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Meetings manager vs lead event specialist

The differences between meetings managers and lead event specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a meetings manager and a lead event specialist. Additionally, a meetings manager has an average salary of $63,589, which is higher than the $34,064 average annual salary of a lead event specialist.

The top three skills for a meetings manager include client facing, cost savings and vendor contracts. The most important skills for a lead event specialist are customer service, food safety guidelines, and facebook.

Meetings manager vs lead event specialist overview

Meetings ManagerLead Event Specialist
Yearly salary$63,589$34,064
Hourly rate$30.57$16.38
Growth rate18%18%
Number of jobs1,82113,919
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

What does a meetings manager do?

Meetings managers are professionals who organize the details that involve planning large and small events, including meetings. These managers are required to conduct site selections so that they can make recommendations to the committees involved while handling vendor negotiations and preparing proposals. They must manage responsibilities related to invitation and attendee management processes such as meeting registration, air travel, ground transportation, and accommodation. Meetings managers must also schedule for all managers to meet with audio-visual staff so that they can test run all their presentations.

What does a lead event specialist do?

A Lead event specialist is responsible for providing clients a proposal or a plan to make an event successful. Most of the time, they are the person who continually interacts with their clients to determine what they need, from the planning stage down to the implementation phase. Meaning this will also be how they can promote their brand or business and generate an income from it. Additionally, they are the ones who organize a promotional event and interacts with potential clients.

Meetings manager vs lead event specialist salary

Meetings managers and lead event specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Meetings ManagerLead Event Specialist
Average salary$63,589$34,064
Salary rangeBetween $46,000 And $87,000Between $23,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between meetings manager and lead event specialist education

There are a few differences between a meetings manager and a lead event specialist in terms of educational background:

Meetings ManagerLead Event Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSan Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University

Meetings manager vs lead event specialist demographics

Here are the differences between meetings managers' and lead event specialists' demographics:

Meetings ManagerLead Event Specialist
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 18.9% Female, 81.1%Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between meetings manager and lead event specialist duties and responsibilities

Meetings manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage of hotel master accounts and organize VIP services for client leadership and celebrity guests.
  • Manage relationships with vendors, hotel staff and DMC's to ensure delivery of services as defined by senior management.
  • Design metrics to analyze and improve return on investment (ROI).
  • Assist all clients with booking hotel guest rooms and offer discount when applicable.
  • Contract suppliers including hotels, DMC's, and exhibit companies, and maintain relationships.
  • Create, circulate and analyze feedback forms to summarize ROI and report results to stakeholders.
  • Show more

Lead event specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage all FOH operations of a consistently busy, tourist destination restaurant.
  • Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
  • Represent major brands in the gifting suite distributing gift bags to celebrities and VIP guests.
  • Leverage corporate partnerships and trade accounts to create VIP client experiences to help foster those relationships and increase YOY revenue.
  • Reviewed/Revise current technical methodologies, coordinate validations of new assays, independently troubleshoot problems relating to routine operations of the laboratory.
  • Prepare and serve food samples using small appliances such as microwaves, fryers, skillets, coffee makers and knives
  • Show more

Meetings manager vs lead event specialist skills

Common meetings manager skills
  • Client Facing, 17%
  • Cost Savings, 12%
  • Vendor Contracts, 11%
  • Site Selection, 11%
  • Event Budgets, 9%
  • Ground Transportation, 6%
Common lead event specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Food Safety Guidelines, 10%
  • Facebook, 10%
  • Product Demonstrations, 9%
  • Event Planning, 9%
  • Food Preparation, 7%

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