Meeting Manager

Posted February 26, 2019

The Online News Association (ONA) is seeking a Meeting Manager to oversee the coordination and production of events.

We’re looking for someone highly motivated and focused, with strong project management skills and a keen attention to detail. This job will be perfect for someone wanting to oversee events of a variety of sizes, contribute their creative ideas and support the global journalism community.

About us

With over 3,200 members worldwide, ONA is the world’s largest membership organization of digital journalists. Our mission is to inspire innovation and excellence among digital journalists to better serve the public. We believe journalism builds a more informed society that leads to a stronger democracy.

Driven by a dynamic staff and Board of Directors, ONA is one of the leading organizations providing digital training through our conferences, fellowships and local groups. We offer excellent benefits – such as health insurance, 401(k), paid leave and professional development support – as well as a flexible, DC-based work environment with the option to work from home several days per week.

Overview

You’ll oversee the coordination and production of events from start to finish. Our organization hosts a variety of functions ranging from Board of Director meetings through our annual conference, a multi-faceted event welcoming approximately 3,000 members of our community. This position manages all logistical aspects of an event, including booking venues and working with vendors on food and beverage, a/v production and travel logistics.

Annual responsibilities include:

  • Working with ONA staff and consultants to design meetings of a variety of sizes from conception to execution; meetings include the list below, and we’re planning to expand our offerings over the next several years:
    • Our annual conference which takes place in the fall of each year; this includes our annual Online Journalism Awards banquet
    • Our Women’s Leadership Accelerator, which kicks off with one week of training in the first quarter
    • 3-5 one-day topical deep dives for groups up to 200
    • 2 in-person Board meetings
    • A one-day international event in 2020 and beyond
  • You will be responsible for or keeping our team on schedule for major deadlines in the overall meeting planning timeline
  • Coordinating budget preparation, budget management, contract coordination and ensure events meet budget requirements
  • Sourcing venues, catering, A/V, and other logistics and managing the request-for-proposal process; other staff can support contract review and signature
  • Sourcing and directing temporary event personnel such as on-site temps, ASL interpreters, security personnel and more
  • Managing all event details such as facilities, catering, transportation, location, invite lists, equipment, program and exhibit hall assignments, promotional material distribution, registration, etc.
  • Proposing ideas throughout the process for improving each event, focusing on logistics and customer service
  • Specifying staff requirements and coordinating their event assignments and schedules
  • Conducting pre- and post–event evaluations and reporting on outcomes
  • Creating reports after events recommending improvements and changes based on your observation and community feedback
  • Track key analytics and provide weekly reports; this may include hotel rooms booked for events (pick up reports), registration numbers (supplied by our registration manager), survey results and more
  • Reconcile hotel / food and beverage invoices immediately following events
  • Ensure agreements and financial records are stored according to internal practice and policy
  • Work with our registration consultant to ensure a smooth registration, receipt and confirmation process for event participants
  • Ensure appropriate directional and other signage is in place for each event
  • Work with our communications manager and sr. digital manager to ensure accurate information is being shared to the community, as well as sponsors and donors

Salary: negotiable

Benefits:  Paid medical, dental and vacation; 401K plan

Hours: Full-Time; partial remote schedule

Location: NPR’s Washington D.C. office and virtually, applicants must be able to work from the D.C. office at least two to three times a week.

Reports to: Head of Programs and Events

Works closely with: Head of Strategic Partnerships, Registration Consultant

Direct report: none

Requirements

  • At least five years’ event management experience required; we’ll review your portfolio during the interview process
  • Experience managing logistics for large meetings and conferences in venues such as convention centers, hotels, reception halls, educational facilities and event spaces for 2,000 people or more
  • There is travel included in this position; we anticipate roughly 40 percent of your time will be travel-related; expect a few days / up to a week of travel at a time, monthly
  • Ability to work and interact remotely; we work several days a week from home and travel is part of this role
  • Some events occur during evenings or weekends, which requires a flexible schedule
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and multiple constituencies, working effectively toward deadlines with strong attention to detail
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present data and conclusions in an organized, concise manner
  • Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and staff; this is a cross-functional position that interacts with most members of our team
  • Google docs proficiency is necessary, as well as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel
  • Bachelor’s degree

The following skills are considered a strong plus for this position:

  • Experience creating simple maps for exhibit halls and programming spaces
  • Booking venues, caterers and a/v teams for events outside the United States
  • Familiarity with event-related contracts
  • Certified Meeting Professional certification

What can you expect from joining ONA? You’ll join…

  • A team that’s passionate about making a difference.
  • An organization that’s committed to your personal and professional growth.
  • A community of collaborators, innovators and people who care about creating better society.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Applications open through Friday, March 29.