Sr. Planner, Conferences Vendor Partnerships

Gartner, Inc.; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Sales incentive plan

Generous PTO

401k match up to $7,200

Stock purchase program

Job summary

Gartner, Inc. seeks a conference vendor manager to partner with internal teams, define requirements, and identify scalable vendors for Gartner’s conferences.

You will help select vendors by evaluating capabilities, pricing, and risk while coordinating end-to-end contract processes and approvals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or preferred.
• 3+ years in event management or conferences.
• Experience with end-to-end event management.
• Understanding of contract negotiation and procurement lifecycle.
• Experience evaluating vendors, pricing, and vendor risk.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and RFPs.

Responsibilities

• Partner with internal stakeholders to understand business needs.
• Define requirements and identify vendors with scalable capabilities.
• Assist in vendor selection by evaluating capabilities, pricing, and fit.
• Negotiate pricing and terms to minimize risk and maximize value.
• Coordinate end-to-end contract management, timelines, and approvals.
• Build strong internal and external relationships and maintain open communication.
• Support vendor consolidation and optimization of Gartner spend and relationships.
• Contribute to governance and ongoing vendor management improvements.
• Collaborate with onsite planners to collect vendor performance feedback.
• Synthesize data into executive-ready recommendations for leadership.

Skills

Vendor management

Contract negotiation

RFPs

Cost analysis

Relationships building

Project management

Time management

Collaboration

Analytical thinking

Financial management

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Primary Responsibilities

• Partner cross-functionally with internal stakeholders (i.e. logistics, exhibitor operations, financial management and procurement stakeholders) to understand business needs.
• Take the time to understand the business context, market dynamics, and vendor landscape before helping define complex requirements and identify vendors with the scale to support Gartner’s Conferences strategy.
• Support the analysis to aid in the management and selection of the best vendors for our conferences by assessing capabilities, commercial models, service quality, pricing, risks, and strategic fit.
• Abide by Gartner’s contract processes and policies, negotiate vendor pricing and business terms that minimize the risk, improve value, and reflect the operational realities of the relevant market while delivering increased value to the business.
• Coordinate the end-to-end contract management process, driving timelines, deliverables, and approvals to support timely contract execution.
• Develop strong relationships with contacts to ensure high-quality standards are maintained, company expectations are met, and lines of communication are open by listening patiently to different perspectives, and building trust both internally and externally.
• Support global conference services vendor consolidation initiatives by helping streamline the vendor base and identify opportunities to better leverage Gartner’s spend, purchasing power, and vendor relationships.
• Contribute to continuous improvement through ongoing contract governance and vendor management.
• Collaborate with onsite planners and conference teams to gather vendor performance feedback, identify recurring issues, and follow up to ensure practices are adjusted where necessary.
• Gather and synthesize complex business, financial, operational, and vendor data into compelling recommendations and executive materials that facilitate leadership alignment and approval of vendor partnership strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferred 3+ years event management experience incl. end-to-end event management
• Extensive conferences onsite experience
• Basic understanding of contract negotiation, vendor management, and the overall procurement life cycle
• Experience analyzing cost drivers, pricing changes, and scope impacts to support business decisions
• Broad experience managing vendor relationships, preferably including experience with Requests for Proposal (RFPs)
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity, and drive results
• Strong time management skills and ability to multitask - high sense of urgency and prioritization
• Collaborative mindset with an eagerness to build relationships
• Developing project management, problem solving and analytical skills
• Strong financial management skills
• Fully competent in Microsoft office, especially PowerPoint and Excel
• Ability to travel as needed, approx. 10-15% annually domestically & internationally #LI-NK1 #LI-hybrid #conferences

What do we offer?

• A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 55,000 USD - 83,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location.
• In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based, uncapped sales incentive plan. Our talent acquisition team will provide the specific opportunity on our bonus or incentive programs to eligible candidates.
• We also offer market leading benefit programs including generous PTO, a 401k match up to $7,200 per year, the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount, and more.

The policy of Gartner is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status and to seek to advance the principles of equal employment opportunity.

Gartner is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers, including job seekers with disabilities.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the Company’s career webpage as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling Human Resources at [phone] or by sending an email to [e-mail].

At Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT), we guide the leaders who shape the world. Our mission relies on expert analysis and bold ideas to deliver actionable, objective business and technology insights, helping enterprise leaders and their teams succeed with their mission-critical priorities. Since our founding in 1979, we’ve grown to 20,000 associates globally who support over 13,000 client enterprises in ~90 countries and territories. We do important, interesting and substantive work that matters. That’s why we hire associates with the intellectual curiosity, energy and drive to want to make a difference. The bar is unapologetically high. So is the impact you can have here.

What makes Gartner a great place to work? Our vast, virtually untapped market potential offers limitless opportunities – opportunities that may not even exist right now – for you to grow professionally and flourish personally. How far you go is driven by your passion and performance. We hire remarkable people who collaborate and win as a team. Together, our singular, unifying goal is to deliver results for our clients. Our teams are inclusive and composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations. We invest in great leaders who bring out the best in you and the company, enabling us to multiply our impact and results. This is why, year after year, we are recognized worldwide as a great place to work.

Gartner is the world authority on AI At Gartner, you’ll join a company at the very center of the AI revolution. Gartner has proactive, objective guidance throughout clients’ AI journeys. We set the standard for how organizations leverage artificial intelligence to drive meaningful impact. You’ll have access to unmatched resources, expertise, and technology, and play a key role in helping Gartner and our clients innovate and grow as we leverage AI to transform business and technology landscapes. It’s an exciting time to be at Gartner, with limitless opportunities to make a real impact, grow your skills, and build a lasting, meaningful career in a field that’s reshaping the way we operate. If you’re passionate about AI and want to be part of a team that’s guiding the leaders who shape the world, Gartner is the place for you.

In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive — working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring.

At Gartner, we guide the leaders who shape the world.