Description
California Podiatric Medical Association
Meeting/Conference Planner
Salary: Compensation is dependent upon skillset and experience.
Part-Time
Start Date: June 17, 2025 (Onsite at conference)
Location: Sacramento, CA (Hybrid)
Travel is required
Monday through Friday, except during conference
Skills: Food & Beverage Operations, Trade Shows, Meeting Planning, Nonprofit, Association, Budget Management, Contract Negotiation, Audio Visual Systems, Large Events, Request for Proposal, Vendor Sourcing, Vendor Contracts, Vendor Relations, Negotiations, Computer Literacy, Communication, Organization Skills, Social Media, Canva, Adobe
Description
This position is Hybrid ~ mostly remote but does require travel to the annual conference with some in-office prep necessary before the event.
About Us
Founded in 1912 the California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA), headquartered in Sacramento, CA, is a professional association dedicated to the service and assistance of Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) and their patients in California. CPMA represents its members on issues of legislation and regulatory affairs, medical economics and education, public health, and ethical and legal issues. The California Podiatric Medical Association advocates for podiatric physicians and their patients to promote the public health, ensure the highest standards of podiatric medical practice, and to enhance the quality and availability of foot health care in the Golden State.
About the Meeting
The Western Foot and Ankle Conference, aka The Western, is an annual continuing education meeting for doctors of podiatric medicine and podiatric medical assistants from California and other states to earn CECH for their license renewals. The Western is a 3.5-day conference with 2.5 days of exhibits held each June. The Western typically has 800-950 attendees with two programs, which include 50-60 speakers, and 120-130 exhibiting companies.
Mission Statement
The mission of CPMA’s Western Foot and Ankle Conference is to provide educational opportunities to advance and elevate the level of podiatric care of patients. It is one of the ultimate goals of CPMA’s continuing education activities to provide educational opportunities via conferences and workshops to help expand the knowledge base and technical skills of all involved medical students, residents, educators, providers, and ancillary staff. By doing this, CPMA can ensure the commitment of developing an educational format to benefit all of those in the podiatric medical profession who extend their care into the foot, ankle, and lower leg structures.
Job Summary
The meeting planner would be responsible for contracts and correspondence with the host hotel team, event decorator, audiovisual company, and other vendors such as badge printing, lead retrieval and badge scanning company, meeting app company, and graphic design company. The meeting planner would assist the program planning committee and coordinate meetings with them such as the post-meeting review and planning session. The meeting planner would also help procure sponsorships, write and submit grants, and would be responsible for the budget. The meeting planner would create and submit copy to the graphic design team and printers for advertisements, the exhibitor prospectus, preliminary program, and onsite conference materials such as signage, program guide, flyers, etc.
Requirements
Job Duties Include:
Assist Committee with Event Strategy & Program/Agenda Development
Online Registration Implementation
Hotel & Travel Tracking and Payment/Reimbursement of Speakers and Staff
Hotel and Venue Contract Negotiations
Custom Food and Beverage Developments
Logistics & On-Site Management
Fiscal Management
Audio-Visual Services Coordination
Assist Committee with Sponsor & Exhibitor Recruitment & Management
Sponsorship & Exhibitor Prospectus Development
Tradeshow/EXPO Management
Branding & Marketing
Promotional Items Procurement
Graphic Design Coordination
Speaker Presentation Procurement and Submission
Speaker Management
Responsibilities
This role will be responsible for managing the following aspects of The Western:
Meeting Prep:
Overseeing all areas of registration of attendees and exhibitors, including confirmations and email notices
Assigning exhibit booths and sending exhibitor confirmation packets
Inventory, ordering, organization, and packing of meeting supplies and signage
Hotel reservations for staff, CPMA Board of Directors, Western Committee members, and VIP guests
Monitoring committee approval of speaker presentations
Sending speaker presentations to A/V company
Staffing:
Assigning onsite duties and managing staff schedules
Organizing student helpers
Venue and vendor sourcing/selection:
RFP process
Contract negotiations
Room block management
Session room logistics:
Assigning meeting rooms
Room diagrams/sets and room turns for various meetings throughout the week of the conference
AV – equipment and labor
Miscellaneous – coordination of signs, security, etc.
Food and Beverage:
Menus recommendation/selection
Setting quantity guarantees and service timing
Ensuring acceptable service standards are met
Exhibit Hall:
Problem solving with exhibitors and vendors
Oversight of on-site set up and adherence to IAEE guidelines
Coordination of hall opening and closing each day
Oversight of event closure and move out
Administrative Services
Compose and prepare correspondence
Create and manage social media posts
Administer meeting database
Coordinate to create and design websites for meeting registration
Coordinate to create and print professional-quality meeting materials in a timely and cost-effective manner
Collect presentations and distribute by required deadlines
Complete monthly status reports and send to committee members
Complete and sign timesheet as required
Other duties as assigned and special projects
Other duties as assigned by Executive Director or committee
Budget and Financial Analysis
Calculate fees and monitor costs to ensure that meetings stay on budget.
Qualifications
Desired Skills and Qualifications
Highly motivated, detail-oriented self-starter with exceptional time management and organizational skills.
Strong written and oral communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
Must manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
Capable of working in both an independent and team-oriented, collaborative environment.
Extensive knowledge of audio-visual equipment, meeting room sets, F&B, exhibit hall and sponsorship execution.
Ability to control budgets, schedules/timelines, and overall action items.
Provide excellent customer service utilizing effective written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in standard computer software, including MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) preferred.
Travel required (One 8-day trip to Anaheim, CA per year)
Minimum of 2 years relevant experience as the lead planner for large events with robust agendas and exhibit halls
Verifiable and consistent work history
Valid Driver’s License
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and references, In the subject line, please note “Meeting/Conference Planner.”
We are an equal opportunity employer.
