Manager, Conferences and Events

GMAC; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

GMAC looks for a Manager of Conferences and Events to oversee global conferences, events, and webinars for graduate management professionals. You will collaborate with leadership to deliver professional development, training, and networking opportunities supporting organizational goals.

The role focuses on managing conferences end-to-end, developing attendee pipelines, and pursuing growth opportunities while driving operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, event planning, or related field; or equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.
• 3-5 years’ conference or professional development experience.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally; average ~30 days travel annually.
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize the end-to-end participant experience and customer service lifecycle, including registration processes and service standards.
• Oversee event registration processes and attendee-facing systems across conferences and events programs.
• Lead integrated marketing, communications, and promotional strategies for conferences and events.
• Apply marketing best practices, including audience segmentation and content creation, for outreach.
• Optimize SEO/SEM, web content, and lead generation; measure campaign performance.

Job description

Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC™) is a mission-driven organization, with a vision to be the global leader in ensuring every talented person can benefit from the best business education for them. The organization’s priority is to heighten its impact in promoting graduate management education and attracting a qualified and diverse candidate pool from around the world.

The Manager, Conferences and Events oversees and is responsible for key aspects of GMAC’s global conferences, events, and webinars for graduate management business school professionals. In partnership with the Director, Conference and Events the role supports delivery of a portfolio of professional development, training, and networking opportunities that advance school engagement and organizational goals.

The role is responsible for delivering timely and sustainable results in the following key areas:

• Managing assigned conferences and events end to end, to include planning, execution, and post-event evaluation.
• Developing and managing the Conferences and Events participant pipeline through data-driven engagement, recruitment, retention, and conversion strategies that support program growth and success.
• Supporting the strategic objectives of the Conferences and Events function by pursuing growth opportunities, recommending enhancements, and driving operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and optimize the end-to-end participant experience and customer service lifecycle, including registration processes, customer support frameworks, and service standards to enhance engagement and satisfaction.
• Oversee the development and management of event registration processes and attendee-facing systems across conferences and events programs, ensuring consistent, engaging, and user-centered experience.
• Lead the development and execution of integrated marketing, communications, and promotional strategies for conferences, events, and professional development programs, ensuring alignment with organizational messaging, audience needs, and business objectives.
• Apply marketing and promotional best practices to drive awareness, engagement, and participation, including audience segmentation and persona development, channel strategy, audience-centric content creation, and digital marketing.
• Optimize SEO and SEM performance, web content, and user experience; manage lead generation and campaign performance measurement, applying continuous optimization based on data-driven insights.
• Manage end-to-end operational planning and logistics for assigned conferences and events (virtual or in-person), including registration and marketing management, educational programming delivery, technology and audiovisual coordination, catering, attendee communications, vendor management, etc.
• Collaborate with the Director, Conferences & Events, volunteers, subject matter experts, internal stakeholders, and external vendors to develop high-quality conference and event programming (virtual or in-person); moderate programming as necessary.
• Develop and execute attendee engagement strategies that leverage digital conference applications and interactive experiences to maximize participation, satisfaction, and overall event impact.
• Establish, monitor, and drive achievement of key performance indicators for conferences and events’ marketing initiatives and participant engagement; develop action plans based on performance outcomes.
• Evaluate, recommend, and implement AI-driven solutions that streamline processes, improve decision-making, enhance stakeholder experience, and increase the effectiveness of marketing, event, and business operations.
• Partner with the Director, Sales and Business Development to develop and execute conference sponsorship and exhibitor plans that support revenue and engagement goals. Oversee all sponsor and exhibitor fulfillment activities, including contract implementation, registration and payment processing, logistics coordination, stakeholder communications, and onsite service delivery to ensure a seamless and high-quality experience.
• Collaborate with the Finance Department to ensure the timely collection and reconciliation of conference and event registration revenue.
• Partner with the Director, Conferences & Events to develop annual business plans, and growth initiatives that advance departmental and organizational goals.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on conference and event technology platforms and business systems, driving effective utilization, integration, and optimization of tools including Cvent, GSA, Trello, SharePoint, Power BI, Zoom, and related systems to support program objectives.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, event planning, or related field; or equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.
• 3-5 years’ conference or professional development experience.
• Ability to travel, both domestically and internationally, independently or with team members, to deliver events as assigned; Average of thirty (30) days travel annually.
• Ability to adapt priorities in response to shifting demand, resource constraints, and/or operational challenges.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional projects and managing multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Exceptional organizational, project planning, presentation, and time management skills.
• Ability to prioritize work to resolve operational or departmental issues.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and in a team setting, and across external and internal stakeholder groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Strong attention to detail, with a keen focus on quality.
• Proficiency with MS Office (i.e., strong Excel and PowerPoint).
• Strong analytical and multitasking capabilities.
• Ability to work in-office and remotely according to GMAC’s hybrid work environment.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Desired Skills/Experience

• Event marketing experience.
• Knowledge of current marketing and promotional trends, strategies, and best practices.
• Conference planning experience.
• AI tools and implementation experience.

Experience working with international colleagues and stakeholders.

Pay Range

$82,000 to $105,000 annually, commensurate with relevant skills, experience, and qualifications

FLSA Status

Exempt

Report To

Director, Conferences & Events

GMAC’s value proposition offers our talented employees the ideal climate for innovation, and colleagues who are motivated and proactive, with diverse backgrounds and approaches. As a global organization, we understand and appreciate the benefits of myriad cultural perspectives. GMAC is wholly committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse group of talented people, and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.