Exhibits Operations Coordinator

The Optical Society (OSA) is recruiting for an Exhibits Operations Coordinator. This candidate provides support in the areas of vendor, facility and logistical management. This position will assist the Director, Meeting & Exhibit Services in the production of three annual Conferences, several Congresses and Topical Meetings and requires the ability to organize projects simultaneously and keep on schedule and budget.

Tasks and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Vendor Management: General contractor, security, floor managers, shipping, utilities, etc.  

• Train external contractors on show-specific information as needed, to address exhibitor issues and enforce management policies.
• Work with internal and external stakeholders and vendors to compile exhibitor service manuals.
• Assist in providing regularly updated exhibitor information to vendors, including booth numbers, contact information, etc.
• Maintain vendor orders tracking sheet for each large meeting and assist with analyzing historical data to improve future event planning.
• Consistent with organization’s processes and procedures, assist with preparing and distributing RFPs, and with creating or updating contracts and amendments.
• Work with vendors on Exhibitor Meeting Room specifications (OFC).

Sponsorship Fulfillment (Vendor side):

• Work closely with Exhibit & Sponsorship Sales team to ensure a successful client experience.
• Work with vendors to determine and control pricing of existing and future sponsorship assets and deliverables; then communicate pricing to exhibit sales & sponsorship team to facilitate accurate valuation and pricing.
• Serve as a “project manager” across operations, marketing, conference, and other internal teams to ensure the fulfillment and execution of sponsorship contracts in a timely manner.
• With the Sales team, work to identify new sponsorship opportunities at respective events

Budgeting and Fiscal Management:

• Review invoices for all Exhibit Operations related orders, providing proper account coding and collecting appropriate authorizations/approvals.
• Assist in the tracking of exhibit-related expenditures and identify possible cost-cutting opportunities when possible.

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Work with Director, Meeting & Exhibit Services to promote interaction of exhibit team staff members to streamline procedures, set policies, and maximize efficiencies.
• Support Director, Meeting & Exhibit Services in the production of the Exhibit Buyers Guides for OFC, CLEO, FiO including production timelines, sponsorship deliverables, editing (proofreading, checking for spelling, grammar, clarity and consistency with Style Guidelines), and liaising with the graphic designer for completion of the print pieces.

• Stay current with industry trends and make recommendations for changes and enhancements to operational processes related to vendors.
• Attend project meetings.
• Special projects as assigned.

Core Competencies:

• Accuracy & Quality
• Teamwork
• Dependability & Time Management
• Accountability
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Multi-tasking

  Requirements:

• Bachelors’ degree.
• Minimum 2-3 years of professional experience in operations, events management, development or related work.
• Proficiency with CRM software.
• Experience with ExpoCAD or other exhibition management programs.
• Experience with vendor contracts and relations.
• Exceptional writing and proofreading abilities.
• Proven time management skills.
• Excellent Microsoft Office Suite skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel spreadsheet management.
• Must be very detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills, and must be able to multi-task, meet tight deadlines, and maintain composure under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and able to work well with individuals of all levels, cultural and educational backgrounds.
• Ability to travel up to 10% annually.

Preferred:

• Experience with an association management software system.

• Some experience in negotiation skills, specifically as relates to working within established product prices.
• Experience with fulfillment, printing and production processes for event related sponsorships preferred.

• Familiarity with web content management software.

OSA offers a competitive salary and benefits. Please send your resume and cover letter with salary requirements to resumes@osa.org