Meetings Manager

Strategic Association Management; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Association Management (SAM) in Texas is seeking a Meetings Manager to lead planning and execution of conferences, meetings, and events for mission-driven associations. The role requires hands-on budgeting, vendor management, and onsite coordination.

You will collaborate with clients, volunteer leaders, and staff to deliver high-quality experiences, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimize attendee satisfaction across in-person and virtual formats.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience planning and managing meetings, conferences, and events.
• Experience managing multi-day in-person events from start to finish.
• Strong budgeting, timelines, vendor relations, and logistics skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with internal teams, clients, and partners.
• Proactive problem-solving, risk elevation, and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, and execution of in-person and virtual meetings, conferences, and events.
• Align event strategy with goals, budgets, and attendee expectations.
• Develop budgets, specifications, and running schedules for events.
• Coordinate venue, AV, F&B, transportation, signage, and staffing.
• Oversee safety, contingency planning, and onsite operations.
• Collaborate with teams on event marketing and attendee communications.
• Manage registrations platforms, websites, and event tech.

Skills

Meeting planning

Budgeting

Vendor management

Project management

Onsite execution

Communication

Travel coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree

CMP/CAE certifications

Tools

Asana

Passkey

Event registration systems

Job description

Are you a collaborative and detail-oriented professional who enjoys creating meaningful experiences that support mission-driven organizations? Strategic Association Management (SAM) is seeking a Meetings Manager to lead the planning and execution of conferences, meetings, and events for a diverse portfolio of mission-driven associations.

As a Meetings Manager, you'll take ownership of the event planning process - from developing budgets and negotiating contracts to coordinating logistics and leading onsite execution. You'll work closely with clients, volunteer leaders, vendors, and SAM's collaborative team of professionals to deliver successful events that advance each association's goals.

This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, self-motivated, and thrives on variety in a fast-paced environment. The Meetings Manager is a proactive problem-solver who can manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

JOB TITLE: Meetings Manager

SALARY RANGE: $55,000 - $71,000

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Director of Meetings & Events

LOCATION: Texas

Primary Responsibilities of the Position

• Lead the planning, design, and execution of in-person and virtual meetings, conferences, and events.
• Align event strategy and execution with association goals, budgets, and attendee expectations.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive event specifications and running schedules.
• Coordinate meeting space, audiovisual production, food and beverage, transportation, signage, and staffing.
• Oversee event safety, contingency planning, and onsite operations.
• Collaborate with internal teams on event marketing and attendee communications.
• Coordinate event information across registration platforms, websites, mobile applications, and other event technologies.

Project and Financial Management

• Utilize Asana to manage event planning and execution.
• Maintain accurate timelines, tasks, assignments, and deadlines.
• Proactively communicate progress, anticipate challenges, elevate risks, and ensure projects stay on track.
• Develop and manage event budgets, monitoring revenue, expenses, and financial commitments.
• Identify budget variances and recommend corrective actions to maintain financial goals.

RFPs, Contracting & Vendor Management

• Manage venue sourcing, RFPs, proposal evaluations, and contract negotiations using SAM's established processes.
• Secure favorable agreements while managing financial and operational risks.
• Build and maintain vendor relationships, ensuring contractual obligations and service expectations are met.

Attendee Experience & Key Group Engagement

• Collaborate with volunteer Boards and committees to plan and execute programming and attendee engagement opportunities.
• Manage registration, housing, and attendee services.
• Coordinate the needs of speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and VIPs to create meaningful experiences for all key groups.

Team Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead event teams, coordinate planning meetings, and build strong relationships with association leaders, volunteers, and partners.
• Take ownership of applying SAM's established processes to ensure accurate documentation, timely completion, and consistent execution.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, collaboration, and event outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience planning and managing meetings, conferences, and/or events, including multi-day, in-person events.
• Hands-on experience managing events from start to finish, including planning, budgeting, vendor coordination, onsite execution, and post-event evaluation.
• Skilled in developing and managing event budgets, timelines, vendor relationships, and logistical requirements.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to balance multiple events, deadlines, and client priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to establish clear expectations, provide proactive updates, and collaborate effectively with internal teams, clients, and external partners.
• Effective problem-solving skills with sound judgment, and the ability to anticipate challenges, adapt to changing circumstances, and identify practical solutions.
• Capable of working independently and collaboratively across shared teams while navigating competing priorities and varying leadership styles.
• Proficiency with event registration systems and mobile event applications (Passkey experience preferred).
• Willingness to travel for multi-day events, including occasional evenings, weekends, and meetings outside standard business hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in hospitality, event management, business administration, or a related field.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Association Executive (CAE), or another relevant industry certification.
• Experience working with professional associations, trade associations, nonprofits, or association management companies.
• Experience working in agency-style or multi-client environments.
• Experience planning and managing large-scale, multi-day events with 1,000 or more attendees.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with Mac OS (SAM is a Mac environment).

Why Work at SAM?

At SAM, our work is driven by the missions of the organizations we serve and the people who make that work possible. We believe that creating meaningful experiences for our clients starts with creating a positive, supportive, and engaging experience for our employees.

Our five core values -Build Trust, Seek Clarity, Stay Curious, Practice Empathy, and Champion Growth- guide how we work together, solve problems, and support each other.

As a member of the SAM team, you'll have opportunities to:

• Make a meaningful impact: Support associations whose work advances their industries, professions, and communities.
• Experience variety: Work with different organizations, stakeholders, and event types, bringing new challenges and opportunities to grow.
• Collaborate across disciplines: Partner with talented colleagues who bring different perspectives and expertise.
• Continue growing: Develop your professional skills through meaningful work, feedback, and learning opportunities.
• Be part of a people-centered culture: Work for an organization that values employee well-being, connection, recognition, and belonging.

SAM's comprehensive Total Rewards program reflects our commitment to creating a meaningful and supportive employee experience. Beyond traditional compensation and benefits, our program includes incentives, resources, and opportunities across seven key areas: Compensation, Benefits, Well-Being, Development and Support, Community Impact, Work Environment and Resources, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Strategic Association Management (SAM) is an association management company (AMC) providing professional management services for a diverse array of organizations. An AMC provides creative staffing, strategic and administrative solutions for association and non-profit organizations. At SAM, a team of experienced professionals takes care of day-to-day operations-increasing efficiency and enabling scalability-so volunteers are empowered to pursue their organization's mission. Through long‑term partnerships, our clients experience organizational sustainability, growth and, ultimately, transformation.

SAM will provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, citizenship status, age, religion, disability, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.