Director, Conferences & Meetings

Director, Conferences & Meetings
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington, Virginia, United States (Hybrid)

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) supports all museums across the United States, including aquariums, zoos, historic sites, parks, and gardens. With over 30,000 members—museums, museum professionals, and companies that support the sector—AAM is the largest national museum organization in the U.S. We advance the field through four core pillars:
Learning;
Building and Connecting Community;
Advocacy; and Practice Management.

AAM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an annual operating budget of $10M and a staff of 35, headquartered in Arlington, VA. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

The Director, Conferences & Meetings leads the planning, production, and execution of AAM’s flagship events—including the Annual Meeting & Museum Expo, Museum Advocacy Day, and the virtual Museum Summit. This role ensures AAM events inspire, educate, and connect museum professionals while advancing the organization’s strategic goals.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Learning, the Director oversees all aspects of conferences and meetings, balancing strategic leadership with operational excellence. This role requires a passion for creating innovative, inclusive, and meaningful experiences that reflect AAM’s brand and mission.

• Team size: 3
• Direct reports: 1 (Sr. Manager, Meetings & Events)

• Lead the strategy, planning, design, and execution of AAM’s flagship and organizational conferences and meetings.
• Collaborate across departments—including Advancement & Membership and Marketing & Digital Experience—to align goals, logistics, timelines, and communications.
• Build strong relationships with executive leadership, members, partners, vendors, and attendees.
• Provide guidance on enhancing participant experiences through creativity and innovation.

• Direct all aspects of meeting and logistical production, including venue and vendor management, session scheduling, and presenter communications.
• Lead audiovisual (AV) RFPs, contract negotiation, and technical coordination.
• Manage AV vendors and ensure seamless execution of presentations and recordings.
• Serve as on-site leadership during events, addressing issues and ensuring an exceptional participant experience.

• Oversee online abstract submission processes.
• Manage communications with submitters and speakers and collaborate with the Learning team on program delivery.
• Ensure timely and smooth program development for conferences and meetings.

• Develop and manage conference and meeting budgets, negotiate contracts, and allocate resources effectively.
• Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as attendee experience, budget performance, and attendance outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and efficiency.

• Supervise the Sr. Manager, Meetings & Events, fostering professional growth and collaboration.
• Serve as a brand ambassador, ensuring all conferences and meetings reflect AAM’s mission and values.
• Lead staff training and coordinate team participation in live events.

• Develop event crisis plans for conferences and meetings in collaboration with internal partners and venues.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks related to health, safety, accessibility, and operations.

• Bachelor’s degree and related experience preferred. CMP designation a plus.
• 7+ years of progressive experience leading conferences and meetings, including budgeting, logistics, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
• Proven success managing large-scale, high-profile conferences and events.
• Strong skills in contract negotiation, vendor management, and budget oversight.
• Experience with AV contracts and production.
• Proficiency with online abstract management systems, mobile event apps, and attendee engagement technologies.
• Advanced organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and project management platforms (Asana preferred).
• Ability to travel up to 20% and work flexible hours during peak conference and meeting periods.
• Commitment to advancing diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in all aspects of conference and meeting delivery.