Meeting Planning & Hospitality Specialist

William Blair; Chicago (IL); Sur place; USD 80 000 - 95 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

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

Résumé du poste

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%

Responsabilités

• 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

Connaissances

Project management

Communication

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Formation

Bachelor’s Degree

Hospitality Management degree preferred

Outils

CVENT

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Loop

Copilot

Description du poste

Solutions for Today’s Challenges. Vision for Tomorrow’s Opportunities.

Join William Blair, the Premier Global Partnership.

The Meeting Planning & Hospitality Specialist will plan mid-to-large-scale meetings, conferences, summits, and events from initial concept through completion. Source and negotiate contracts with external vendors including hotels, restaurants, destination management companies, activity vendors, and ground transportation. Partner closely with internal colleagues, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality meetings and events.

Responsibilities Include But May Not Be Limited To

• Plan and execute mid-to-large-scale meetings, conferences, summits, and events from the initial planning kickoff through execution and post-event completion.
• Source, negotiate, and manage contracts with hotels, restaurants, venues, destination management companies, transportation providers and other event-related vendors.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders by providing recommendations on venues, destinations, and hospitality industry expertise.
• Manage all event logistics, including budgeting, food and beverage, transportation, hotel room blocks, meeting space, décor, and audiovisual requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and global sales contacts while ensuring high service standards, cost efficiency, and contract compliance.
• Collaborate with business units, Brand Marketing & Communications, and cross-functional teams to understand event objectives and deliver successful outcomes.
• Anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Additional responsibilities as requested.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Hospitality Management degree preferred
• 3-5 years of corporate meeting and/or event planning experience required, including sourcing and negotiating hotel, restaurant and venue 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
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and proactive approach
• 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%

A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range at time of posting is below. Base salary does not include other forms of compensation or benefits. Actual base salary within the specified range is based on several factors, including but not limited to applicant's skills, prior relevant experience, specific degrees and certifications, job responsibilities, market considerations and, if applicable, the location of the position.

This role is eligible for either a discretionary annual bonus (based on company, business unit and individual performance) and/or commission-based incentives.

Our featured benefit offerings include medical, dental and vision coverage, employer paid short & long-term disability and life insurance, 401(k), profit sharing, paid time off, Maven family & fertility benefit, parental leave (including adoption, surrogacy, and foster placement), as well as other voluntary benefits.

Salary Range

$80,000—$95,000 USD

About Our Firm

William Blair strives to attract qualified candidates who specialize in investment banking, investment management, private wealth management, and other strategic resource groups. We are committed to empowering our colleagues to deliver client success and engage in our communities. Our firm has delivered trusted advice for nine decades, continuing to deepen our expertise and relationships across asset classes and markets throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. We provide advisory services, strategies, and solutions to meet clients’ evolving needs amid dynamic market conditions and varying industries. What sets us apart is that we are an independent partnership, with colleagues who have unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. We empower our people to bring their best thinking so we can deliver the tailored, thoughtful work and problem-solving abilities that our clients expect. We invite you to learn more about us by visiting williamblair.com.

William Blair is an equal opportunity employer. It complies with all laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in employment practice because of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, marital status, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military service or on the basis of a physical or mental disability that is unrelated to the employee's ability to perform the duties of the job applied for. EOE m/f/d/v

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