SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces.  With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally.

Summary

The Specialist, Event Programming, is a member of SHRM’s Event Strategy and Experience team which is ultimately responsible for the innovation, programming, planning, and execution of SHRM’s Annual Conference and specialty conference portfolio serving 1,000 to 25,000+ attendees. The Specialist supports the event programming function for both in-person and virtual events, engaging hundreds of speakers each year. This includes speaker recruitment, selection, support for all speaker logistics, and post-event evaluations. Additional responsibilities include managing speaker submissions, website edits and updates, speaker travel reimbursements, on-site support, customer service at events, and more. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at problem-solving, and is adept at building relationships while managing multiple projects and events simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Builds positive relationships and provides outstanding customer service to our speaker community.
• Assists with the contracting, communications, and pre-event training of speakers for SHRM events.
• Collects speaker assets and collateral including headshots, bios, learning outcomes, ensuring all are accurate and up to date.
• Helps create speaker PPT templates and other creative resources for elevating presentations.
• Monitors speaker housing and travel; supports the management of the speaker travel budget and speaker reimbursement process.
• Oversees speaker registration and AV needs for events, ensuring seamless coordination with all stakeholders.
• Supports the tracking of budgets and submits invoices for Events team.
• Manages process of post-event session surveys at all events including survey creation, analysis, and sharing of results with our speakers.
• Collaborates with colleagues on the build of event apps and websites.
• Provides on-site speaker support at SHRM events to ensure a high-quality speaker experience.
• Coordinates the speaker book signing program at SHRM events.
• Partners with SHRM’s marketing team for speaker announcements and to develop processes, pipelines, and communications campaigns for recruitment of future speakers at SHRM events.
• Supports speaker relations, including all speaker communications, ensuring timely and clear coordination of logistics and event details.
• Develops and maintains an organized speaker database, optimizing tracking and management of speaker information and interactions.
• Supports the speaker call for presentations process to ensure high-quality speaker submissions.
• Researches the speaking circuit and competitor events in prospecting of new speaker talent, session formats, and other educational trends at conferences for adult learners.
• Stays ahead of event and adult learner education trends to help inform future programming.
• Consumes wide variety of news media to staying informed on hot topics and headline news.
  
  

Education & Experience Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education, Marketing Communications, Hospitality, Public Relations, or equivalent relevant work experience/training.
  
  

Experience:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in event programming, operations, and logistics.
• Clear demonstration of successful project management with in-person, hybrid and virtual meetings and conferences.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office Applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) and CRM databases (Salesforce or similar).
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to effectively leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and improve overall work quality.
• Strong project management, customer service, collaboration, and time management skills.
• Consistent attention to detail, organization, and prioritization, with an ability to manage complex projects.
• Innovative, strategic, and forward thinking.
• Team oriented while also possessing a self-starter attitude, collaborative spirit, the ability to move quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible and agile, can creatively problem solve under pressure.
• Strong ability to build relationships with both internal and external partners.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Good judgment skills and adherence to deadlines.
• Calm under pressure and able to exercise sound judgment in unexpected situations.
• Demonstrated business acumen.
  
  

Certifications

• N/A
  
  

Physical Requirements

This position operates in a typical office environment and requires the ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Physical requirements may include:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, handling documents, and using office equipment.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds as needed.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with colleagues and stakeholders.
  
  

Work Environment

Hybrid Position (3 Days In-Office, 2 Days Remote):

• This position follows a hybrid work schedule, with Tuesday through Thursday in office and Monday and Friday remote. Employees must be available during standard business hours, with core hours beginning between 8:00AM – 9:00AM and concluding between 5:00PM – 6:00PM.
  
  

Travel: 20 – 30%

The hiring range for this position is $70,000 to $82,000 per year. This range is an estimate and the actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications. SHRM offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. The benefits for this position include professional growth and development, health, dental, vision, well-being, health savings, flexible spending, retirement, open leave, and annual discretionary bonus and incentives.

Our employment practices are in accordance with the laws that prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.

SHRM is an equal opportunity employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran).

We do not sponsor applicants for work visas.

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