Conference Manager

Description

The Cato Institute seeks an experienced Conference Manager to join our team in delivering visible, creative, and engaging events to support our organization’s mission. This position will report to the Vice President of Conference and Events. The Conference Manager is responsible for leading and supporting all aspects of events, such as managing vendors, collaborating with stakeholders, creating and reconciling budgets, etc. The Conference Manager is key to ensuring the quality of the events aligns with the organization's standards when planning on-site and off-site events and managing operations.

Please visit Cato Institute’s Events page to learn more about the types of large and small-scale events that the Conference teams plan. 

https://www.cato.org/events 

This is a full-time on-site position in Washington, DC. 

About Cato

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.
 

Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution — individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.
 

The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and Uphold Organizational Reputation: Exercise exceptional judgment in safeguarding and promoting Cato’s reputation for excellence, integrity, and commitment to core principles.
• Generate Reports: Prepare and deliver comprehensive departmental reports on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis to track progress and inform decision-making.
• Manage Complex Event Registrations: Collaborate with team members to oversee the registration processes for complex, multi-day, and multi-event conferences, ensuring seamless participant experiences.
• Coordinate Private Dining Requests: Work with colleagues to source, contract, and coordinate both onsite and offsite private dining experiences for events.
• Serve as Event Liaison: Act as the primary point of contact for a designated department(s), managing all aspects of event planning, sourcing, and contracting to meet their specific event needs.
• Plan Onsite Conferences: Take the lead in sourcing, contracting, and organizing logistics for half-day and full-day onsite conferences, ensuring all details are handled efficiently.
• Contribute to Communications: Provide relevant departmental updates and information for inclusion in the organization’s monthly newsletter, ensuring clear communication within the broader team.
• Support Special Projects: Partner with the VP to manage special projects, including organizing pop-up events both in-house and offsite and contributing to a variety of other initiatives.

Requirements

Education/ Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Business Administration, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years of proven event planning experience. 
• Project management experience, including developing work plans, managing and executing multiple concurrent efforts, and effectively managing data, communication, and work products.
• Proficiency with standard desktop software, including all Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel & Outlook).
• Knowledge of Accruent EMS, Swoogo, Social Tables, or similar platforms is a plus.
• Experience leading and supporting a wide variety of meetings and events. This includes managing vendors, supporting and collaborating with internal clients, and being responsible for all logistics involved. 
• Relevant experience tracking expenses and adhering to a budget. Experience creating and reconciling budgets is a plus. 
• Strong negotiation and bid comparison experience with vendors.
• An understanding of the complexities of sourcing venues and relevant experience of successfully doing so. 

Skills

• Self-directed, self-motivated, and disciplined team player capable of hands-on execution and long-term business planning.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities to meet deadlines, manage time well, and perform job responsibilities without constant supervision.
• Succeed in a high-demand, fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to problem-solve, manage crisis situations effectively, and maintain professional composure under pressure.
• Strong executive presence and ability to interact with all levels of management within the organization, as well as experience working directly with C-Level/senior leadership.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work well in a team environment and independently.
• Exceptional attention to detail, quality, and accuracy.
• Great communication skills, both oral and written.
• An interest in negotiating a variety of venue and vendor contracts. 
• Enjoy working on a variety of special projects related to events and operations.
• Ability to work beyond normal business hours (9 am-5:30 pm) as well as occasional weekends and willingness to travel on an as-needed basis.

Benefits

All Cato employees are provided with:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer contribution to a Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Generous vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave
• Employer-provided life and disability insurance 
• 401(k) employer match
• Transit/ Parking benefits 
• Pet discount plan