Conference Manager - Venue Contracting/Virtual Lead

Company: Gartner, Inc.
Location: Irving
Posted on: May 23, 2023

Job Description:

About this role:

As a manager, you will be responsible for Inner Circle Dinner sourcing and contracting, and virtual product management and delivery. You will work at a high level to deliver in-person and virtual programs by managing venue sourcing and selection, budget forecasting, calendar management, staff scheduling, onsite execution (when required), process improvement and project management. As a member of the Evanta Logistics Team, you will have a focus on team collaboration to create exceptional customer experiences for every attendee, sponsor and associate attending our events.

What you'll do:

• Manage Inner Circle Dinner venue sourcing responsibilities including research, capacity planning, negotiation and contracting.
• Work with stakeholders to plan the event scheduling, ensuring we do not clash with any competitor events, public holidays etc.
• Engage in negotiations, proposals, contracting and terms and conditions for suppliers.
• Communication and collaboration across event teams to ensure seamless delivery of first-class events
• Plan and execute IC Dinner programs when needed
• Contribute ideas for event innovations and process improvements to enhance Evanta Inner Circle Dinners and ensuring alignment with company objectives and vision
• Manage supplier set up and facilitate payments within our internal systems
• Financial management: incl. preparation, negotiations, accurate and timely event budget forecasts, alert management about risks and deviations to plan and post event reconciliation
• Demonstrate a proficient understanding of virtual platforms and carry out the delivery of all virtual events as Tech Lead where schedule allows
• Frequent review and management of team process docs, trainings, change requests and communications
• Identify areas and processes for improvements to deliver at scale
• Identify gaps in process/communication/partnerships/deliverables to continuously make improvements where they will add value.
• Partner with the required stakeholders to schedule, plan and deliver seamless virtual offerings
  
  Secondary Responsibilities:
  
  • Assist with the production of Evanta company events
  • Support Gartner Destinations Conferences as needed
  • Support on special projects as needed
    
    What you'll need:
    
    • Bachelor's degree with focus on events and/or marketing preferred, but not required
    • 4-6 years of event experience
    • Proven budget experience, venue sourcing and negotiation
    • Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to develop and deliver clear and concise briefs
    • Knowledge of virtual event delivery platforms - Webex and MS Teams host role, screen sharing, breakout feature and troubleshooting
    • Knowledge of hotel, travel and meeting planning business is required, particularly in terms of normal service expectations.
    • Understanding of event logistics and technical production
    • Ideally, someone with varied event experience as the role will involve every element of event planning
      
      Requirements:
      
      • Knowledge of, and experience with, virtual event delivery and platforms (WebEx, Zoom and MS Teams Meetings)
      • Proven financial management abilities
      • Project management experience, including venue sourcing and negotiation
      • Attention to detail
      • Highly organized
      • Strong written and verbal communication skills
      • Multi-tasking and the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
      • Strategic and client focused with great costumer service skills
      • Proven success working in a collaborative environment
      • Solution oriented with a high sense of urgency
      • Ability to build and maintain relationships with a high degree of professionalism
      • Maintain composure in a fast-paced environment
      • Ability to innovate and come up with new ideas, that will help us to continually improve our events
      • Someone who can run with a brief and bring ideas back to the table
      • Ability to work as part of a team, but also work on events individually.
      • Proficiency in the MS Office suite including Word, Excel, and Power Point
      • Travel 2-5 times per year (up to 2-5 days per trip)
        
        #LI-EB1 #Hybrid
        
        Who are we?
        
        Gartner delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. Our expert guidance and tools enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization's most critical priorities. We've grown exponentially since our founding in 1979 and we're proud to have nearly 16,000 associates globally that support our 14,000+ clients in more than 100 countries.
        
        What makes Gartner a great place to work?
        
        Our teams are composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations. We believe that a variety of experiences makes us stronger-as individuals, as communities and as an organization. That's why we're recognized worldwide as a great place to work year after year. We've been recognized by Fortune as one of the World's Most Admired Companies, named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by the Disability Equality Index. Looking for a place to turn your big ideas into reality? Join #LifeAtGartner
        
        What we offer:
        
        Our people are our most valuable asset, so we invest in them from Day 1. When you join our team, you'll have access to a vast array of benefits to help you live your life well. These resources are designed to support your physical, financial and emotional well-being. We encourage continued personal and professional growth through ongoing learning and development opportunities. Our employee resource groups, charity match and volunteer programs keep you connected to your internal Gartner community and causes that matter to you.
        
        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 affirmatively 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 +1 (203) 964-0096 or by sending an email to ApplicantAccommodations@gartner.com.
        
        Job Requisition ID:77041
        
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Keywords: Gartner, Inc., Irving , Conference Manager - Venue Contracting/Virtual Lead, Executive , Irving, Texas