Description
Overview of the Role
Salesforce Strategic Events is searching for an experienced Strategic Events Coordinator, focusing on Housing to join our team. This role will be responsible for the day-to-day management of housing strategy and operations, and hotel and venue strategic sourcing strategy within our events portfolio, ensuring operational excellence for pre, on-site, and post planning.
This individual will be a detail-oriented, data-driven professional who, as a key member of the Housing Center of Excellence team, will provide tactical execution and strategic oversight for housing and venue sourcing and room block management. This role supports the end-to-end process - from initial research and RFP development to contract negotiation, block management, and post-event analysis - while serving as a central partner for cross-functional teams, agencies, and city and hotel partners. The position requires a self-starter who can work both independently and with guidance from Strategic Events leadership, and will involve onsite travel to ensure all facets of housing management run flawlessly.
Responsibilities
Strategic Sourcing & Contracting:
Develop and execute sourcing strategies for hotels and venues, from RFP management and bid analysis to contract negotiation.
Oversee the negotiation of key contract terms to ensure favorable rates, mitigate risk, and secure value-added amenities.
Collaborate with Agency Partners, Legal, Procurement, and Finance to ensure all contracts comply with company policies and financial guidelines.
Agency & Operational Management:
Act as the primary liaison, providing strategic guidance and oversight to our housing agency to ensure all deliverables are met on time and with accuracy.
Oversee the optimization of hotel blocks by our housing agency, providing strategic guidance on monitoring pickup, adjusting block sizes, and reconciling rooming lists.
Provide strategic direction to our housing agency in their collaboration with event technology partners to configure, test, and launch housing assets within the registration platform.
Contribute to the team's operational excellence and organization by maintaining detailed documentation, SOPs, industry best practices, and templates.
Provide housing support and communications to employee attendees and their workstream leads.
Maintain an active understanding of internal policies (e.g., event communications, data privacy) to ensure compliance.
Travel onsite when needed to manage housing execution.
Cross-Functional & Partner Collaboration:
Act as a trusted partner to internal stakeholders (e.g., Event Leadership, Registration, Sponsorships, Employee Engagement) to align on event housing needs and provide strategic guidance.
Serve as the main point of contact for hotel, CVB, and DMO partner escalations, addressing issues related to inventory, reservations, and event goals.
Develop and implement strategies to drive attendees into contracted room blocks.
Maintain a strong understanding of industry trends and market conditions to inform sourcing and housing decisions.
Financial Management & Reporting:
Forecast and track key housing metrics, including room block pickup, attrition exposure, commissions, and rebates.
Identify opportunities for cost savings and avoidance throughout the sourcing and housing lifecycle.
Contribute to post-event analysis to evaluate hotel performance and inform future sourcing strategies and negotiations.
Required Qualifications
3+ years in event or hotel operations
Experience working with CVBs, hotels, and housing agencies.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, with excellent project and time management.
Exhibits basic statistics, and then clearly show what the data means using easy-to-understand charts, graphs, and dashboards to help everyone make smart decisions
Possesses strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence and engage effectively with leadership and key stakeholders.
Thrives in fast-paced, complex environments, effectively managing multiple projects, competing priorities, and last-minute changes.
A proactive, "can-do" attitude, with a proven ability to problem-solve and contribute under pressure.
Comfortable with organizational ambiguity
Ability to travel domestically and internationally, approximately once every 2-3 months
Knowledge of Salesforce, Slack, Google Suite, Excel, Cvent, and RainFocus highly preferred
Preferred Qualifications
Experience working in a corporate events environment.
Experience with large-scale, city-wide events.
Knowledge of legal and financial principles related to contracting.
Certification in event management (e.g., CMP) or procurement (e.g., CPSM).