Senior Meeting Planner

Senior Meeting Planner

This role is subject to a flexible hybrid work arrangement requiring a minimum of 1-2 pre-determined days per week in our mid-town office.

Summary

The Senior Meeting Planner manages all aspects of CRF's small-to-mid-sized medical meetings, symposia, and workshops (CCS, Fellows, THT, and Pulse), from budgeting and sourcing to execution, reconciliation, and post-event evaluation for both internal and external programs. Reporting to the Senior Meeting Manager, this role also provides critical planning, logistics, and onsite support for CRF's two largest and most complex meetings, New York Valves and TCT, ensuring their continued success. This position upholds excellence, consistency, and adherence to established standards across all assigned programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Meeting Planning and Logistics Management

• Leads the planning, management, and execution of all logistical aspects for CRF's small-to-mid-sized conferences, symposia, and workshops, encompassing Food & Beverage (F&B), Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), Audio Visual (AV), signage, temporary staffing, meeting materials, AV dry runs, security, physician rehearsals/walkthroughs, and affiliate programs.
• Serves as the primary logistics contact and ensures comprehensive on-site management during assigned meetings for flawless execution.
• Manages, creates, and updates conference specifications for venues and preferred suppliers, monitors all meal events, and leads pre-conference meetings. Proactively troubleshoots problems and escalates critical issues to leadership when necessary.

Vendor and Site Management

• Conducts site research and selection, prepares and reviews hotel and vendor contracts, and assists with contract negotiations alongside the Director, Meetings for review and approval by CRF's Legal Counsel and Center for Education's Executive Director.
• Acts as the primary liaison between CRF, vendors, and venues for all assigned meetings.
• Negotiates and reviews vendor contracts including, but not limited to, off-site venues, audiovisual, and food and beverage services.
• Secures and maintains housing blocks, monitors attrition, and manages reservations for faculty, staff, and vendors.

Budgeting, Financial Oversight, and Reporting

• Develops, monitors, and reconciles budgets for all assigned meetings, symposia, and workshops, ensuring fiscal responsibility and adherence to contracted savings.
• Manages post-event closeout, including final billing reconciliation and accurate coding of vendor invoices to ensure programs remain within budget.
• Develops and maintains standard pre- and post-event reports, meeting files, and databases related to event logistics.

Departmental Collaboration and Cross-Functional Support

• Engages in robust cross-functional communication to ensure adherence to timelines, deliverables, and SOPs.
• Collaborates extensively with Creative Services, Program, Industry, Multimedia, Finance, Legal, and other CRF departments to ensure seamless alignment and successful program execution.
• Provides expertise and support to the wider logistics team on larger projects, manages additional administrative responsibilities as assigned, and proactively prioritizes information and projects in a high-volume environment.

Process Improvement and Standardization

• Creates, maintains, and documents templates and processes to standardize and continuously improve internal workflows and departmental SOPs.
• Utilizes AI-powered productivity tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, or similar) to enhance efficiency, research, content development, data analysis, and workflow management.
• Demonstrates a willingness to learn and adopt emerging technologies that enhance business operations.

Major Annual Meeting Responsibilities (TCT/New York Valves)

• Provides critical planning, logistical, and onsite support for CRF's two largest and most complex meetings under the guidance of the Senior Meetings Manager.
• Collaborates closely on agenda development, meeting coordination, timeline management, budget adherence, and SOPs for these major events.
• Maintains event documentation, reports, and specifications, ensuring accuracy and accessibility.
• Contributes to recommending optimal event space layouts, including placement of structures, theaters, offices, and session rooms.
• Assists with Leadership presentations, dry runs, and onsite walkthroughs, acting as a trusted resource and backup to the Senior Meetings Manager.
• Provides recommendations for temporary staff and security schedules and manages onsite changes/additions in coordination with the Director, Meetings to maintain budget adherence.

Additional Responsibilities

• Performs additional duties as assigned to ensure successful meeting execution and departmental support.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience. Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) preferred.
• 4+ years of professional meeting planning experience, preferably in a medical or scientific environment.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, audiovisual management, contracting, and negotiation is required.
• Familiarity with digital and hybrid event formats.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Aptitude for learning and integrating new technologies, including AI-powered productivity tools.

Key Competencies

• Organizational & Project Management: Exceptional organizational skills with a strong focus on detail, follow-up, and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and competing priorities effectively.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally and effectively with staff, management, physicians, senior leaders, vendors, and event attendees.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Strong analytical skills to interpret contracts, identify potential scheduling conflicts, troubleshoot logistical challenges, and adapt quickly to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactiveness & Initiative: A self-starter who anticipates needs, takes initiative, and drives tasks and projects independently, stepping in to support colleagues and business needs as required.
• Collaboration & Interpersonal Skills: Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment, fostering positive relationships across departments and contributing to shared organizational goals.
• Strategic Thinking: Approaches challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement, capable of driving meaningful change and presenting confident, credible recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Work Environment & Travel

• Ability to travel 20 - 30% annually (typically 2-3 times per year for extended periods).
• Flexibility to work additional hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed to support event execution.

Benefits

• Choice of health plans include medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability and life insurance
• Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Pre-tax travel expenses through TransitChek program
• 401(k) plan
• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Fifteen paid holidays each year

Compensation

The hiring range for this position is $80,000 - $88,000 per year. The annual salary that will ultimately be offered to the successful candidate will depend on job-related knowledge, education, skills, and experience.

CRF is an equal opportunity employer.