National Conference Planning Manager

About FBLA

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is one of the nation’s largest business-focused career student organizations, dedicated to inspiring and preparing students for success in business and leadership. With nearly 90 years of history, FBLA serves more than 230,000 middle school, high school, and collegiate members through innovative programs, competitive events, leadership development, and real-world career preparation. Based in Reston, Virginia, FBLA’s National Center is home to approximately 15 full-time professional staff who work collaboratively in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.

Position Overview

The National Conference Planning Manager supports the planning and execution of Future Business Leaders of America’s (FBLA) national conferences, including the National Leadership Conference (NLC), which brings together thousands of students, educators, and business leaders from across the country. Working closely with the Director and cross-functional teams, this role helps coordinate event operations, vendor and venue logistics, and financial processes to ensure conferences are delivered smoothly and efficiently.

The Manager plays a key operational role in implementing conference plans, managing timelines, coordinating vendors and partners, and supporting day-to-day event logistics. This position collaborates across internal teams, including marketing, education, membership, and operations, to help deliver high-quality conference experiences that advance FBLA’s mission and member engagement.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Conference Planning & Execution

• Support the Director in the full planning cycle for FBLA’s national conferences, from concept development through post-event analysis, consistent with industry standards for end-to-end event management.
• Develop and maintain detailed project timelines, production schedules, budgets, and operational plans.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend vendors for event services including décor, production, security, transportation, photography, and temporary staffing.
• Develop and manage Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to ensure competitive bidding aligned with budget, quality, and service expectations.
• Conduct cost-benefit and service-level analyses to support vendor selection and value-driven decision making.
• Assist in negotiating cost-saving opportunities & monitoring vendor contract deliverables.
• Coordinate vendors and venues for housing, catering, audiovisual production, security, and related services.
• Ensure compliance with contractual, legal, safety, and insurance requirements.
• Collaborate with the Director on risk assessments, including security planning, crowd flow, and emergency preparedness.
• Assist in developing attendee journey maps to improve navigation, signage, communication flows, and overall experience.
• Collect attendee feedback through surveys and event technology platforms and help translate insights into improvements.
• Support development of multi-year conference budgets, including line-item tracking, forecasting, and variance analysis.

Collaboration & Project Management

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure conference goals, timelines, and deliverables are aligned across departments.
• Review and refine conference publications and materials to ensure accuracy and clarity.
• Provide proactive, responsive customer service to support attendees and stakeholders throughout the event lifecycle.
• Maintain event technology platforms to support operational efficiency, attendee engagement, and accurate data management.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Marketing & Communications team to support event promotion, storytelling, and attendance growth.
• Work with Education & Learning to integrate competitive events, workshops, and programming into the conference experience.
• Coordinate with Member Support & Operations to support attendee participation and ensure accurate financial tracking and reporting.

Supervision Responsibilities: No direct reports, vendor management as assigned

Qualifications:

·        Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Business, or related field

·        3–5 years of experience in conference or large-scale event planning

·        Demonstrated capacity to work constructively with diverse personalities and manage competing priorities

·        Exceptional attention to detail in a fast-paced environments

·        Proven ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders and deadlines

·        Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills

·        Proficiency in event technology platforms and Microsoft Office Suite, experience with Air Table and project management and CRM software a plus

·        Ability to travel nationally for conference implementation (~20%)

·        Able to collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, education, finance, and leadership teams

Other Duties 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

Travel Requirements

Attendance at National Leadership Conferences and events, held in June and November is required, and additional travel up to 20%.

ADA

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions of this position.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifications and interest in the position to careers@fbla.org. Please indicate the position you are applying for in subject line: National Conference Planning Manager. The position will remain open until filled, with application review beginning April 17, 2026.