Conference Specialist Job Description

Conference specialists manage every detail of a meeting--from travel arrangements to seating and audio-visual.

Conference specialists--also called meeting planners and meeting managers--work with corporations, associations and other organizations to coordinate meetings, conferences and conventions.

Definition

Planners coordinate every detail of meetings and conventions, from the speakers and meeting location to arranging for printed materials and audio-visual equipment. Depending on the budget and size of the event, the responsibilities that of the meeting planner or conference specialist vary greatly. These responsibilities cover all the logistics of assembling dozens or hundreds of attendees at a host location and providing them with programming, housing, food and beverage, electronic communication, printed materials, a worthwhile agenda and even recreational options.

Site Selection

Site selection is a major component of a conference specialist's job. Meeting sites are often hotels and convention centers. A conference specialist must work within a budget, while also considering attendees' transportation arrangements, hotel accommodations and after-hours dining and entertainment. Site selection is typically among the first decisions made when planning a meeting.

Request for Proposal

The Request for Proposals, or RFP, is a vital tool in conference planning. The planner solicits proposals from sites--hotels or convention centers--to gather price quotes based on the date of the meeting, meeting space needed, number of hotel rooms needed, food, audio-visual equipment, transportation and other components of the meeting. After receiving RFPs, the conference specialist may choose the site directly or make a recommendation to the host organization.

Support Services

Before the conference takes place, the conference specialist must secure all necessary communication equipment and services. These may include e-mail, telephone services and video equipment. Often the meeting site has these capabilities and includes them in the proposal, but the conference specialist must oversee their delivery.

Logistics

The logistics of a meeting or conference are numerous, and the conference specialist is responsible for seeing that they are managed efficiently. As the manager of the meeting, the conference specialist oversees hotel room reservations, transportation, seating in the conference space, food and beverage, exhibit booths, and even printed material. For larger meetings, the logistics are managed by professional vendors, as the conference specialist serves to oversee all components.

Budget and Finance

Long before the meeting begins, the conference specialist negotiates contracts with hotels, convention centers and other suppliers. The contract negotiations hinge largely on a conference specialist's ability to predict how many hotel rooms will be needed, how much meeting and exhibit space will be required, and how much food and beverage will be consumed. Because the contract is based on precise estimates, the conference specialist must be able to create a budget--and follow it closely.

References

• U.S. Department of Labor