photography, shipping.

Skills

Ownership & Accountability

Big-Picture + Detail Orientation

Client Leadership

Prioritization

Financial Acumen

Calm Execution

Collaboration & Delegation

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

CMP/CAE/DES or similar credential is a plus

Tools

AMS platforms

Project-management systems

Microsoft 365

Job description

Civica Management is an association management company (AMC) serving nonprofit associations, professional societies, trade associations, and foundations. The Conference Planner is the lead planner and project manager for assigned client conferences, owning events from strategy, budgeting, and contracting through onsite execution, financial closeout, and post-event evaluation.

This is a true "soup-to-nuts" conference planning role. The Conference Planner touches all aspects of the attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, speaker, volunteer, vendor, and client experience. The planner owns the full picture while leveraging Civica's conference coordinators, association team members, finance staff, and external partners for support.

The successful candidate must be comfortable managing multiple association clients and event calendars simultaneously, shifting between different missions, volunteer leadership styles, budgets, systems, and priorities.

MULTI-TRACK, MULTI-DAY CONFERENCE PLANNING EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED.

Candidates must have previous experience specifically planning conferences, not only general event experience such as galas, fundraisers, trade shows, hotels, or venue operations.

This is a remote position. Denver-area employees meet in a shared workspace one day a week.

In this role you will...

Conference Strategy & Project Management

• Lead association conferences, meetings, trade shows, and special events from planning through onsite execution, reconciliation, and debrief.
• Build and manage project plans, critical paths, production schedules, and decision calendars.
• Translate association goals, committee priorities, and budgets into actionable conference plans.
• Lead planning meetings with clients, volunteers, Civica teams, and external partners; document decisions, owners, and deadlines.
• Maintain visibility across event workstreams and ensure deliverables stay on track.
• Anticipate challenges and develop contingency plans for operational, financial, vendor, venue, staffing, and attendee-experience risks.
• Identify opportunities to improve conference services, systems, and experiences.
• Support venue sourcing, RFP development, site selection, site visits, and contract negotiation.
• Manage hotel and venue relationships, including room blocks, concessions, meeting space, food and beverage, service requirements, and master accounts.
• Source, negotiate with, and manage vendors including audiovisual/production, catering, décor, transportation, security, internet, registration technology, signage, photography, and shipping.
• Review contracts, BEOs, diagrams, production schedules, orders, and invoices for accuracy and alignment with approved plans and budgets.

Program, Registration, Exhibits & Sponsorship

• Coordinate execution of general sessions, concurrent sessions, workshops, receptions, awards, and special events.
• Partner with client staff and volunteers on speaker communications, schedules, presentations, AV needs, travel, and onsite readiness.
• Develop event specifications, room sets, function schedules, signage plans, run-of-show documents, and onsite materials.
• Partner with registration staff on categories, pricing, deadlines, workflows, policies, reporting, badges, and onsite processes.
• Coordinate sponsorship and exhibit fulfillment, floor plans, exhibitor communications, signage, recognition, and onsite needs.
• Coordinate with membership, marketing, education, finance, and association staff to align conference activities with broader client priorities.

Budget & Financial Management

• Develop, manage, and forecast conference budgets with Civica finance staff and client leadership.
• Track registration, exhibit, sponsorship, and other event revenue alongside expenses and commitments.
• Make recommendations balancing attendee experience, client goals, contractual obligations, and financial stewardship.
• Monitor budget-to-actual performance and flag variances early.
• Review and reconcile vendor invoices, hotel master accounts, event expenses, and final financial results.
• Serve as the primary onsite conference lead and oversee event execution.
• Develop staffing plans and assign responsibilities to Civica staff, temporary staff, volunteers, and vendors.
• Lead pre-conference briefings and onsite huddles.
• Manage real-time changes, troubleshoot issues, make sound decisions, and escalation appropriately.
• Maintain a visible, professional, service- oriented presence with clients, attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, venues, and vendors.
• Lead post-conference debriefs and identify improvements for future events.
• Build trusted relationships with association executives, boards, committees, and volunteer leaders while representing Civica as an extension of the client's organization.
• Adapt communication and planning approaches to each association while maintaining consistent professional standards.
• Manage competing deadlines across multiple clients and communicate capacity or priority conflicts early.
• Use Civica's team-based model effectively: own outcomes, delegate clearly, follow up consistently, and create clarity around responsibilities.
• Participate in Civica team meetings, professional development, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrate Civica's values: Accountability, Authenticity, Courage, Fun, Impact, and Collaboration.
• Support proposals, conference assessments, budgeting, presentations, and business development as requested.

Education and Experience

• Minimum 5 years of progressive conference, convention, trade show, or meeting planning experience; association, nonprofit, or AMC experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex, multi-day conferences from planning through onsite execution and closeout.
• Strong knowledge of hotel operations, event contracting, food and beverage, audiovisual/production, room blocks, vendor management, and onsite logistics.
• Experience managing event budgets and understanding association conference revenue and expense drivers.
• Experience with registration, speakers/programming, exhibits, sponsorship fulfillment, and event technology.
• Exceptional project management skills and ability to manage multiple clients, conferences, priorities, and deadlines.
• Strong judgment working with volunteer leaders, boards, committees, staff, and external partners.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfort with event technology, AMS platforms, project-management systems, and Microsoft 365.
• Ability to travel and work extended onsite hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience preferred.
• CMP, CAE, DES, or other relevant credential is a plus.

Skills and Abilities

• Ownership & Accountability: Takes responsibility for the entire conference and team execution.
• Big-Picture + Detail Orientation: Holds the full event strategy while catching details that affect execution.
• Client Leadership: Confidently guides clients and volunteers and makes recommendations.
• Prioritization: Thrives in a multi-client AMC environment and manages competing priorities.
• Financial Acumen: Understands how planning decisions affect conference and association finances.
• Calm Execution: Remains composed, resourceful, and decisive when plans change.
• Collaboration & Delegation: Effectively uses team support while retaining ownership of outcomes.

This is a full-time hybrid position based in the Centennial, Colorado area, combining office/remote planning with travel to client conferences, site visits, and meetings. Travel is approximately 20%, depending on client needs. Conference schedules may require extended onsite hours.

• Generous vacation, flexible hours, and opportunity to telecommute.
• Compensation commensurate with experience.
• Health insurance and company-funded Health Savings Accounts.
• Vision and dental coverage.
• Partial cell phone reimbursement.
• 401(k).
• Up to two industry membership dues paid annually.

Civica Management partners with nonprofit associations to provide association management, conference and event services, membership, finance, operations, marketing, and strategic support. Our team-based AMC model gives clients access to specialized expertise while maintaining a consistent relationship with their Civica team.

Civica is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.