The Conferences and Events Specialist serves as operational support in production of OLC conferences. Reporting to the Senior Director, Conferences and Events and working in close partnership with key members of the OLC staff, this role will be responsible for exhibitor/sponsor fulfillment of conference and event-related items; serving as liaison with the OLC customer service team on attendee registration and customer service needs; providing pre- and post-conference and event support in key production areas; virtual and onsite conference and event production support; as well as additional other support duties for two large and well-respected annual conferences (one virtual, one onsite)  and other OLC events per the OLC strategic plan.

With a flawless attention to detail, the Conferences and Events Specialist is a team player with excellent customer relation skills, and a natural problem solver who maintains professionalism in the face of pressure. The Conferences and Events Specialist is a project manager working independently with oversight and collaboration within the OLC conferences and events team and with others in the organization. This individual will seek new ways to provide excellent customer-facing support and assist in achieving the overarching goals of the organization. 

Duties/Responsibilities:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Support the overall logistics for conferences and events while remaining focused on the mission, vision, and strategy of the organization, including:

  • Primary responsibility for conference and event registration set-up and management.

  • Serve as conference customer service liaison, providing support to the OLC customer service team.  

  • Assist the AVP of Membership and Sponsorship with the exhibit/sponsor prospectus development.

  • Lead the exhibit and sponsorship fulfillment process for all conferences and events, including leading the booth selection process and managing vendor presentation logistics.

• Primary responsibility for managing the conference unit calendar and meeting documentation, including steering committee and other team meetings with internal and external stakeholders.   Responsible for management of conference team logistics tracking system creation for each conference and event.

• Maintain updated, organized files on all accounts and customer interactions in Airtable, Salesforce, and other data repositories as needed following organization’s processes, policies and procedures.

• Participate as part of the OLC conference team in all areas of conference and event  logistics, providing guidance and support for their collaboration with the staff, board and community 

• Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience:

• Associates Degree in Hospitality Management, Business or other similar field.  

• At least two years related experience in a supporting or logistics role with a focus on outstanding customer experience. 

• Preferred experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business or other similar field.  

  • Prior experience in large meeting and event planning.

  • CMP certification or completion of a hospitality internship will be considered in lieu of experience.

  • Set-up and management of an event registration system.

  • Exhibit/sponsor fulfillment support for large onsite and/or virtual events.

  • Proven success being able to rapidly shift from big-picture to logistical details in order to best support the needs of the Conference team and other internal and external stakeholders.

Required Skills/Abilities/Competencies: 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

• Adept problem solving skills while maintaining a spirit of collegiality and professionalism.

• Excellent interpersonal communication and relationship building skills, with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.

• Willingness to deep dive into new technologies to learn and implement them in the conference fulfillment process.

• Excellent organizational  and time management skills, with a keen attention to detail and ability to focus on meeting critical deadlines.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and to work independently in a remote work environment.

• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

• Preferred competencies:

  • Familiarity with or willingness to learn Adobe Create Suite (including Acrobat, Photoshop, and Illustrator).

  • Experience with HTML.

  • Familiarity and past experience with a conference registration system (Fonteva preferred).

  • Prior experience with Salesforce CRM system.

  • Experience with project management software (Airtable preferred).

About Online Learning Consortium

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