About This Role 

NCA is seeking an experienced, self-directed event professional to serve as our Convention & Meetings Manager. This is a high-visibility, high-ownership role at the center of NCA’s largest and most complex program — the Annual Convention, which draws over 4,000 attendees and features over 950 sessions, an exhibit hall, a career center, and a graduate school open house. 

Reporting to the Senior Director of Convention & Strategic Operations, the Manager serves as the primary operational lead for the Annual Convention and a portfolio of governance meetings, owning the full planning lifecycle from abstract submission management and program scheduling through registration, logistics, on-site execution, and post-event reporting. The Manager is also the primary point of contact for 120+ convention program planners across NCA’s academic units. 

This role requires exceptional judgment, genuine independence, and the ability to manage competing priorities across a long, complex planning cycle — all without close day-to-day supervision. It offers meaningful advancement opportunities within a growing, mission-driven team. 

Key Responsibilities 

Convention & Event Operations 

• Serve as primary operational lead for the NCA Annual Convention and a portfolio of governance meetings, including the Leadership Retreat, Executive Committee Meetings, and Chairs’ Summer Institute — owning each event from planning through on-site execution and post-event reconciliation. 
• Build and manage the master convention project plan in Asana; create and maintain run-of-show documents, BEOs, signage plans, and staffing schedules across a multi-month planning cycle. 
• Coordinate with hotels, AV vendors, catering, transportation, security, and an external convention planning contractor to deliver a seamless convention experience. 
• Lead accessibility accommodations planning and inclusive space coordination; own operational risk assessment, including crowd flow, emergency preparedness, and safety briefings. 

Program & Abstract Management 

• Own and manage the full abstract submission and review process in X-CD Technologies — including system configuration, reviewer assignment, scheduling 950+ sessions across 40+ concurrent rooms, and conflict resolution. 
• Serve as the primary contact and accountability driver for 120+ convention program planners, tracking progress through every milestone of the submission lifecycle and proactively resolving issues. 
• Lead planner training, including monthly webinars and co-presenting the annual kickoff orientation alongside the Senior Director and First Vice President. 

Registration & Financial Management 

• Own the full convention registration build and lifecycle in Fonteva, including all ticket types, pricing, policies, and special registration categories. 
• Manage ongoing financial tracking: code invoices to correct GL accounts, track actuals vs. budget across all convention cost workstreams, and contribute to the post-convention financial report. 
• Manage independent purchasing authority up to $2,500 per transaction within approved budgets. 

 Data, Reporting & Communications 

• Track convention data throughout the planning cycle — submissions, registration trends, housing pickup, session attendance — and produce a post-convention report draft within 60 days of the convention. 
• Draft and distribute convention-wide email communications; manage the convention app and program book build; coordinate website updates, attendee resources, and CVB information. 
• Manage the convention inbox and voicemail, maintaining a same-day response standard. 

Qualifications 

• 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in event or meeting management, preferably in an association environment. 
• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, event planning, business administration, or a related field; Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) preferred. 
• Demonstrated proficiency with abstract management software (X-CD Technologies preferred), Fonteva or similar AMS, Constant Contact, and Microsoft Office Suite. 
• Experience managing the full meeting planning function: developing BEOs, managing hotel staff relationships, and delivering multi-day conferences within budget. 
• Strong project management skills; track record of accuracy and independent execution in high-volume, deadline-driven environments. 
• Experience with GL coding, invoice processing, and financial reconciliation. 
• Willingness to travel several times per year and to be available outside standard business hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, for on-site event support. 
• Commitment to NCA’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) principles. 

About National Communication Association

NCA represents over 6,000 scholars, teachers, practitioners, and students in the United States and other countries. NCA is a scholarly society founded in 1914 and categorized as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with an annual operating budget of approximately $4 million. NCA is a collaborative environment with a staff of 13, where teamwork is valued. For more information about NCA, please visit our website at www.natcom.org.

Connections working at National Communication Association