Conference Planner, Exhibit Operations

Gartner; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Gartner is seeking a Conferences Planner to oversee exhibitor operations, service delivery and sponsorship fulfillment for North American destination conferences. You will lead on-site delivery, manage schedules, inventories and partner relations to ensure superior exhibitor experiences.

Ideal candidates bring 1–3+ years in event management, strong budgeting skills and the ability to manage complex programs with multiple stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• 1-3+ years in Event Management, Experiential Marketing, Event Marketing or Tradeshow Management.
• Proven event operational skills incl. production schedules, budget management and event staffing.
• PM experience on detailed programs with multiple variables and dependencies.
• Experience managing agency and vendor partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills, esp. with senior professionals and cross-functionally.
• Creative, innovative and strategic thinker with attention to detail.
• Strong financial management skills.
• Motivated team player eager to learn and grow.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including presentation skills.
• Effective problem solving, time management and organization.
• Ability to adapt and manage change for continuous improvement.
• Passionate approach to delivering exceptional results.
• Ability to thrive in high pressure situations.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational delivery of exhibitor elements across multiple B2B conferences, including project management, floor plan management, forecasting, budgeting and reconciliation, staff planning and production scheduling.
• Develop, maintain and improve exhibit floor plans to maximize revenue and engagement.
• Manage conference budgets with responsibility for all exhibitor fulfillment costs; produce monthly forecasts and manage expenses.
• Attend conferences as onsite lead for exhibit delivery, coordinating production schedules, agency partners, vendors and staff.
• Develop and maintain exhibit inventory related to show floor, sessions and other marketing opportunities.
• Analyze data to determine best actions for conference elements.
• Maintain an online portal with all exhibitor logistics for optimal client experience.
• Anticipate client requests and deliver high-value service to drive exhibitor retention.
• Liaise with conference partners and teams to ensure successful execution and build strong partnerships.
• Strive for operational excellence and process efficiencies across conference delivery.
• Develop understanding of Gartner’s conference business and value propositions for attendees and exhibitors.
• Standardize processes, project management and best practices in planning and onsite execution.
• Develop innovative approaches to team management, engagement strategies and execution.

Skills

Project management

Budget management

Vendor management

Staff planning

Production scheduling

Data analysis

Relationship building

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Problem solving

Time management

Change management

Exhibit operations

Education

Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Job description

This is a Conferences Planner position with responsibility over exhibit operations, service delivery and sponsorship fulfillment for Gartner’s destination conferences in the North American region. Responsibilities include the development, management and execution of various conference elements relating to exhibits and sponsorships.

What you will do

• Lead operational delivery of all exhibitor elements across multiple B2B conferences including project management, floor plan management, financial management (forecasting, budgeting and reconciliation), staff planning and production scheduling.
• Develop, maintain and improve exhibit floor plans to maximize revenue opportunities and engagement.
• Manage conference budgets with direct responsibility for all costs associated with exhibitor fulfillment and delivery; produce accurate monthly forecasts and manage expenses effectively.
• Attend conferences as the onsite lead for exhibit delivery including managing the production schedule, agency partners, vendors and conference staff.
• Develop and maintain exhibit inventory as it relates to the show floor, speaking sessions and other marketing opportunities.
• Analyze data to determine best course of action on various conference elements.
• Manage and maintain an online portal that holds all logistical information and details for exhibitors ensuring best possible experience for clients.
• Anticipate and react to client requests with a service focus that delivers exceedingly high value to drive exhibitor retention.
• Liaise with key conference partners and team members (internal and external) to ensure successful conference execution; build and maintain good relationships by establishing trust and strong partnerships.
• Achieve operational excellence and process efficiencies across all aspects of the conference delivery.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of Gartner’s conference business including the value proposition of each conference for attendees and exhibitors and the value proposition of each exhibitor product.
• Standardized operational processes, project management and best practices both in the planning and onsite execution stages of conference production and delivery.
• Develop an innovative and creative approach to all aspects of the role – team management, engagement strategy and operational execution.

What you will need

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• 1-3+ Years Event Management, Experiential Marketing, Event Marketing and/or Tradeshow Management
• Proven event operational skills including production schedules, budget management and event staffing
• Project management experience on detailed programs with multiple variables and dependencies
• Proven experience in managing agency and vendor partners
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills especially with senior level professionals, cross-functionally and with agency partners
• Creative, innovative and strategic thinker with a strong attention to detail
• Strong financial management skills
• Motivated team player with desire to learn and grow
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including excellent presentation skills
• Effective problem solving, time management and organization skills
• Demonstrated ability to adapt, implement and manage change and strive for continuous improvement
• Passionate approach/methodology to deliver exceptional results
• Ability to thrive in high pressure situations

Who are we

At Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT), we guide the leaders who shape the world.

Our mission relies on expert analysis and bold ideas to deliver actionable, objective business and technology insights, helping enterprise leaders and their teams succeed with their mission‑critical priorities.

Since our founding in 1979, we’ve grown to 20,000 associates globally who support over 13,000 client enterprises in ~90 countries and territories. We do important, interesting and substantive work that matters. That’s why we hire associates with the intellectual curiosity, energy and drive to want to make a difference. The bar is unapologetically high. So is the impact you can have here.

What makes Gartner a great place to work

Our vast, virtually untapped market potential offers limitless opportunities - opportunities that may not even exist right now - for you to grow professionally and flourish personally. How far you go is driven by your passion and performance.

We hire remarkable people who collaborate and win as a team. Together, our singular, unifying goal is to deliver results for our clients.

Our teams are inclusive and composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations.

We invest in great leaders who bring out the best in you and the company, enabling us to multiply our impact and results. This is why, year after year, we are recognized worldwide as a great place to work.

Gartner is the world authority on AI

At Gartner, you’ll join a company at the very center of the AI revolution. Gartner has proactive, objective guidance throughout clients’ AI journeys. We set the standard for how organizations leverage artificial intelligence to drive meaningful impact. You’ll have access to unmatched resources, expertise, and technology, and play a key role in helping Gartner and our clients innovate and grow as we leverage AI to transform business and technology landscapes.

It’s an exciting time to be at Gartner, with limitless opportunities to make a real impact, grow your skills, and build a lasting, meaningful career in a field that’s reshaping the way we operate. If you’re passionate about AI and want to be part of a team that’s guiding the leaders who shape the world, Gartner is the place for you.

What do we offer

Gartner offers world-class benefits, highly competitive compensation and disproportionate rewards for top performers.

In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive - working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring.

Gartner believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 50,000 USD - 74,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role‑based, uncapped sales incentive plan. Our talent acquisition team will provide the specific opportunity on our bonus or incentive programs to eligible candidates. We also offer market leading benefit programs including generous PTO, a 401k match up to $7,200 per year, the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount, and more.

The policy of Gartner is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status and to seek to advance the principles of equal employment opportunity.

Gartner is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers, including job seekers with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the Company’s career webpage as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling Human Resources at [phone] or by sending an email to [e-mail].