Meeting & Event Planner

Conagra Brands; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Bonus opportunity

401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Conagra Brands in Chicago, IL is seeking an experienced events leader to plan and execute customer meetings, trade shows, industry conferences, and our National Sales Meeting. You will oversee venue sourcing, contracts, budgets, logistics, and onsite execution to deliver standout experiences aligned with business objectives.

You will partner across Sales, Marketing, Brand, Culinary, and other teams, building programs that showcase our portfolio and innovations while driving cost efficiencies and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5+ years of experience planning customer-facing events, trade shows, industry conferences, or large-scale sales meetings.
• Proven success managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with demonstrated success building and maintaining relationships across all levels of an organization.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting expenses, negotiating contracts, and overseeing vendor partnerships.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, organization, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of customer meetings, trade shows, and industry conferences from concept through completion.
• Support the strategy, planning, and delivery of our annual National Sales Meeting.
• Coordinate event communications, branding, attendee management, registration, travel logistics, meeting content, and onsite operations.
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Brand, Culinary, and other internal teams to create engaging customer experiences aligned with business objectives.
• Develop event programs that elevate the Conagra Brands portfolio, showcase innovation, and support organizational goals.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, suppliers, venues, and exhibitors.
• Manage event budgets, forecast expenses, identify cost efficiencies, and ensure financial objectives are met.
• Evaluate vendor performance across cost, quality, service, risk, and delivery metrics.
• Anticipate challenges, proactively solve issues, and influence stakeholders to deliver successful event outcomes.
• Oversee event inventory and storage, including signage, displays, promotional materials, and event assets.
• Measure event effectiveness, analyze results, and recommend improvements to enhance future programs.
• Travel up to 10-15%; provide onsite support during occasional evenings and weekends as business needs require.

Skills

Event planning

Budget management

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Reporting to the Manager, Meeting & Event Planning within our Customer Leadership Organization (Sales), you will lead the planning and execution of customer meetings, trade shows, industry conferences, and our annual National Sales Meeting. You will manage the full event lifecycle including venue sourcing, contract negotiation, budget management, logistics, communication strategies, and onsite execution to deliver exceptional experiences that support business objectives.

A Taste of Your Responsibilities

Lead the planning and execution of customer meetings, trade shows, and industry conferences from concept through completion. Support the strategy, planning, and delivery of our annual National Sales Meeting. Coordinate event communications, branding, attendee management, registration, travel logistics, meeting content, and onsite operations. Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Brand, Culinary, and other internal teams to create engaging customer experiences aligned with business objectives. Develop event programs that elevate the Conagra Brands portfolio, showcase innovation, and support organizational goals. Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, suppliers, venues, and exhibitors. Manage event budgets, forecast expenses, identify cost efficiencies, and ensure financial objectives are met. Evaluate vendor performance across cost, quality, service, risk, and delivery metrics. Anticipate challenges, proactively solve issues, and influence stakeholders to deliver successful event outcomes. Oversee event inventory and storage, including signage, displays, promotional materials, and event assets. Measure event effectiveness, analyze results, and recommend improvements to enhance future programs. Travel up to 10-15%; provide onsite support during occasional evenings and weekends as business needs require.

Ingredients Required for Your Success

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5+ years of experience planning customer-facing events, trade shows, industry conferences, or large-scale sales meetings.
• Proven success managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong customer service orientation with demonstrated success building and maintaining relationships across all levels of an organization.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting expenses, negotiating contracts, and overseeing vendor partnerships.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, organization, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Number of Days in Office: 4 #LI-Hybrid #LI-HL1 #LI-MSL

Compensation Pay Range

Pay Range:$82,000-$120,000 The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee's actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees' equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees.

Our Benefits

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role:

• Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement
• Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan
• Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement
• Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities

Our Company

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions - within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye, Slim Jim and Reddi-Wip. Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.

At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions - within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye, Slim Jim and Reddi-Wip. Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome.

Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.