How to hire a conference coordinator

How to hire a conference coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step conference coordinator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a conference coordinator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new conference coordinator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a conference coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the conference coordinator you need to hire. Certain conference coordinator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A conference coordinator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, conference coordinators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of conference coordinators.

   Type of Conference Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Conference Coordinator	Meeting, convention, and event planners coordinate all aspects of events and professional meetings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.	$15-25
   Meeting Planner	A meeting planner makes professional decisions in all areas of meeting preparation and presentation. They plan meetings, establish meeting objectives, schedule meetings, budget expenses, inspect meeting sites, negotiate with suppliers, and create a speaker lineup... Show more	$19-37
   Marketing And Event Planning Internship	A marketing and event planning intern is responsible for supporting the operations of a company's marketing department, performing administrative duties under the guidance of a direct supervisor or tenured marketing staff. Marketing and event planning interns shadow all the processes of marketing operations, assisting with events management procedures, and suggesting strategic solutions to boost the company's brand image to the public... Show more	$10-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Conference Calls
   • Reservations
   • Event Planning
   • Audio Visual Equipment
   • Conference Planning
   • Event Management
   • Reservation System
   • Conference Services
   • Event Space
   • Meeting Rooms
   • Room Set-Up
   • Banquet Event Orders
   • Group Resumes
   • Meeting Space

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage internal & external reservations for audio and videoconferencing requirements over telephone and via e-mail.
   • Attend daily and weekly BEO meetings.
   • Process documentation of hotel BEO s and final invoices while disputing where necessary.
   • Help Medicaid eligible members to secure both physical and behavioral services in the community by reviewing and preparing prior authorization requests.
   • Track lead referrals and ROI.
   • Track budget costs and ROI relate to each event.

   More conference coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your conference coordinator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A conference coordinator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, conference coordinators' average salary in arkansas is 48% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level conference coordinators 41% less than senior-level conference coordinators.
   • Certifications. A conference coordinator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a conference coordinator's salary.

   Average conference coordinator salary

   $41,978yearly

   $20.18 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level conference coordinator salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 3, 2026

   Average conference coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$54,677	$26
   2	New York	$54,282	$26
   3	New Jersey	$53,184	$26
   4	District of Columbia	$50,618	$24
   5	Washington	$47,363	$23
   6	Massachusetts	$47,312	$23
   7	West Virginia	$41,147	$20
   8	Tennessee	$41,131	$20
   9	Minnesota	$40,139	$19
   10	Florida	$39,296	$19
   11	Colorado	$38,976	$19
   12	Missouri	$37,555	$18
   13	Indiana	$36,807	$18
   14	Michigan	$36,678	$18
   15	Nevada	$36,165	$17
   16	Maine	$35,739	$17
   17	Texas	$35,475	$17
   18	Ohio	$35,237	$17
   19	Utah	$35,073	$17
   20	Georgia	$33,942	$16

   Average conference coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Battelle	$61,267	$29.46
   2	Michigan State University	$52,056	$25.03
   3	University of California	$49,796	$23.94	12
   4	Fast Enterprises	$48,913	$23.52
   5	Parexel International	$48,906	$23.51
   6	Cornell University	$48,139	$23.14	6
   7	Informa Plc	$47,985	$23.07	7
   8	Beacon Hill Staffing Group	$47,469	$22.82
   9	University of Washington	$45,244	$21.75	1
   10	Pacific Architects and Engineers	$45,072	$21.67
   11	Commonwealth Financial Network	$44,700	$21.49
   12	GreenBiz Group	$44,634	$21.46
   13	Las Vegas Sands	$44,628	$21.46
   14	Danaher	$44,592	$21.44	3
   15	University Hospitals	$44,361	$21.33
   16	Diversified Communications	$43,819	$21.07
   17	University Of Minnesota Physicians	$43,228	$20.78
   18	Wynn Resorts	$42,603	$20.48	3
   19	Marriott International	$42,415	$20.39	46
   20	American Conference Institute	$41,966	$20.18

4. Writing a conference coordinator job description

   A conference coordinator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a conference coordinator job description:

   Conference coordinator job description example

   The hours are M-F from 8:30a-5p with early/late days/weekends based on the event schedule.
   
   The Conference Center Coordinator reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   Coordinate all conference and meeting activities including: room set-up, speaker arrangements, registration table set-ups, audio-visual requirements and confirmations.
   
   Work flexible hours including days, evenings, and weekends to support our customers and large events.
   
   Accurately enter all event information into the Scheduler Plus software system to ensure all staff have event information readily available and can respond to any/all customer requests.
   
   Maintain a close working relationship with the Catering Department to ensure critical time requirements (for prep, set-up and break-down of catered functions) are scheduled appropriately according to specified time lines provided by the Catering Department for service excellence.
   
   Daily performance is guided by the mindset of meeting hospital standard operation procedures, hospitality and customer service and is displayed through courtesy, caring and professionalism.
   
   Perform quality and cleanliness inspections to ensure NMH standards are upheld; arrange for correction of deficiencies through the appropriate process.
   
   Ability to set-up and use audio visual equipment; act as a back-up audio visual technician as needed.
   
   Provide telephone coverage of main scheduling number.
   
   Respond in a timely manner to online/emailed space requests.
   
   Meet with prospective clients to plan meetings and tour through the facilities.
   
   Ensure NMH Catering is involved when food/beverage is required for all groups over 25 people; share approved external caterers for groups under 25 people.
   
   Follow-up with Catering, Audio Visual, department. Housekeeping staff, and client to finalize plans for event.
   
   Follow-up before, during, and after event to ensure successful execution.
   
   Ability to handle multiple tasks effectively and pleasantly and work under pressure to meet established deadlines and last minute requests.
   
   Solicit feedback for improving the conference center process and discuss with Conference Center Manager.
   
   Develop action plans to manage dissatisfaction.
   
   Rectify meeting room discrepancies expeditiously so as not to interrupt valuable meeting time of customer.
   
   Ensure all meetings adjourn as scheduled, paying special attention to back to back meetings.
   
   Advise and support our Housekeeping staff in daily room set-ups and other activities.
   
   Attend Conference Center staff meetings and other pertinent meetings.
   
   Maintain production and ensure placement of daily event/meeting room signs.
   
   Acquire full knowledge of Scheduler Plus software application including scheduling meetings, running reports, entering billing information, and back-up procedures.
   
   Additional projects as assigned by department manager.
   
   AA/EEO
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find conference coordinators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any conference coordinators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level conference coordinators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your conference coordinator job on Zippia to find and recruit conference coordinator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with conference coordinator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new conference coordinator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the conference coordinator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new conference coordinator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a conference coordinator?