What does a conference coordinator do?
A conference coordinator organizes professional gatherings and meetings according to a client's needs and preferences. There are also instances where they may plan reunions, parties, and other events. Their responsibilities begin at meeting the clients to identify their needs and preferences, including the event's purpose or themes. From there, a conference coordinator develops plans, secures venues and speakers, books caterers and other equipment, prepares and processes requests, and maintains records of all transactions, presenting invoices to the clients. Moreover, a conference coordinator must be proactive and resolve any conflicts or issues should any arise.
Conference coordinator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real conference coordinator resumes:
- 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.
- Promote the events via e-newsletters and opt-in email blasts, in addition to MySpace and Facebook.
- Work with outside vendors for giveaways, as well as booth configuration.
- Order promotional giveaways and marketing materials, and ensure timely deliver to venue.
Conference coordinator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Conference Coordinators are proficient in Conference Calls, Reservations, and Event Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Negotiation skills, Communication skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Conference Coordinators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Conference Calls, 15%
Facilitate conference calls for companies nationwide and internationally, using procedures dependent on type of conference.
- Reservations, 13%
Managed internal & external reservations for audio and videoconferencing requirements over telephone and via e-mail.
- Event Planning, 6%
Assist planner with all facets of event planning from inception until - Create directional signs and steam press advertising banners.
- Audio Visual Equipment, 5%
Work closely with Multimedia team and Restaurant Associates to ensure appropriate audio visual equipment and catering requirements are provided.
- Conference Planning, 4%
Develop electronic decision/milestone planning data and oversee registration systems to ensure efficient and cost effective conference planning and management.
- Event Management, 4%
Executed the logistics of Event Management, handled customer concerns and ensured customer satisfaction
Most conference coordinators use their skills in "conference calls," "reservations," and "event planning" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential conference coordinator responsibilities here:
Negotiation skills. One of the key soft skills for a conference coordinator to have is negotiation skills. You can see how this relates to what conference coordinators do because "meeting, convention, and event planners must be able to secure quality products and services at reasonable prices for their clients." Additionally, a conference coordinator resume shows how conference coordinators use negotiation skills: "participate in contract negotiations and evaluations with a variety of organizations. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform conference coordinator duties is communication skills. Conference coordinators responsibilities require that "meeting, convention, and event planners exchange information with clients, suppliers, and event staff." Conference coordinators also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided assistance for budget logistics, conference planning and communication between upper-level administrative bodies. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of conference coordinators is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday conference coordinator duties, as "meeting, convention, and event planners must be able to anticipate potential issues and prepare creative solutions that satisfy clients." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "partnered with conference planning team to ensure issues are identified and resolved. "
Interpersonal skills. conference coordinator responsibilities often require "interpersonal skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "meeting, convention, and event planners must establish and maintain positive relationships with clients and suppliers." This resume example shows what conference coordinators do with interpersonal skills on a typical day: "demonstrated excellent organizational, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills with clients, supervisor, and command leadership. "
Organizational skills. A commonly-found skill in conference coordinator job descriptions, "organizational skills" is essential to what conference coordinators do. Conference coordinator responsibilities rely on this skill because "meeting, convention, and event planners must multitask, pay attention to details, and meet tight deadlines." You can also see how conference coordinator duties rely on organizational skills in this resume example: "executed all planning and budgetary activities for organizational social events. "
The three companies that hire the most conference coordinators are:
- Compass Group USA10 conference coordinators jobs
- Leidos2 conference coordinators jobs
- Pacific Architects and Engineers
2 conference coordinators jobs
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Compare different conference coordinators
Conference coordinator vs. 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. They also need to deal with travel arrangements and with technical equipment used in the course of the meeting.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a conference coordinator are more likely to require skills like "conference calls," "reservations," "conference planning," and "reservation system." On the other hand, a job as a meeting planner requires skills like "client facing," "audio visual," "meeting materials," and "site inspections." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Meeting planners earn the highest salaries when working in the hospitality industry, with an average yearly salary of $55,783. On the other hand, conference coordinators are paid more in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $48,429.meeting planners tend to reach similar levels of education than conference coordinators. In fact, meeting planners are 4.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Conference coordinator vs. Event organizer
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. They also analyze the current market trends, identifying business opportunities to negotiate with more clients by meeting consumer demands and needs, bringing revenues, and increasing the company's profitability.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, conference coordinator responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "conference calls," "reservations," "audio visual equipment," and "conference planning." Meanwhile, an event organizer has duties that require skills in areas such as "charity events," "community events," "social events," and "ticket sales." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Event organizers earn similar levels of education than conference coordinators in general. They're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Conference coordinator vs. Marketing and event planning internship
An event planner is responsible for organizing events, following the clients' needs, instructions, and budget goals. Event planners must be highly communicative to coordinate and negotiate contracts with suppliers, third-party vendors, and venue rentals. They finalize the guest list, catering services, and assist with marketing materials to promote the event. An event planner should also have a broad knowledge of the current market industry trends, which plays a vital role in planning and organizing future event opportunities.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, conference coordinators are more likely to have skills like "conference calls," "reservations," "audio visual equipment," and "conference planning." But a marketing and event planning internship is more likely to have skills like "twitter," "instagram," "events intern," and "market research."
Marketing and event planning interns typically earn lower educational levels compared to conference coordinators. Specifically, they're 5.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Conference coordinator vs. Event planner
Types of conference coordinator
Updated January 8, 2025
