Sr. Meeting Planner Job Itasca area,Illinois USA,Business

Title

Senior Meeting Planner

Reporting Relationship

Director, Meeting & Travel Services

Basic Function

Manage the meeting services activities and contract negotiations for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Leadership Conference, Advocacy Conference, and all other assigned meetings. Collaborate with the Board of Directors (BOD) and other constituents in the planning and execution of meetings.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead the contracting process for the Leadership and Advocacy Conference, securing favorable terms that mitigate organizational risk and ensure alignment with the AAP strategic and financial interests.

Manage logistics and planning operations for the Leadership Conference and Advocacy Conference, including registration, transportation, offsite events, onsite execution, events, key leadership committees, and other AAP groups.

Provide innovative recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team on leadership meetings to enhance attendee experience.

Prepare budget information for the Leadership Conference and Advocacy Conference as needed for staff planning groups. Reconcile invoices and assist with forecasts and budget projections.

Serve as an active member of cross‑departmental planning teams for Leadership, Advocacy, and other meetings, providing logistical expertise, contributing ideas, and helping guide meeting strategy and execution.

Supervise assigned staff. Encourage a work environment that promotes inclusion and belonging of all staff. Support ongoing staff development, help set objectives and evaluate performance, and promote and enhance staff capacity in skills necessary to achieve goals. Ensure staff operate in a fiscally prudent manner, maintain confidentiality, operate with the highest ethical standards, and provide excellent service to members and volunteers.

Manage the request for proposal process, handle logistics, negotiate contracts, and manage associated risks for all assigned meetings, including Continuing Medical Education courses, grant meetings, and other AAP events.

Assist with other contracting and RFP processes for ancillary hotels for the National Conference & Exhibition.

Serve as primary on‑site AAP representative for assigned AAP meetings.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and other meeting planning professionals (e.g., industry events, professional development opportunities, etc.).

Stay current on industry trends to recommend new/enhanced processes to improve work initiatives and meeting attendee experience.

Assist with National Conference activities as assigned.

Perform all other duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor's degree in hospitality management, communication, business, or related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience required. Professional designation (CMP, CAE) preferred.

Experience

At least four years' related meeting planning experience required, including site selection, contract negotiation, managing meeting specifications, budget management and forecasting, on‑site support, and staff supervisory or team lead experience. Experience working with Board members and within an association preferred.

Essential Skills

Must be detail oriented, able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, work both independently and as part of a team, take initiative, collaborate effectively with various internal and external high‑level constituents, and promote and maintain a positive and cooperative team‑oriented work environment with a commitment to fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and respected. Must have proven leadership skills with the ability to influence others to reach desired outcomes and action steps.

Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiation, diplomacy, critical thinking, problem‑solving, organizational, and project management skills essential. Strong technical acumen essential with proficiency in MS Office and the ability to learn and apply new technologies including the use of AI; experience with event management/registration software (e.g., Cvent), virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Web Ex, Teams), and document collaboration platforms (e.g., SharePoint) preferred. Frequent…