Post job

How to hire a conference services manager

Conference services manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring conference services managers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a conference services manager is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new conference services manager to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a conference services manager, step by step

To hire a conference services manager, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a conference services manager:

Here's a step-by-step conference services manager 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 services manager job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new conference services manager
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a conference services manager do?

A Conference Services Manager organizes and oversees conferences from planning to execution, ensuring efficiency and smooth operations. They meet with clients and representatives to learn about their event needs and budgets. From there, a Conference Services Manager develops plans and guidelines with staff, books caterers and venues according to the clients' preferences, arrange programs, and coordinates other services. They lead and encourage staff to reach goals, maintaining an active communication line to promptly and efficiently resolve any issues.

Learn more about the specifics of what a conference services manager does
jobs
Post a conference services manager job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your conference services manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a conference services manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A conference services manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, conference services managers 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 presents conference services manager salaries for various positions.

    Type of Conference Services ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Conference Services ManagerFood service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants and other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.$18-32
    Director Of CateringA director of catering spearheads and oversees catering services and programs, from planning to execution. They usually lead the hiring and training procedures, establishing goals and timelines, managing budgets and controlling costs, setting protocols and guidelines, coordinating managers and teams, and negotiating with suppliers, building positive relationships in the process... Show more$20-47
    Manager Of Special EventsA manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution... Show more$14-48
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Reservations
    • Conference Services
    • Booking
    • Banquet Event Orders
    • Repeat Business
    • Delphi
    • Audio Visual Equipment
    • Wine
    • Site Inspections
    • Guest Satisfaction
    • Client Relationships
    • Event Planning
    • Customer Satisfaction
    • Meeting Rooms
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead weekly team meetings to review group resumes and BEOs with key hotel staff.
    • Manage RFP's; review contracts; and coordinate with select vendors from planning to implementation.
    • Handle groups with meeting and catering requirements throughout entire booking process.
    • Create BEOs and resumes to communicate in detail to all staff members on property
    • Focuse on upselling food and beverage, meeting room rental, guest room rates, and other hotel services.
    • Season in all areas of the booking process, from prospecting and qualifying, to settling attrition upon completion of program.
    More conference services manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your conference services manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A conference services manager salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, conference services managers' average salary in tennessee is 35% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level conference services managers earn 43% less than senior-level conference services managers.
    • Certifications. A conference services manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a conference services manager's salary.

    Average conference services manager salary

    $50,711yearly

    $24.38 hourly rate

    Entry-level conference services manager salary
    $38,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 14, 2025

    Average conference services manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$62,982$30
    2District of Columbia$58,887$28
    3New York$58,732$28
    4Washington$56,776$27
    5Massachusetts$54,463$26
    6Wisconsin$53,583$26
    7Virginia$52,504$25
    8Pennsylvania$51,368$25
    9Illinois$50,968$25
    10North Carolina$50,400$24
    11West Virginia$49,275$24
    12Oregon$47,991$23
    13Maryland$46,504$22
    14Texas$45,931$22
    15Colorado$45,233$22
    16Florida$42,134$20
    17Minnesota$40,967$20

    Average conference services manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Apple$108,764$52.294
    2Invesco$92,228$44.34
    3Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants$56,835$27.3240
    4Richards Kibbe & Orbe$56,610$27.22
    5Hyatt Hotels$56,397$27.1130
    6Mandarin Oriental$56,317$27.083
    7Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts$56,243$27.048
    8Wyndham Hotels & Resorts$56,073$26.966
    9Wyndham Vacation Ownership$55,892$26.87
    10HEI Hotels & Resorts$55,651$26.7646
    11Benchmark Group$55,648$26.75
    12Montage Hotels & Resorts$54,786$26.349
    13Brookfield, LLC$53,572$25.761
    14North States Ind$53,082$25.52
    15Highgate Hotels$52,998$25.4855
    16Crescent Hotels & Resorts$52,994$25.48
    17Schulte Hospitality Group$52,608$25.297
    18Hersha Hospitality$52,564$25.2783
    19Goodwin Recruiting$52,515$25.251
    20Vail Resorts$52,295$25.147
  4. Writing a conference services manager job description

