Job Description : Event Planner / Event Manager
Career Profile of a Corporate Event Planner / Event Manager
What is a Corporate Event Planner?
If you've ever tried to organise a large event or party you'd be aware of all the potential headaches involved. From bands pulling out at the last minute to a caterers truck breaking down! Many Executive PA’s and Marketing Assistants would agree, that in today's busy environment, engaging an event planner takes the stress out of organising events. Event planners plan, organise and coordinate conferences, conventions, meetings, seminars, exhibitions, trade shows, gala dinners and other events. They are responsible for venue sourcing and site visits, accommodation and transportation, destination facilities, catering, signage, displays, translation, audio-visual equipment, printing, merchandise and security. They also establish and monitor the budgets to support these events. The event planner's job begins when the client gives them an event brief. Drawing up a timeline and working out whether the client's needs can be met within their budget, confirming how many guests will be attending the event, organising any catering requirements and ensuring that proceedings will run according to time specifications are just some of the details they attend to.
What is a Corporate Event Planner?
If you've ever tried to organise a large event or party you'd be aware of all the potential headaches involved. From bands pulling out at the last minute to a caterers truck breaking down! Many Executive PA’s and Marketing Assistants would agree, that in today's busy environment, engaging an event planner takes the stress out of organising events. Event planners plan, organise and coordinate conferences, conventions, meetings, seminars, exhibitions, trade shows, gala dinners and other events. They are responsible for venue sourcing and site visits, accommodation and transportation, destination facilities, catering, signage, displays, translation, audio-visual equipment, printing, merchandise and security. They also establish and monitor the budgets to support these events. The event planner's job begins when the client gives them an event brief. Drawing up a timeline and working out whether the client's needs can be met within their budget, confirming how many guests will be attending the event, organising any catering requirements and ensuring that proceedings will run according to time specifications are just some of the details they attend to.
Personality Requirements. Event planners should be well organized and skilled in coordinating event logistics. They must have excellent presentation and communication skills, an ability to work as part of a team, a knack for delegation and to be able to hold up under pressure. To be able to meet deadlines and think on your feet are also key attributes of any good event planner. Your time management should be excellent which goes hand in hand with multi-tasking. You should be be customer service orientated and be able to problem solve at the drop of a hat. Knowledge of media relations and marketing is important when promoting events too.
Quick Facts. Event planners tend to work in an office environment but much of their work is conducted on site at hotels and function centres. Working after hours or on the weekend is very common. To be successful you should have an understanding of and hands on experience in many food and beverage operations. Try and gain some experience in waiting, catering and restaurant and banquet supervision.
Here are some of the things you will need to think about as an Event Planner:
- Six months to one year before the event is to take place brainstorm your brief and agree your concept.
- Source a venue that can accommodate your event.
- Conduct a site inspection
- Research local suppliers that fit your requirements
- Attendee invites need to be sent out and registration procedures arranged.
- Entertainment should be sourced and confirmed
- Teambuilding ideas, if required should be discussed with the client
- Travel, flights and accommodation need to be booked.
- Keynote speakers should be selected and booked, and all material needs to be written, proofed, and printed.
- Audio Visual requirements should be discussed with the client and booked. This will include staging, lighting, sound, screens and multi-media presentations.
- Food and beverage needs to be selected and confirmed.
- Merchandise should be selected and ordered
And that’s just the start…
Education. It really does depend where you want to go with your career, but to enter the world of Corporate Events you will need a hands on course that teaches the fundamentals of organizing a conference or seminar. Although the Diploma of Events Management is a great course it is much more aimed at those wishing to enter the world of Sporting Events or large ticketed style events. These jobs are hard to get and are not readily available. The more practical courses would be Certificate III in Special Event Planning or Advanced Diploma of Special Event Planning & Design at www.aawep.com.au
Basic Job Description. The primary job responsibilities of an Event planner are to organize, pre-plan, and coordinate all the countless elements that are required for an event, and then manage all of the elements on-site at the actual event. They are required to be efficient at all times and have often been likened to a PA or secretary. An event planner can work from within a large company as an In-House Planner, as part of the team at a venue of function space or as part of an Event Management Company.
Related Jobs. Function Coordinator, Conference Manager, PR Consultant, Meeting Planner, Venue Manager, Banquet Manager or F&B Manager.
Earning Capacity. $30,000 - $80,000 - salaries are largely dependent on the size of the organisation, the level of responsibility of the role and the person's experience.
Interview with an Event Planner.
What’s your name and how long have you been in the Events Industry?
My name’s Fiona Wilkinson and I have spent the last 10 years working in the Corporate Event Industry. I currently work as an Event Manager for a large financial institution.
How did you get into the industry?
It was really something I fell into rather than by design. I like to think that I have always been an event planner, even going back to my childhood when I would spend hours organising small tea parties and planning menus with my mum for dinner parties. But realistically, it was really when I read an article that talked about Careers and how you should try and get into a career that fitted with what you liked to do and what your personality traits were. It was then that it dawned on me – I should become an Event Planner.
What do you enjoy most about being in the Events Industry?
I love the fact that I get to travel. With the company I work for we sometimes organise Road Shows which involve me being away for weeks at a time. Last year I worked on several conferences that saw me travel to Darwin, Sydney & Brisbane on a regular basis. I also love doing site visits, especially if they are to a more remote location or resort. I am still waiting for the company to agree to have their next big conference on Hamilton Island.
Describe a typical day
Well depending on how far into the planning stages of an event I am, depends on what my day consists of. But usually, the first thing I do is check all my emails as these could be from flight companies, registrations for an event, queries from suppliers, questions regarding timelines as well as all the general things that come in. Next would usually be a meeting with my team to determine what is happening for the day. This could range from 5 minutes in length to an hour depending on my workload. From there my day becomes a flurry of reviewing budgets, looking at Event Orders, conducting telephone conversations, gathering information, going out to visit suppliers or venues, event evaluations, dealing with Key Note Speakers and touching base with my event contact.
What advice would you give someone who wants to get into this industry?
Never stop learning. In this industry you will never know everything. There is always new technology coming out and better ways to do things. Education is the key to being successful. Attend as many seminars as you can and invest time in taking new courses.