Director, Hotel and Venue Procurement

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Company: Informa
Location: California

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Join our dynamic team! Informa Tech informs, educates and connects the technology community through world-class research, training, events, and media. Informa Tech serves 7 market segments including: Critical Communications, Emerging technologies, Enterprise IT, Marketing Technologies, Media & Entertainment, Security and Service Providers. We offer an unrivalled reach to decision-makers in the technology marketplace, leveraging over 100 recognised brands trusted for research, information, education, and networking. Our event brands include IoT World, Channel Partners, Enterprise Connect, ICMI, HDI, Interop, Data Center World, Game Developers Conference and Black Hat.

The Director, Hotel & Venue Procurement, is tasked with sourcing and contracting accommodations and facilities within North America for our wide ranging technology events. Specific to this position, programs can range from 100 people to 10,000 people, and from 20 room nights on peak to 1,500 room nights on peak.

JOB SUMMARY:
Responsible for the acquisition of appropriate venues and hotel room blocks for company events including selection, negotiation, and implementation of contracts and programs.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
General:
  • Build, maintain and manage partnering relationships with hotels, venues, travel agencies, and internal clients.
  • Source hotels and venues for conferences, trade shows, and other events.
  • Demonstrate strong interpersonal and partnering skills when communicating and implementing company programs.
  • Ensure customer satisfaction by delivering expected results through successful planning and execution.
  • Assist in research and execution of company or executive events as required.
Specific:
Venues
  • Consult with event team to determine venue requirements.
  • Research and advise event team of venue options.
  • Confirm venue tenancy holds.
  • Negotiate venue contract details along with company legal team.
  • Communicate venue information to show teams and other employees as necessary.
  • Create, manage and implement processes and practices to support effective and efficient venue tenancy acquisition.
  • Professional representation of the company to the venue community
Hotels
  • Consult with event team to determine appropriate housing blocks and properties.
  • Research and advise show team of housing options
  • Confirm hotel block holds.
  • Negotiate hotel contract details consulting company legal team as appropriate.
  • Ensure compliance with contract terms by hotels.
  • Deliver contracts to company housing agency.
  • Manage execution of housing programs by company housing agency.
  • Monitor and update event housing blocks with hotels, housing agency, and housing coordinator as necessary.
  • Generally, manage company housing agency in all activities on company behalf.
  • Oversee proper promotion and execution of event housing programs.
  • Create, manage and implement processes and practices to support the effective and efficient development and execution of event housing programs.
  • Professional representation of the company to the hotel and hospitality community.
  • Negotiate corporate rates with appropriate hotels, and manage supporting relationships.
Other
  • Such related duties or tasks as shall be assigned.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
College degree in hotel management, commercial recreation, business or equivalent field required. Ten to fifteen years event related experience necessary. Requires extensive knowledge of the hotel, hospitality, conference, tradeshow and travel industries. A focus on events 1,500 room nights on peak or more is desired. This includes expertise in negotiating hotel contract terms, language, rates, and all other components of a hotel agreement. A broad knowledge of existing hotel and venue properties combined with extensive positive industry relationships are critical to success. Excellent communications and interpersonal skills are required, with a special focus on emotional intelligence. Position requires the ability to work well with diverse groups of teams internally, and to manage multiple relationships in the vendor/partner community. Must have exceptional attention to detail and strong negotiation skills and experience. Position requires a high degree of personal organization. Standard computer skills required.
OTHER KEY SUCCESS ATTRIBUTES:
Knowledge of company events, and properties used, along with relationships with existing partner and vendor organizations are a plus. Proven experience in developing and maintaining key client relationships, along with the ability to plan, prioritize, and execute concurrent activities are important. The successful candidate must hrives in a rapid paced environment where change is the norm, and must be able to adjust to accommodate changing situations and circumstances to achieve desired results.