Meeting Services Specialist (Park Ridge, Il)

Jan. 30, 2012

Chicago, IL

Confidential

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is the largest organization dedicated to ensuring excellence and consistency in the practice of anesthesia. With over 45,000 members, both nationally and internationally, ASA offers a variety of activities that promote excellence in patient care, education, research, and advocacy.

ASA is looking for a full-time Meeting Services Specialist.

Position Summary:

The Meeting Services Specialist serves as a staff liaison to the Convention and Meeting Services Manager (CMSM) supporting and responsible for member, physician, spouse and exhibitor satisfaction associated with registration, housing and various meeting related services for the Society. The Meeting Services Specialist serves as part of the meetings team with responsibilities related to the administration, reporting, development, coordination and advancement of registration, hotel/housing and meeting services for the Society's 16,000 person/300+ exhibit Annual Scientific Meeting, affiliated organizations, exhibitors and other ASA national and international programs.

The role serves as an important liaison with ASA customers (meeting registrants, society members and internal staff associates and departments) delivering optimal customer service and execute projects on time, within budget and at the highest quality.

Position Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include coordination, administration, enhancement and customer services for the ASA Annual Scientific Meeting and other ASA program; registration (advanced (web) & on-site), travel program and hotel/housing services.

1. Major Activity: In close collaboration with the CMSM and Committee, supports the continued advancement of ASA's advanced (Web) and on-site registration tools and services

2. Major Activity: Builds rapport and maintains relationships with association registration, travel service contacts and housing partner contacts; acts as important liaison with members/registrants, vendor partner contacts and key ASA departments (member services, finance, IT, exhibits and meeting department colleagues).

3. Major Activity: Administrates aspects of the Annual Meeting registration, hotel program and travel service data collection and reporting processes and requirements working in close collaboration with member services and the finance departments.

4. Major Activity: Under management direction - responsible for coordination of ASA Leadership, Staff, vendor partners; travel, registration, housing assignments/arrangements, complimentary guestroom allotment and billing arrangements.

5. Major Activity: May be required to travel on-site to meetings in addition to the Annual Meeting to assist with and ensure successful logistics delivery of registration and housing services as well as other meeting services.

6. Major Activity: Duties include working with the CMSM on sourcing, negotiating, coordinating, communicating and managing the on-site execution of the following meetings services for the Annual Scientific Meeting:

Temporary Staffing services to support Registration, information service areas, education areas, member service facilities, governance and general meeting areas

Information Service areas at ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

Security Services to support educational/workshop programs, exhibit area and general meetings services.

Attendee Transportation (Shuttle, Airport, City Services) --coordination and communications.

7. Major Activity: Develops, communicates and coordinates social-spouse-guest programs and offerings for Annual Meeting incorporating these optional offerings into the registration process, works with vendor partner(s) and oversees the onsite coordination of these activities with successful customer satisfaction.

8. Major Activity: Responsible for administering and coordinating the ASA Subspecialty, Affiliate Organization, Corporate Supporter, and Exhibitor Function Space requests in-conjunction with the ASA Annual Scientific Meeting.

9. Major Activity: Meeting data collection, compilation and reporting: Along with the administration of registration and housing reporting and coordination of data collection and analysis; position is responsible for the following:

Meeting survey (electronic post event surveys) administration, development, execution and preparation of analysis of Annual Meeting and other meeting electronic surveys

Administer and maintain department contracts - hotel, facility, vendor, etc. - physically and electronically

ASA Meeting Manage and document program details and financial documents surrounding and supporting project delivery; observe deadlines and prioritize project calendars.

Maintain logs of attendees at customer facing meetings in order to comply with client transparency reporting needs

Prepare budgets for all assigned events for input to the annual ASA budget. Coordinate with manager as appropriate for consistent planning factors.

For assigned meetings complete/delegate all administrative meeting services tasks, including:

o Receive and enter event registrations into registration database

o Prepare name badges, tickets, attendee lists, and reports as required

o Create evaluation forms and compile results and reports

o Maintain paper/electronic files for hotel contracts

10. Major Activity: Ensure that all necessary information for all assigned events is posted on the ASA Web Site. This includes the preliminary programs with registration information, links to local CVB and/or hotel or resort, attendance lists, handouts, etc.

11. Major Activity: Support current and new (future) ASA Educational, Executive, Legislative, International and governance related events/projects with meeting planning and coordination assignments, as necessary and assigned.

12. Major Activity: Complete special projects as requested by supported committees, Executive EVP, or by the Director of Meetings & Exhibits

13. Major Activity: Other duties may be assigned.

Education and Training:

Bachelor's degree required. Degree in hospitality management or meetings management a Plus.

CMP or CEM designation a Plus

Membership and involvement in a professional organization (PCMA, MPI, HCEA, IAEE) a Plus.

Work Experience:

Minimum of 3--5 years of experience meeting/hospitality industry experience with hotel service; registration service/systems (CompuSystems, Experient, E-Show, Cvent, etc.);

Scientific/medical association experience a plus

Core Competencies:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Advanced in technology/computer skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Adobe, etc.

Familiarity, understanding and experience with Current forms of Social Media, Electronic Apps, Website technology

Experienced and skilled in communicating (phone & electronic communications) and servicing members and meeting registrants

Skilled in negotiation and logistics management

Ability to manage multiple projects as well as people; multi-tasking skills

Customer-driven with the ability to make good decisions

Strong project management attributes that involve intricate planning, good detail and follow up

Ability to work independently, as well as in a team environment

Strong self-motivation to handle multiple tasks simultaneously

Ability to respond quickly to changing priorities while meeting deadlines

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

Will spend the majority of the workday walking, standing, and talking. Required lifting in the 10-25 lbs range. Work may be frequently interrupted. The work environment consists of an office environment with light noise. OSHA Category III: position whose tasks/duties will not put them at risk for exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials, therefore, universal/standard precautions are not required.