Director of convention services vs special events coordinator

The differences between directors of convention services and special events coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a director of convention services and a special events coordinator. Additionally, a director of convention services has an average salary of $65,956, which is higher than the $40,063 average annual salary of a special events coordinator.

The top three skills for a director of convention services include culinary, booking and guest rooms. The most important skills for a special events coordinator are customer service, event planning, and press releases.

Director of convention services vs special events coordinator overview

	Director Of Convention Services	Special Events Coordinator
Yearly salary	$65,956	$40,063
Hourly rate	$31.71	$19.26
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	60,402	34,538
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Director of convention services vs special events coordinator salary

Directors of convention services and special events coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Convention Services	Special Events Coordinator
Average salary	$65,956	$40,063
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $114,000	Between $26,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Smithsonian Institution
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between director of convention services and special events coordinator education

There are a few differences between a director of convention services and a special events coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Convention Services	Special Events Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	San Diego State University

Director of convention services vs special events coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between directors of convention services' and special events coordinators' demographics:

	Director Of Convention Services	Special Events Coordinator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9%	Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between director of convention services and special events coordinator duties and responsibilities

Director of convention services example responsibilities.

Work closely with the banquet department and culinary team to achieve outstanding food and beverage service.
Manage sleeping room blocks, including rooming lists, comp assignments, room assignments, pre-keying and VIP's.
Coordinate booking activities of catering departments to achieve budget revenues.
Conduct the weekly BEO meeting with the culinary team.
Handle VIP accommodations, amenities and transportation.
Supervise the installation and implementation of a network computer system and DELPHI software.

Special events coordinator example responsibilities.

Work closely with MDA families, volunteers, sponsors and fellow staff to achieve MDA objectives.
Maintain business website and manage Facebook account.
Manage reservations and priority seating for VIP diners to ensure customer satisfaction and encourage repeat business.
Compile programs and PowerPoint presentations for day of event.
Check RSVP lines and provide attendee list for day of event.
Create promotional flyers, brochures, and PowerPoint presentations for multiple target markets.

Director of convention services vs special events coordinator skills

Common director of convention services skills

Culinary, 10%
Booking, 9%
Guest Rooms, 7%
Business Relationships, 7%
Square Feet, 6%
Meeting Rooms, 6%

Common special events coordinator skills

Customer Service, 24%
Event Planning, 11%
Press Releases, 4%
Event Logistics, 4%
Event Management, 4%
PowerPoint, 3%

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Director Of Convention Services
Director Of Convention Services vs Special Events Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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