Global Meeting Planner & Hospitality Specialist

William Blair; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Employer paid short & long-term-disabi

Life insurance

401(k) and profit sharing

Paid time off

Parental leave

Maven family & fertility benefits

Job summary

William Blair is seeking a Meeting Planning & Hospitality Specialist in Chicago to plan and execute mid-to-large-scale meetings and events from concept to completion. The role sources and negotiates contracts with hotels, venues, and transportation providers while partnering with internal teams to achieve objectives.

You will manage budgets, logistics, and AV needs, advising stakeholders on venues and industry trends, and travel up to 10%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Hospitality Management degree preferred
• 3–5 years of corporate meeting and/or event planning experience, including sourcing and negotiating contracts
• Strong project management, organizational, and multitasking skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong client-service mindset
• Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and deliver high-quality results
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Loop, and Copilot
• Experience with CVENT or similar meeting management platforms preferred
• Flexibility to work occasional early morning or evening event-related hours
• Ability to travel up to 10%

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute mid-to-large-scale meetings, conferences, summits, and events from kickoff through completion
• Source, negotiate, and manage contracts with hotels, restaurants, venues, and transportation providers
• Advise internal stakeholders on venues, destinations, and hospitality industry trends
• Manage budgets, food and beverage, transportation, room blocks, meeting space, décor, and AV requirements
• Build and maintain relationships with vendors and global sales contacts for cost efficiency and compliance
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand objectives and deliver successful outcomes
• Anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and adapt in a fast-paced environment

Skills

Project management

Communication

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Hospitality Management degree preferred

Tools

CVENT

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Loop

Copilot

Job description

William Blair is seeking a Meeting Planning & Hospitality Specialist in Chicago to plan and execute mid-to-large-scale meetings and events from concept to completion. The role sources and negotiates contracts with hotels, venues, and transportation providers while partnering with internal teams to achieve objectives.

You will manage budgets, logistics, and AV needs, advising stakeholders on venues and industry trends, and travel up to 10%.