Senior Manager of Events and Technology Experience

The Opportunity

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), founded in 1965, is one of the oldest and largest professional organizations for industrial designers. IDSA is a national professional society for industrial designers who create and develop concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of the user and manufacturer.

The Senior Manager of Events & Technology Experience is an integral part of the Learning & Design Curriculum department. The Senior Manager plays a vital role in both the planning and delivery of industry-leading, experiential, in-person and virtual engagement opportunities, that are both immersive and sensory-stimulating. The design and execution of these engagements generate excitement and participation from the global design community.

This is a fully remote position, reporting to the Director of Events and Technology Experience. This position can expect travel for IDSA events, site visits, and industry events as needed, as well as staff gatherings throughout the year.

The Senior Manager is a highly organized, creative, detail-oriented individual with impeccable written and verbal communication skills, and thrives in fast-paced, high-performance environments. Further, they accomplish short and long-term objectives through meticulous strategic and tactical planning, and hands-on execution, ensuring their approach is based upon extensive knowledge of best practices in the events, association, design, and technology professions.

Interested candidates should submit their resume outlining their qualifications and experience with a cover letter.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Serve as a right-hand to the Director of Events and Technology Experience supporting the department in strategic planning and tactical execution to ensure delivery of industry-leading, experiential, in-person and virtual engagement opportunities, that are both immersive and sensory-stimulating.
• Ensure that the curation of the conference experience, beginning with registration, of all in-person and virtual audience engagement activities, are designed using up-to-date technology, conference apps, and other appropriate tools that deliver a seamless and connected audience-centered journey and experience.
• Maintain consistent, proactive, and accurate communication with IDSA staff and committee members, fostering strong relationships and effective collaboration.
• Manage budgets, timelines, and resources effectively to deliver high-quality events on time and within budget.

Event Planning & Execution

• Strategically plan and execute short-term objectives, including 2-4 Deep Dives annually, virtual events and webinars, and key components of the annual International Design Conference & Education Symposium, to ensure impactful and memorable experiences.
• Responsible for sourcing, selection and contract negotiation of venues, vendors and other event related needs, ensuring rendered services meet IDSA's robust criteria for delivering a world-class experience for all stakeholders.
• Utilize project management software to meticulously manage event timelines and deadlines, ensuring stakeholders, including volunteer committees, are informed and aligned with strategies, schedules and upcoming milestones.
• Guarantee the successful delivery of all events through comprehensive operational and administrative oversight, driving high-quality outcomes.
• Support the Director in overseeing external partners, including audio/visual teams, general services contractors, venue staff, and offsite event personnel, to ensure flawless event execution.
• Provide detailed event reporting, including conference analytics, weekly status updates, survey data, hotel history, and financial reconciliation, to support continuous improvement and informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with the IDSA marketing team to plan comprehensive, omni-channel, and timely marketing and communication engagement activity campaigns that generate excitement, increase registration sales, and strengthen IDSA's brand reputation.

Event Technology

• Support the selection, implementation, integration, testing, and launch of modern technologies that ensure a seamless, connected, top-tier audience and speaker-centered experience.
• Assist with and coordinate department collaboration with IDSA's IT and technology staff to properly plan and execute timely integration of technology that provides a modern-day, top-tier experience for all in-person and virtual engagements.
• Facilitate the setup and management of registration processes, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience for attendees and stakeholders.
• Deliver exceptional customer service support to stakeholders that enhances the overall experience and satisfaction.

Speaker & Sponsor Engagement

• In collaboration with volunteers, lead speaker selection, content curation and development, session planning, and material preparation, ensuring outcomes are engaging, experiential and impactful.
• Collaborate with speakers, sponsors, and partners to create compelling and informative event experiences that drive attendee satisfaction and engagement. Ensures fulfilment of all contractual obligations whether onsite or virtual, teaming with the sales department, venue and others as required to meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.

Other Responsibilities

• Represent IDSA at external events as required, enhancing organizational visibility and networking opportunities.
• Serve as a front-facing resource at registration during conferences, ensuring a welcoming and efficient attendee experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher.
• Minimum of 7 or more years of meeting and conference planning and event registration, preferably in associations, or related experience.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) required.
• Impeccable written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Ability to work autonomously and take initiative.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, project management software (e.g. Trello), with expertise in event technology software.

Preferred Qualifications

• International event planning experience

Personal Attributes

• Ambitious about career progression and welcomes expanding responsibilities and scopes of work.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Passionate about excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities and manage competing demands effectively.
• Not easily overwhelmed by large scopes of responsibility and expanding portfolios of work.
• Able to maintain composure under pressure.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and move boxes and equipment up to 25 lbs.

Compensation Package Includes:

• Starting annual salary range of $80,000 - $95,000
• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer paid life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid vacation and sick time policy
• IDSA recognizes 12 standard holidays and 1 flexible holiday per year
• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) accounts

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their resume outlining their qualifications and experience with a cover letter.

For questions, please contact ERIC WANN at ericw@idsa.org.

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive virtual environment for all employees.

This comprehensive job description ensures that potential candidates understand the scope of responsibilities and the skills required for the role of Senior Manager of Events & Technology Experience.

We encourage candidates to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.