Senior Meetings & Events Manager

NorthStar Association Management; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NorthStar Association Management in Chicago is seeking a Meetings Manager to own end-to-end planning and execution of meetings, conferences, trade shows, and client functions with precision and professionalism.

This role requires 5+ years of event leadership, hands-on venue contracting, budgeting, vendor management, and strong communication. Travel up to 30% may be necessary; CMP preferred, and proficiency in Cvent and Excel is valued.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience planning and executing complex meetings, conferences, trade shows, or association events for multiple clients or stakeholder groups.
• Hands-on experience with hotel and venue contracting, room blocks and pickup reporting, registration, speaker management, audiovisual, food and beverage, furniture and room sets, signage, sponsorships, vendor coordination, and onsite staffing.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent events and clients while meeting deadlines and maintaining visibility into priorities.
• Attention to detail across specifications, vendor orders, budgets, timelines, approvals, and onsite execution.
• Ownership, urgency, organization, follow-through, and risk anticipation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; documenting decisions and status updates; escalating concerns appropriately.
• Strong financial acumen in budgeting, quotes, cost tracking, forecasting, reconciliation, and vendor management.
• Familiarity with Cvent or similar platforms; Excel budgeting and tracking.
• Client-focused, collaborative, and composed; decisive during on-site changes.
• Willingness to travel as required; CMP preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain relationships with assigned clients and understand their goals.
• Define event objectives, budget parameters, approval protocols, decision-makers, and desired outcomes at planning start.
• Communicate feasibility, cost, timing, dependencies, and provide practical recommendations.
• Provide proactive, timely status updates and document decisions in writing.
• Execute events per client specifications with high satisfaction and continuity from planning through post-event follow-up.
• Own end-to-end events from planning to onsite delivery and post-event reporting.
• Develop detailed project plans, critical-path timelines, meeting specifications, production schedules, room sets, staffing plans, decision logs, budget trackers, approval records, and organized shared files.
• Coordinate all event logistics, including hotel RFPs and contracting, registration, room blocks and pickup reporting, speakers, food and beverage, audiovisual, signage, transportation, sponsorships, exhibits, and onsite staffing.
• Establish internal deadlines ahead of contractual and vendor deadlines, track dependencies, verify completion, and elevate delays promptly.
• Develop and manage event budgets; obtain comparable quotes; track commitments in real time; secure approvals before changes.
• Apply disciplined change control by documenting scope changes and updating related plans, specifications, and vendor instructions.
• Research and recommend meeting sites, activities, products, and service options aligned with client objectives; present alternatives with pricing and timing implications.
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts; issue precise written direction; review orders and confirmations; hold vendors accountable.
• Lead onsite execution with pre-event checks, command document, assigned staff, deliverables, and issue resolution.
• Travel as needed for site selection and onsite event management.

Skills

Meetings planning

Vendor management

Budgeting

Contracting

Onsite execution

Client communication

Change management

Documentation

Attention to detail

Travel readiness

Education

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

Tools

Cvent

Excel

Job description

NorthStar Association Management in Chicago is seeking a Meetings Manager to own end-to-end planning and execution of meetings, conferences, trade shows, and client functions with precision and professionalism.

This role requires 5+ years of event leadership, hands-on venue contracting, budgeting, vendor management, and strong communication. Travel up to 30% may be necessary; CMP preferred, and proficiency in Cvent and Excel is valued.