Associate Director, Meeting Planning and Event Technology (Rockville)

Associate Director, Meeting Planning and Event Technology

The Associate Director leads corporate meetings, event technology, and the FINRA Strategic Meeting Management Program (SMMP). The role oversees all cross‑departmental integrations into the Cvent system, manages event technology roadmaps, leads virtual event production, and directs a team of professional event planners.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and lead a team of event professionals in day‑to‑day oversight, guidance, and support.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute complex meetings, events, and conferences from conception to completion, including program structure, cross‑department collaboration, site selection, vendor negotiations, and on‑site management.
• Develop and manage multi‑faceted budgets for revenue‑generating meetings, ensuring cost‑effective planning and execution.
• Negotiate and administer vendor contracts, including hospitality, technology, and exhibitor agreements, incorporating FINRA legal addenda.
• Serve as Virtual Technology Specialist for conferences that use virtual and mobile applications, acting as project manager between FINRA and platform vendors, initiating APIs, and acting as virtual producer for live stream sessions.
• Lead the implementation of meeting technology software, tools, and resources, and provide direction for the growth of SMMP.
• Develop and maintain best practices to improve fiscal transparency, standards, and financial reporting, integrating financial data feeds into the meeting technology platform.
• Define and implement metrics and standards for technology use, including single sign‑on, Concur Travel, conference app integration, and post URL branding.
• Coordinate program intake and prioritize workload, supporting registration, on‑demand badge printing, and attendance tracking systems.
• Manage and develop ongoing training and materials for key users of meeting technology.
• Collaborate with FINRA cyber security and data privacy teams to ensure vendor compliance and data security.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Technology, or related field.
• Minimum eight (8) years of meetings or event management, project management, hospitality, or IT‑related experience.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification required.
• Cvent certification required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience using Cvent to manage strategic meetings up to 3,000 participants.
• Experience negotiating third‑party vendor contracts and legal addenda.
• In‑depth knowledge of virtual event production, audio‑visual industry, equipment, webcasting, and multi‑casting.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to troubleshoot and develop alternative plans on the go.
• Leadership and mentoring skills; experience managing or leading a team preferred.

Working Conditions

Hybrid work environment with defined in‑person presence requirements at FINRA’s Washington, DC, and New York, NY offices. Travel required; extended work hours expected.

FINRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, or any other protected status. FINRA complies with all state and local pay transparency laws and offers a comprehensive benefits package. For further information, please contact our Human Resources department.