Manager, Events

ACS; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Paid holidays

Health insurance

Flexible spending account

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement benefits

4-week work from anywhere

Job summary

ACS is seeking a Manager of Events to oversee logistics for a high volume of meetings and conferences in Washington, DC. You will lead project planning, budgeting, and vendor management, coordinating marketing and housing, and ensuring successful onsite execution.

You will manage a small team, develop SOPs, and provide strategic support to the department, including volunteer coordination and executive communications. This hybrid role requires travel and after-hours coverage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (required); may have an advanced degree or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of demonstrated meeting/event planning experience.
• 5+ years of direct management experience.
• Certification: CMP, CMM, CEM, or other Meeting Industry certifications preferred.
• Experience in an association environment is preferred.
• Technical proficiency in project management tools (Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet), registration platforms (Cvent, Maritz), event apps (Swapcard), MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Zoom and Teams.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with department leadership to develop, communicate, and execute event strategies across multiple concurrent meetings and events.
• Provide operational oversight and project management for departmental and organizational goals, including timelines, planning meetings with clients and partners, and ensuring priorities are understood and executed.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Program management

Customer service

Detail-oriented

Strategic planning

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Asana

Monday.com

Smartsheet

Cvent

Maritz

Swapcard

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat

Zoom

Teams

Job description

Division Overview

The mission of the ACS is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. The strategic objectives of the Department of Events, Meetings, and Expositions reflect the responsiveness of the Division in fulfilling the vision, mission, and values of ACS and meeting the needs of the changing chemistry enterprise.

This position reports to the Assistant Director of Events and is responsible for managing logistics for events while supporting a high volume of concurrent meetings and events. The Manager, Events, will oversee and facilitate all aspects of meeting planning: project management; logistical management; financial management; conduct location and venue RFPs, site selection, and site visits; create and manage vendor RFP process, negotiation, contracting, and vendor communication; coordinate and manage event registration creation (in conjunction with registration staff); coordinate marketing (in conjunction with marketing staff); provide housing management; provide onsite staffing and logistical management; and create detailed post-event reports. In addition, this position will provide operational and strategic support for the department, including budgeting, creating and updating standard operating procedures, supporting volunteer leaders with strategic planning, and helping ensure teams understand and implement event strategies effectively.

Essential Job Duties

• Coordinate with department leadership to develop, communicate, and execute event strategies across multiple concurrent meetings and events
• Provide operational oversight and project management for departmental and organizational goals, including creating and managing production timelines, conducting planning meetings with clients and partners, and ensuring teams understand priorities, strategy, and execution plans

• Manage finances of projects including creating and managing meeting budgets and financial reports and tracking
• Review and update standard operating procedures for department

• Manage and provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and performance support for a team of up to four direct reports

• Provide logistical management in all areas of event planning including registration, housing, etc. preshow and onsite for events.
• Manage RFPs, selection, and contract negotiations for sites and vendors in several areas including: general services contractors, audio visual, catering, shipping, and other vendors as required. Act as main point of contact for all vendors to ensure work is completed
• Coordinate with the marketing department to create, review, and send event marketing materials including emails, program books, ads, websites, and mobile apps

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (required); may have an advanced degree or equivalent experience
• 8+ Years of demonstrated meeting/event planning experience.

• 5+ years of direct management experience required.

• Extensive knowledge of hospitality industry, specific to conference planning and execution. Excellent knowledge of industry best practices, procedures, and principles.
• Certification: CMP, CMM, CEM, or other Meeting Industry certifications preferred.
• Experience in an association environment is preferred.
• Technical Proficiency:Proficient in the use of project management tool(s) (Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet), Registration platforms (Cvent, Maritz preferred), event mobile apps (Swapcard preferred), Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), Adobe Acrobat, Zoom and Teams.

• Skills:Solid leadership, communication, and program management skills with the ability to successfully mobilize diverse resources and effectively manage complex projects simultaneously. Customer service focused, detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and juggle several concurrent meetings and events. Able to think strategically beyond logistics management by translating event strategies into clear plans, aligning teams around priorities, and ensuring successful implementation. Proficient in multi-tasking, organizing, managing, and tracking multiple projects on schedule. Support volunteer leaders with strategic planning for the organization.

• Possess critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrate change champion attributes. Essential qualities include organized, critical thinking, time management, strategic, collaborative, flexible, adaptable, and political approaches.
• Ability to work nights and weekends for successful execution of events. Ability to move about to accomplish tasks for many hours a day during events. Ability to lift 25 lbs. and work extended days during events
• Perform other duties as assigned by management
• Approximately 25% travel

This role is based in our Washington, DC office. ACS employees work a hybrid schedule, consisting of working onsite two days per work week, as decided by functional area. The balance of the week is open to working remotely, though employees are always welcome onsite each day if they choose.

A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $110,000 – $120,000 per year.

ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location.

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.