Meeting and Education Specialist

Position Summary:

The Meeting & Education Specialist plays a key role in supporting the planning of NWRPCA’s education portfolio. They are responsible for leading the coordination and facilitating the execution of NWRPCA's conferences, educational programs, and strategic events that support the organization's mission and member engagement

This position leads the project management of all logistical and operational aspects of in-person, virtual, and hybrid conferences, educational webinars, training series, meetings, and other professional development activities. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, conference planning and execution; budget development and management; vendor sourcing and contract management; venue coordination; conference theme development; abstract solicitation and peer review coordination; speaker recruitment, contracting, and scheduling;

continuing education coordination; registration management; cross-functional collaboration with internal teams; marketing content coordination; and on-site event management.

The successful candidate will be a highly organized, collaborative, and proactive self-starter who takes initiative, exercises sound judgment, anticipates needs, and independently manages multiple priorities while delivering exceptional conferences, virtual programs, educational programs, and member experiences.

• Problem-solving
• Effective and Persuasive Communicator
• Analyzing work processes and outcomes
• Demonstrate creativity and innovation

• Assist in the planning and Lead the coordination and execution of NWRPCA's educational programs, webinars, virtual learning experiences, workshops, meetings, and regional conferences using established project management methodologies and the Learning Management System (LMS).
• Develop and manage project timelines, work plans, budgets, committee coordination, abstract management, speaker engagement, registration, payment processing and event deliverables.
• Serve as the primary operational lead during conferences, meetings and events by managing the execution, coordinating staff, volunteers, vendors, presenters, moderators, and venue personnel.
• Stay current with industry trends, adult learning best practices, meeting and event management practices, educational technologies, accessibility standards, and continuing education requirements through professional development and active participation in industry organizations.

• Lead venue, hotel, and technology procurement activities, including competitive bidding, site selection, contract negotiation, vendor management, and management of conference technology platforms, registration systems, event applications, and related educational technologies.
• Serve as the primary operational lead during conferences, meetings, and virtual events by managing event execution, coordinating staff, volunteers, vendors, presenters, moderators, and venue personnel, developing production schedules and facilitator scripts, overseeing registration operations, and resolving operational issues in real time.
• Identify, negotiate, and manage meeting platform, meeting app, speaker management tool, etc.
• Plans and manages meeting room specifications, registration flow, signage, staging, and attendee movement using standardized planning tools.
• Arrange hotel accommodations for staffing onsite, prepare and send travel advance form to the staff, prepare the travel reconciliation form.
• Organize staff and volunteer participation for on?site roles such as registration, speaker support, and session moderation.
• Plans and manages food and beverage programs in alignment with event goals, budgets, and attendee needs.
• Manage the storage meeting supplies unit to ensure all materials are accurately accounted for the onsite conferences, meetings and events.

• Develop, monitor, and reconcile conference and education program budgets in partnership with the Director of Education & Training and Chief Financial Officer. Monitor revenue, expenses, contracts, invoices, speaker payments, registration trends, and financial performance while ensuring fiscal accountability.
• Conduct comprehensive reconciliation and financial closeout of hotel and venue master accounts, ensuring all charges comply with contractual agreements, approved budgets, and organizational policies while coordinating timely payment processing.
  • Reviewing the master account and final hotel invoice for accuracy
  • Reconciling guest room, meeting space, food & beverage, AV, and ancillary charges against contracts
  • Identifying billing discrepancies and negotiating corrections
  • Approving final payment
  • Ensuring contractual compliance
  • Closing out the financials and reporting variances

• Coordinate the full speaker management lifecycle, including abstract solicitation and review, speaker recruitment, contracting, scheduling, continuing…