Meeting Planner

About The American College Of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a professional and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 90,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit

Our Mission

The American College of Surgeons is dedicated to improving the care of the surgical patient and safeguarding standards of care in an optimal and ethical practice environment.

Our Vision

To create a healthcare landscape where surgeons thrive and every patient has access to and benefits from the highest standards of surgical care, driven by innovation, education, leadership, and trust.

Summary:

Serve as the primary logistics specialist for all conference center operations and Chicago-based internal meetings at ACS Headquarters. This position manages the daily execution, quality control, and service delivery of a high-volume, multi-floor conference environment supporting more than 1,500 meetings annually.

The role ensures optimal space utilization, seamless technology integration, vendor coordination, selected transient and group guestroom logistics, safety compliance, and service execution across all headquarters meeting spaces.

The position acts as a central coordination hub between Facilities, IT, Security, Reception, Office Services, and Building Management, while also providing onsite operational support for the ACS Clinical Congress, the College’s annual meeting, and other assigned ACS events.

This exempt position will report to the Senior Meetings Manager (Trauma, Quality, Cancer, Conference Center) in the Department of Convention and Meetings. It is based in our Chicago office and is a hybrid role: 3 days per week in the office/2 days per week remote.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $73,700 - $80,000 (commensurate with related experience).

Key Responsibilities

Chicago Conference Center & Headquarters Meeting Operations

• Serve as the operational lead for 20+ conference rooms across multiple headquarters floors.
• Direct the scheduling, setup, execution, and reset of over 1,500 internal meetings annually.
• Oversee and coordinate room configurations, audiovisual needs, catering services, and on-site execution standards.
• Provide daily operational leadership to support staff and service partners.
• Ensure consistent implementation of safety, security, and emergency protocols across all conference center operations.
• Act as the primary point of contact for external users and visiting groups utilizing ACS conference facilities.
• Partner with IT, Facilities, and other departments to evaluate and recommend upgrades to systems, services, and software that enhance service efficiency and attendee experience.
• Ensure all team members receive appropriate emergency response and safety training.
• Provide backup operational support for the Washington, DC conference center as required.

Meeting Management Software & Data Governance

• Administer and oversee the meeting management database that drives conference center operations and service request workflows.
• Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of all space reservations, service requests, and operational data.
• Leverage data to streamline operational workflows, optimize space utilization, and improve service response times.
• Identify opportunities to enhance automation, reporting, and operational efficiency.

Internal Governance & Cross-Department Coordination

• Enforce consistent operational standards across all internal meeting users and partner departments.
• Serve as a central coordination resource between Facilities, IT, Security, Reception, Office Services, and external vendors.
• Proactively assess service gaps, workflow challenges, and cost efficiencies; recommend improvements to leadership.
• Support continuous operational improvement through thoughtful evaluation of staffing models, service levels, and technology solutions.

Chicago-Based ACS Meetings & External Logistics

• Plan and execute logistics for small and mid-size Chicago-based ACS meetings and events.
• Develop and manage a structured staffing system for event coverage, including training, scheduling, and hour assignments across ACS teams as required.
• Ensure consistent service standards and execution across all supported meetings.

Hotel, Guestroom & Dining Coordination

• Manage transient guestroom reservations for ACS staff and guests, with primary oversight of the Hyatt Centric located within the headquarters building.
• Coordinate private dining experiences for internal and external meetings as needed.
• Serve as a liaison between ACS and hotel and dining partners to ensure service quality and logistical accuracy.

Clinical Congress Support

• Provide operational and onsite support for the ACS Clinical Congress, the College’s annual meeting, and other assigned national ACS meetings, as assigned.
• Support DC Conference Center, as requested and needed.

Required Education And/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience is required.
• Minimum of two (2) years of progressive experience in meeting planning, conference center operations, hospitality operations, or related event management environments is required.

Essential Skills

• Advanced organizational and enterprise-level logistics coordination expertise.
• Financial tracking, reconciliation, and cost control capability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, webinar platforms, and hybrid meeting technologies.
• Audiovisual and multi-platform meeting setup experience is preferred.
• Proficiency with meeting management technologies, scheduling platforms, and service request systems is preferred.
• Demonstrated diplomacy, discretion, and professionalism in high-pressure, high-visibility environments.
• Ability to remain calm, solution-oriented, and directive during critical situations and service interruptions.

Comprehensive Benefits

We’re committed to attracting and retaining top talent via valuable benefits!

• Vacation, personal, and sick hours including 13 paid holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Medical—comprehensive coverage through BlueCross BlueShield
• Dental, Vision, and Prescription drug program
• 403(b) Matching Program
• Pension Plan
• Flexible Spending Medical/Dependent Care
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short Term/Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Domestic Partner Coverage

The American College of Surgeons is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call (312) 202-5000 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.