Associate Director, Conference Management Operations

Reports to: VP, Conference Management Operations Location: Remote, Preference for ET or CT time zones Job Type: Regular, Full-time/Exempt Summary of Position: The Associate Director, Conference Management Operations is responsible for strengthening the operational excellence, consistency, and scalability of the Conference Management unit. This role combines direct conference ownership with a strong focus on team development, training, quality assurance, and process improvement. The Associate Director plays a critical role in ensuring that team members are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and systems needed to deliver high-quality conferences consistently. The ideal candidate is a highly experienced conference management professional with a passion for developing others, improving systems, and driving operational consistency across a distributed team. Performance Evaluation: Formal evaluations will be conducted in six-month intervals by the VP, Conference Management Operations to assess job performance. Responsibilities and Duties: Conference & Portfolio Leadership Maintain ownership of a limited portfolio of complex conferences to stay connected to execution and evolving client needs,ensuring successful execution from planning through post-event evaluation. Oversee all aspects of conference delivery including logistics, timelines, budgets, vendor coordination, and onsite operations. Serve as the team's senior escalation point for conference-related challenges and client needs. Training & Team Development Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of training programs for the Conference Management unit. Oversee onboarding and continuous development of staff to ensure consistent skill progression across the unit. Identify skill gaps and proactively implement training solutions to address them. Partner with leadership to reinforce development plans and coaching strategies. Team Leadership & Support Lead, mentor, and manage a team of Conference Management professionals. Cultivate a team-first environment that fosters cohesion and belonging, encourages peer support, and drives shared ownership to reduce siloed execution across the conference portfolio. Foster professional development through regular coaching, feedback, and career guidance. Conduct performance management responsibilities including goal setting, performance evaluations, and development planning. Promote a culture of accountability, responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Ensure team members adhere to company policies, operational standards, and communication expectations. Quality Assurance (Unit-Level) Conduct final reviews of key deliverables including RFPs, contracts, budgets, and publications. Perform periodic audits across unit-wide portfolios to ensure adherence to standards and processes. Identify trends in quality gaps and implement corrective strategies at the unit level. Systems & Process Improvement Own and maintain operational systems and documentation (e.g., ClickUp, Google Workspace workflows). Identify inefficiencies and implement scalable process improvements across the unit. Ensure documentation is accurate, accessible, and consistently used by team members. Partner with leadership to implement tools, automation, and workflow enhancements. Operational Consistency & Standards Establish and reinforce best practices across all conference management activities. Support standardization of processes to improve efficiency and reduce variability in execution. Serve as a central resource for process-related questions and guidance. Collaboration & Communication Partner closely with the VP and Senior Managers to align on team performance, operational priorities, and improvement initiatives. Communicate updates related to training, systems, and process changes across the unit. Required Experience, Skills, and Education: Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field. Demonstrated experience managing full life-cycle professional conferences or events, or comparable experience. Prior experience successfully leading a team and supporting staff development. Advanced experience working with conference management platforms such as Cvent, ConfTool, or similar systems. Exceptional project management skills with the ability to oversee multiple concurrent initiatives. Proficient operating independently while maintaining alignment with leadership priorities. Exceptional organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to quality execution. Desired Experience, Skills, and Education: Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification or equivalent professional certification. Experience managing complex conferences with large attendance, international components, and multi-day programming. Demonstrated ability to contribute to broader operational leadership efforts through mentorship, process improvement, staff development, or team support initiatives. Demonstrated ability to implement department-wide operational improvements or process enhancements. Familiarity with servicing technical or professional associations, including experience with volunteer leadership structures and association-driven conferences. Experience utilizing AI tools. Travel Requirements: Travel for this position will be around 4-6 times per year, for a length of 4-7 days each time. Estimated travel between 8-12%. Domestic and international travel is required. Must have, or have the ability to acquire, a passport. Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Must be capable of traveling on long-haul flights. Compensation and Benefits: Compensation is commensurate with skills, education, and experience starting at $85,700/year. Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance (Full employee premiums covered by Conference Catalysts). Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for eligible health & wellness expenses. 401(k) Retirement Plan following the 90-day onboarding period (Conference Catalysts matches dollar for dollar, up to 5% of employee deferrals). Uncapped flex time off following the 90-day onboarding period. 14 paid company holidays. Voluntary Life and AD&D insurance. Individual professional development budget. Annual office discretionary budget. Annual swag store budget. 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