Senior Manager, Conference and Events

Senior Manager, Conference and Events – Ontario Dental Association (ODA)

Join to apply for the Senior Manager, Conference and Events role at Ontario Dental Association (ODA).

The Ontario Dental Association (ODA) is seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Manager, Conference & Events to implement and help lead one of Canada’s largest health professional conference portfolios, including the Annual Spring Meeting (ASM) — Canada’s premier dental conference. With over 12,000 attendees and hundreds of exhibitors, the ASM is both a flagship member benefit and a vital revenue generator for the ODA.

The Ontario Dental Association represents over 90% of the dentists in Ontario.

• Promote the highest standards of dental care.
• Work with governments, the private sector, and other health‑care professionals.
• Advocate on public policies that affect the practice of dentistry and the oral health of people in Ontario.
• Provide trusted lifelong learning and professional development for members and their teams.
• Raise public awareness of how important oral hygiene is and its connection to overall health.
• Provide our member‑dentists with programs, services, and products to support their role as leaders of the oral health care team.

As Senior Manager, Conference & Events, you are responsible for working with a team to ensure the successful delivery and ongoing development of ODA’s event portfolio in the following six areas.

• Planning, development, and execution of the ASM and other ODA events.
• Work with a team to execute efficiently and effectively in all event areas including program development, logistics, production, registration, speaker management, sponsor ships, exhibits, marketing, food and beverage, and vendor relationships.
• Ensure flawless delivery of high‑profile conferences that uphold ODA’s reputation and member trust.
• Manage multi‑million‑dollar event budgets in alignment with approved strategies and oversight frameworks; ensure financial accountability, transparency, and value delivery.
• Negotiate contracts with venues, suppliers, and vendors; identify, assess, and mitigate event‑related risks.
• Establish clear operating plans, timelines, and playbooks; lead cross‑functional readiness reviews.
• Coach, manage, and work alongside internal event professionals and temporary staff, fostering collaboration, professional development, and high performance while remaining actively engaged in hands‑on execution.
• Engage, advise, and inspire volunteers, committees, and advisory groups who contribute to ODA events.

• Build and maintain strong, long‑term relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, partners, and broader dental industry.
• Develop and implement innovative sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor experiences that deliver measurable ROI.
• Implement an integrated event‑tech stack (registration, mobile app, speaker management, scouting, exhibits management, contract management, analytics) and automate high‑volume workflows.
• Repurpose content and extend engagement year‑round (digital sessions, on‑demand CE, highlights).
• Partner with Education, Communications, Membership, Advocacy and Component Society Relations to ensure events amplify organizational objectives.
• Contribute to positioning ASM and other events as effective platforms for member engagement, education, advocacy, and visibility.

• Undergraduate degree or College degree in business, event/hospitality management, communications, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in large‑scale conference, trade show, and event management.
• 5+ years demonstrated people‑management experience (hiring, work planning, coaching, performance management, and building a healthy team culture).
• Proven success managing multi‑million‑dollar budgets including forecasting, revenue strategies (sponsor ships, exhibits, ticketing) and reporting, complex logistics, risk, and vendor negotiations.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with a track record of building engaged high‑performing…