    A good conference services manager job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a conference services manager job description:

    Conference services manager job description example

    1. Promote and sell Food & Beverage, Accommodations, Transportation, Recreation, Activities and conference programs that meet and exceed department budget goals.
    2. Manage accounts through the planning process to ensure a successful event from pre arrival to post departure. Coordinate all aspects and details of agenda.
    3. Consider optimal bottom line impact on the company when selling F&B events.
    4. Communicate all details, changes, revisions with client and proper departments following resort policies and guidelines by generating BEO’s Event Agendas, memos and any necessary correspondence.
    ADDITIONAL TASKS

    1. Schedule and chair on site planning, pre-conference meetings, and exit interviews with meeting planners and Wintergreen Managers when needed..

    2. Follows up with Banquet Manager on signage and timeliness of set-up, cleanliness of meeting rooms, conference center and public areas to ensure functions are arranged as indicated on BEO’s informing the Banquet Staff of any issues that need to be addressed.

    3. Sell and reserve necessary recreation, activities, and transportation needs with respective departments. Update booking profile and review with client event procedures and cancellation policies.

    4. Manage client by corresponding with client in a timely and professional manner throughout the planning stages as well as contacting client upon arrival and periodically during their visit to ensure their every need is met.

    5. Assure the transmission of charges, meeting room rentals and miscellaneous services.

    6. Arrange all aspects of F&B from restaurant reservations to banquet functions.

    7. Sell and secure entertainment, photographers, florists, tents for events and special theme groups.

    8. Evaluate potential problems with a group’s program, exercise appropriate judgment and find solution to the problem.

    9. Keep abreast of rate changes, package information, and resort operation schedules.

    10. Interact with and assist clients whose files may be assigned to another Conference Services Manager during pre-planning and while on site if situation arises.

    11. Assist in distribution of BEO’s, Event Agendas, F&B and general weekly reports and updating lobby board.

    12. Keep Director, Food & Beverage informed of group situations, comments, and criticism, both positive and negative during planning stages and while on site.

    13. Attend weekly program review meetings.

    14. Assist others with coordination of special events, i.e., New Year’s Eve & Club W Membership Events.

    15. Assist in planning events and executing events, at restaurants when needed.

    16. Assist others in any way they might need.

    17. Assist clients with business office needs, i.e., faxes, copies, messages, etc….,

    when Business Center is not available.

    18. Other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

    BENEFITS OF WORKING AT WINTERGREEN:

    Wintergreen Resort is a place for mountain lovers, adventure seekers and outdoor explorers. A place to chase new experiences, marvel at the unexpected, and build new relationships that will keep you coming back for more. We work to play! We work in a fun-filled, beautiful resort setting and have a competitive compensation with a comprehensive benefit portfolio for full time associates: (medical, dental, vision, life, short and long term disability insurances as well as Paid Time Off and a 401K plan). Our unique recreational benefit package offers associates free and/or discounted resort activities, services and products..

    All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

    We have many fantastic opportunities available from our spectacular, sweeping mountain slopes to our beautiful valley and lake. If this position isn’t quite what you are looking for, please visit our career page for even more open positions: Wintergreen Resort: Premier Blue Ridge Mountain Ski, Golf, Tennis, Spa and Family Vacation Resort in Virginia

  5. Post your job

    To find conference services managers 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 services managers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level conference services managers 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 services manager job on Zippia to find and recruit conference services manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit conference services managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    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 services manager

    Once you've decided on a perfect conference services manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new conference services manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a conference services manager?

Recruiting conference services managers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for conference services managers is $50,711 in the US. However, the cost of conference services manager hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a conference services manager for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $18 and $32 an hour.

Find better conference services managers in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring conference services managers FAQs

Search for conference services manager jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse executive management jobs