Entry Level Meeting and Event Planner
Description
Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for an Entry-Level Meeting & Event Planner to join our team in Chicago. Our Event Services unit provides meeting, convention, event and tradeshow management worldwide through the expertise of our meeting professionals, who manage every facet and detail of our client organizations' events. Our goal is to work closely with a client organization's leaders to create an enjoyable conference experience for all attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, while ensuring a successful outcome based on the organizations' event objectives.
Role Summary:
Be part of a world-class Events team delivering transformational events that are strategically designed and exceptionally executed, working closely with client organization stakeholders to align event goals and strategy.
Join Smithbucklin in our Event Coordination Team as an Associate. Our Event Services Unit provides event, conference, tradeshow and sponsorship management worldwide through the expertise of our event professionals, who manage every facet and detail of our client organizations events. You will support a group of clients within a specified Event Portfolio team (Business & Trade, Healthcare & Scientific and Technology & Corporate Events).
What You Will Do…
In this role, you will be accountable for providing general event support to all pre-event and onsite execution for events, conferences, meetings and tradeshows.
- Assist with pre-event preparation: F&B orders, menu selection, drafting specs and AV requirements.
- Assist with vendor RFPs, communications, schedules and coordination of services
- Assist with housing lists, VIP housing management, populating reports
- Conduct ongoing exhibitor communications and provide customer service
- Utilize floor plan management and CRM software for setting up an exhibit hall floor plan, booth moves, space assignments, booth cancellation and sales reporting
- Drafting exhibitor communications and exhibitor services manual
- Assist with gathering information to build out a registration website
- Assist with onsite preparation: ordering supplies, promotional products, onsite procedure documents
- Ensure accurate weekly reporting and monthly reconciliation for registrants and exhibitors/sponsors
This Role Might Be for You If…
- You are excited about the idea of learning about Conferences, Tradeshows, Corporate Events and meetings - you can’t wait to be a part of making events happen
- You love innovation and coming up with new and interesting ways of doing things
- You love to multi-task, have strong time management skills and are known for your ability to prioritize effectively and flex when needed
- You are proactive and default towards action-taking
- You are successful in working independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
- When presented with a problem, you demonstrate a positive attitude, eagerness and open-mindedness towards solution seeking
- You possess intellectual curiosity, are a continuous learner and seek to understand the “why and how”
- You possess strong written and oral communication skills
- You have strong interpersonal skills and a high degree of responsibility, initiative and professionalism
- You have demonstrated customer service skills (phone skills, in person, email)
- You have the ability to travel 25%, both domestic and international, and work overtime as needed to attend events and client meetings (may include weekends)
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 0-2 years relevant professional experience
Preferred Qualifications
- 6-12 months of experience in an event planning environment is a plus
- Proficiency with basic computer programming, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Where Do You Fit?
Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferrable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.
Equal Employment Opportunity
At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.
Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.
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At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.