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How to hire an event planning manager

Event planning manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring event planning managers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an event planning 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 event planning manager to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an event planning manager, step by step

To hire an event planning manager, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an event planning manager:

Here's a step-by-step event planning manager hiring guide:

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

What does an event planning manager do?

Event planning managers have responsibilities such as planning, organizing, promoting, and social events. They also perform tasks like booking venues, coordinating with clients and suppliers, managing invoices and budgets, and handling logistics. Managers negotiate sales agreements for room rentals, function space, food and beverage services, and coordinate room reservations and amenities. They also handle billing and accounting and present post-event reports. Planners must maintain contracts, permits, event management plans, and databases and spreadsheets with timelines and action plans.

Learn more about the specifics of what an event planning manager does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring an event planning manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

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

    An event planning manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, event planning 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.

    The following list breaks down different types of event planning managers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Event Planning ManagerDescriptionHourly rate
    Event Planning ManagerMeeting, convention, and event planners coordinate all aspects of events and professional meetings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.$17-35
    Director Of EventsAn event director or director of the event is responsible for organizing a successful execution of an event. This job is demanding and involves a varied range of tasks and obligations, from planning and overseeing the cast and crew recruited, supervise training for effective execution of the event... Show more$18-53
    Site CoordinatorA site coordinator is responsible for organizing special events and programs based on a client's specifications or a business's needs. Site coordinators ensure that the plan will go well by monitoring their resources, coordinating with third-party services, researching the best settings, finalizing the list of attendees, and managing the budget goals... Show more$12-26
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Event Management
    • Smooth Execution
    • Event Sales
    • Booking
    • Audio Visual
    • Reservations
    • Event Space
    • Upselling
    • Meeting Space
    • VIP
    • Social Events
    • Corporate Events
    • Guest Rooms
    • Square Feet
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
    • Prepare letters, proposals, BEO's, thank-you notes, etc.
    • Create, review and revise rooming lists and VIP lists.
    • Strengthen client base in local community by planning fundraisers and other VIP events.
    • Develop agenda and itinerary, organize and procure all speaker biographies and materials and logistics for successful program execution.
    • Develop agenda and itinerary, organize and procure all speaker biographies and materials and logistics for successful program execution.
    More event planning manager duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the event planning manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. An event planning manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for an event planning manager in Kansas may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level event planning manager. Additionally, an event planning manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average event planning manager salary

    $52,565yearly

    $25.27 hourly rate

    Entry-level event planning manager salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 19, 2025

    Average event planning manager salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$67,793$33
    2District of Columbia$60,875$29
    3Massachusetts$59,245$28
    4Pennsylvania$59,169$28
    5Washington$57,300$28
    6Texas$57,197$28
    7Maryland$56,970$27
    8California$56,186$27
    9Illinois$51,919$25
    10Florida$47,083$23
    11Indiana$45,937$22
    12Oregon$45,459$22
    13Georgia$44,978$22
    14Minnesota$44,423$21
    15Colorado$43,429$21
    16Wisconsin$43,047$21
    17Ohio$42,507$20
    18Louisiana$42,493$20
    19North Carolina$40,970$20

    Average event planning manager salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1McKinsey & Company Inc$141,511$68.03
    2Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts$58,662$28.20
    3Hyatt Hotels$58,278$28.0242
    4Highgate Hotels$57,743$27.764
    5Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings$55,326$26.602
    6Goodwin Recruiting$55,008$26.45
    7Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs$54,647$26.27
    8Marriott International$54,635$26.27154
    9California State University, Fresno$54,460$26.18
    10US Foods$54,406$26.164
    11WTS International$54,196$26.06
    12Northmarq$51,607$24.81
    13Chandon USA$50,340$24.20
    14IQPC$50,205$24.14
    15Aramark$42,170$20.2712
    16Brasada Ranch$26,141$12.57
  4. Writing an event planning manager job description

    A good event planning 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 an event planning manager job description:

    Event planning manager job description example

    At Hyatt, we believe our guests select Hyatt because of our caring and attentive associates who are focused demonstrating Care in all aspects of their role.

    The Event Manager handles both local catering and groups sales bookings. This person has an assigned quota and is responsible for solicitation of new business, handling inquiries, booking and detailing sales and event groups. This manager is also responsible for detailing events and ensuring guest satisfaction.

    The Event Manager is responsible for selling and servicing events, as well as groups with sleeping rooms. This position works closely with Hotel Sales Managers in contract negotiations and servicing groups as it relates to catering and convention services. Primary sales efforts are in Banquet Food and Beverage and Meeting Room Rental and may include menu planning, agenda setting, hotel meeting services, hospitality amenities, and special VIP requests. Duties also include contract review and facilitating communication before, during and post event with pertinent hotel staff to ensure a high level of service.

    The Event Managers also host hotel tours, maintain strong customer relationships, participate and may lead event meetings, and other staff meetings, and work as a team member with the sales and catering staff.
    **What are we looking for:**

    More than 50 years ago, in 1967, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta opened our doors. Since then we have continued to bring people together in our efforts to create a "World of Understanding". Referred to as the "Hotel of Hope" by Martin Luther King Jr we look to each of our team members to continue to bring our vision to life through our values:

    + Respect

    + Empathy

    + Integrity

    + Creativity

    + Humility

    + Fun

    We are looking for individuals that demonstrate the following attributes

    + A true desire to satisfy the needs of others in a fast paced environment

    + Refined verbal and written communication skills

    + Dependability and accountability

    + Prefer two years hotel experience or completed Event Management trainee program

    **What you can expect:**

    Hyatt is a place where high expectations aren't just met-they're exceeded. It's a place of outstanding rewards, where talent opens doors to exciting challenges in the hospitality industry. It's a place where career opportunities are as unlimited as your imagination.

    Hyatt has the best to offer including **:** **medical health care (after 30 days), free colleague meals during shifts, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, paid Family Bonding time, discounted and complementary rooms** at Hyatt's across the globe and much more!

    Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For - FORTUNE

    America's Best Employers for Diversity

    100 Best Workplaces for Millennials

    **Qualifications:**

    minimal of 3 years Events and/or Sales Management Experience

    **Primary Location:** US-GA-Atlanta

    **Organization:** Hyatt Regency Atlanta

    **Pay Basis:** Yearly

    **Job Level:** Full-time

    **Job:** Catering/Event Planning


    Hyatt is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status or any other group protected by law.
  5. Post your job

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

    Recruiting event planning managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    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 event planning manager

    Once you've found the event planning manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new event planning 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.)
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How much does it cost to hire an event planning manager?

Recruiting event planning 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.

You can expect to pay around $52,565 per year for an event planning manager, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for event planning managers in the US typically range between $17 and $35 an hour.

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