Trade Show Hotel Contracts Manager
Full-Time
Milwaukee, WI (Hybrid)
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is hiring a Trade Show Hotel Contracts Manager! We are looking to connect with service-oriented professionals who would enjoy variety and challenge within our Exhibitions and Marketing team. This position will support contract negotiation and management for trade show housing programs and act as a liaison between internal stakeholders and vendors.
Responsibilities:
A successful candidate will hold an Associates degree in a related field and will have 3-5 years of relevant experience in hospitality, event management, and/or organizational management. Previous experience working in Tradeshow Housing is a plus. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:
AEM is the leading organization in North America advancing construction and agriculture equipment manufacturers and their value chain partners in the global marketplace. In enabling growth together, AEM and its members build momentum for the equipment manufacturing industry and the markets it serves.
AEM offers a competitive salary and an outstanding benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), 401(k) company match, life insurance, long-term disability, 18 PTO days during the first full calendar year, and 10 paid holidays. Our staff is enthusiastic and passionate about what they do, our office space is both modern and inviting and are involved in a variety of community services.
Responsibilities:
- Develop hotel contractual terms, policies, and procedures required to support trade show housing program needs.
- Work with contractors to source properties, oversee negotiations, and mitigate risk and liability.
- Create and execute sourcing plans in host cities to meet trade show housing room block needs, ranging from 2,600-28,000 peak rooms.
- Support contract review and approvals process as needed, including negotiations and/or reviews of agreements.
- Serve as department liaison to work with legal on internal contract management, such as contract tracking, storage, contract templates, preferred terms, process documentation, and approval flows for staff training and reference.
- Develop, monitor and forecast budgets for trade show housing programs, including hotel commission revenues.
- Act as liaison for housing vendor management, ensuring vendors fulfill contract deliverables to support show program needs.
- Identify priorities across exhibitions and marketing department to create processes and document key responsibilities.
- Establish and maintain relationships with Convention Visitors Bureaus, National Sales Reps, and hotels in multiple cities for the purpose of contract negotiations.
- Review housing program performance, identify successes and opportunities, and advise on direction of programs.
A successful candidate will hold an Associates degree in a related field and will have 3-5 years of relevant experience in hospitality, event management, and/or organizational management. Previous experience working in Tradeshow Housing is a plus. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to travel up to 5%, including travel/work outside of business hours to attend partner networking events.
- In-depth knowledge of hotel contracts in the hospitality industry.
- Experience developing and managing projects and budgets.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Ability to be persuasive and negotiate contracts.
AEM is the leading organization in North America advancing construction and agriculture equipment manufacturers and their value chain partners in the global marketplace. In enabling growth together, AEM and its members build momentum for the equipment manufacturing industry and the markets it serves.
AEM offers a competitive salary and an outstanding benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k), 401(k) company match, life insurance, long-term disability, 18 PTO days during the first full calendar year, and 10 paid holidays. Our staff is enthusiastic and passionate about what they do, our office space is both modern and inviting and are involved in a variety of community services.