About Kellen

Kellen stands as a global leader in providing management and services to professional and trade organizations. We empower Board leaders by offering operational frameworks and strategic guidance to better serve their organization's mission and vision.  

As a dedicated professional services company, we offer solutions to organizations, such as association management, public affairs, marketing, meeting management, education, and strategic communication. Leveraging our expertise across diverse industries including healthcare, food and beverage, buildings and materials, and technology, as well as our global perspective with a presence in North America and Europe, we collaborate with over 100 organizations to help achieve their goals.  

Understanding the importance of a strong and effective Board of Directors, we offer customized management solutions that address the unique needs of each organization we partner with. 

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Meetings & Expositions serves as the department head and oversight of the Meetings & Expositions department activities and staff. The Senior Director oversees the planning and execution of ‎successful and profitable meeting programs for both internal and external clients, to include managing all logistics and pre-planning. Additionally, the Senior Director cultivates and maintains relationships with hotels, vendors and CVBs in the Washington, DC market, and around the U.S.

Essential Functions

Strategy and Leadership 

• Provides strategic expertise and consults with internal and external stakeholders to determine event goals, objectives, budget, and desired outcomes for clients and event participants. 
• Delivers budgeted revenue goals through management of staff and process, as well as operational execution. 
• Expands, networks, and participates in knowledge sharing, and serves as representative and thought leader on external committees. 
• Counsels clients on industry best practices and contributes innovative and effective ideas to client strategic planning and process analyses. 
• Builds and maintains strong internal and external client relationships. 
• Understands and continually monitors meetings industry trends to better advise Kellen leadership and client teams. 

• Advises clients of emerging technologies, processes and best practices and the impact of same on attendee engagement.   
• Identifies and assesses global business opportunities for Kellen. 
• Strategizes on sales pitches and onboards new client accounts. 
• Establishes and fosters relationships with existing and new partners in the Washington, DC market, and throughout the U.S.
• Administers and manages policies, procedures, standards, and practices of department to ensure effective and consistent operations and delivery of meetings planning services. 
• Provides guidance and direction for development of employees to improve the overall professionalism of the department and the company.  

 Conference Logistics 

• Assures successful execution of hotel RFP and contracting, online registration, hotel room block management, and budget development and management. 
• Identifies and understands event participant objectives and outcomes. 
• Researches, recommends, and selects meeting sites and activities that support meeting objectives. 
• Negotiates and manages vendors and contracts. 
• Manages, negotiates terms, and executes hotel and other meeting venue contracts. 
• Travels for site selection and onsite meeting management. 
• Develops meeting specifications, including banquet event orders, workplans, timelines and budgets. 
• Coordinates and manages pre-planning meetings with all related personnel. 
• Serves as meeting lead for one or more clients as determined.
• Coordinates logistics planning, including agenda/program development, trade show management, speaker engagement, food and beverage menu selections, air and ground transportation arrangements, and audiovisual/technical needs.  
• Tracks meetings metrics, such as attendance, registration, budget, etc. and compiles routine reports. 

 Other duties that align with the mission and vision of the company as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 8-10 years’ experience working in an event planning and/or logistics capacity.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification desired.  
• International event management experience a plus. 
• Effective planning and organization skills to effectively manage multiple conferences/projects at any given time; reliability to maintain established schedule, manage time and priorities, and meet commitments and deadlines. 
• Demonstrated operational, organizational, and leadership experience.   
• Ability to drive decisions, anticipate and mitigate risks and issues before they happen. 
• Ability to think strategically and execute the details of a plan. 
• Ability to work in a consultative manner and help clients understand the impacts of specific courses of action.   
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability to identify tasks and see them through to completion.  
• Polished communication skills, both written and verbal, and interpersonal skills to manage relationships with vendors, members, and internal clients. 
• Ability to manage a meetings team successfully, mapping various event needs and locations to ensure coverage and optimal onsite management.
• Resourceful in nature with the ability identify problems and quickly develop solutions.   
• Expert negotiation skills. 
• Strong customer service orientation and the ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels of the organization.  
• Proficient user of business intelligence and analysis tools with ability to access, analyze and draw insight from large datasets. 
• Ability to understand business and technology issues. 
• Proactive and collaborative working style. 
• Strong procurement and vendor management skills.  

Physical Demands

This position operates within an office environment. The physical demands outlined below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully fulfill the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Extended Work Hours: The nature of this role may require more than 40 hours per week to fulfill job responsibilities. Additionally, flexibility in working nights and weekends may be necessary. Longer hours, travel, and weekend commitments are typically associated with conferences or special events.
• Office Equipment Usage: The role routinely involves the use of standard office equipment, including but not limited to computers, telephones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not exhaustive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or physical demands required. Employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel Requirements

Travel is required for this position, estimated as 25% of the time. Modes of transportation may include air travel, car, or rail.

Kellen EEO Statement

Kellen does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline. In addition, it is the policy of Kellen to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees who have protected disabilities to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances where a particular employee works.