Sr. Project Manager, Association Meetings & Events

About

QED-C®, the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, is an industry association with the mission to grow the quantum economy through community‑building and collaboration. QED-C serves member organizations operating in more than 20 countries.

QED-C seeks an experienced Sr. Project Manager, Association Meetings & Events to grow the association’s meeting & event offerings into a profitable, million‑dollar line of business that advances QED-C’s strategic goals to: engage & empower members, be the voice of the quantum industry, and inform & influence policy. This position is a part of a tight‑knit management team, reports to the QED‑C Deputy Director, and is responsible for strategic, operational, and financial leadership of QED‑C’s event offerings, including conferences, tech expos, trade delegations, technical workshops, educational webinars, and networking functions.

Responsibilities

Strategy

• Maintain and implement an organization‑level strategy and policies for events that advance QED‑C in its mission and strategic goals.
• Engage with volunteer leaders to develop and implement event‑specific strategies in line with the QED‑C mission and strategic goals toward objectives of increasing engagement and satisfaction in the first year.
• Manage event pricing and sponsorship to achieve and sustain net‑positive revenue from signature events within three years.

Planning

• Responsible for overall events P&L; develop and maintain budgets for all events.
• Lead the planning and execution of in‑person, hybrid, and virtual industry meetings & events in the US and abroad. Collaborate with operations, marketing, procurement, and volunteer liaison teams on association event programming, activities, and collateral.
• Develop an annual sponsorship prospectus. Cultivate sponsors and exhibitors that provide value to participants and to QED‑C.
• Develop and maintain event project plans, run of show, and associated documentation.
• Manage stakeholder pre‑event meetings including kick‑off, regular check‑ins, and run‑of‑show.
• Organize and schedule the shipment of materials to/from events.

Administration

• Negotiate and manage agreements and relationships with vendors/contractors supporting QED‑C events, coordinating with internal stakeholders.
• Manage all aspects of event registration including pricing; creation of registration form/pages; monitoring registrations for accuracy and completeness; providing registration assistance to VIPs, speakers, and sponsors; reporting; and badge creation.
• Maintain the inventory of event‑related items.
• Perform post‑event follow‑ups consistent with event policy.
• Maintain event‑related statistics for use in reports.
• Respond to general association and event‑related inquiries.

Execution

• Serve as on‑site liaison for vendors/contractors.
• Manage on‑site registration and logistics; ensure staffing of critical support areas on‑site, including registration desk and in‑room A/V support; conduct tech checks; coordinate and manage set‑up, tear‑down, packing, and other event assistance as needed; oversee placement of signage and collateral.
• Launch and staff virtual events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of relevant experience OR minimum 12 years of experience with progressive responsibilities in events management.
• Current CMP or CAE credentials.
• Experience developing, maintaining, growing and managing a profitable professional events program, ideally up to $300K – $1M per event.
• Proficiency with the following business software:
  • Project management software (e.g., Asana)
  • Event registration platforms (e.g., Cvent or Eventbrite)
  • Virtual meeting and webinar systems (e.g., Zoom)
  • Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets (conditional formatting, pivot tables, etc.)
  • CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce or HubSpot)
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage relationships and balance multiple projects.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively to coworkers, volunteers, and stakeholders at all levels both orally and in writing.
• Customer‑oriented demeanor.
• Curiosity and a willingness to learn, contribute, and grow in a startup‑like environment.
• Solutions‑oriented critical thinker who performs well under pressure in the middle of a large event.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business administration, hospitality, or a related field.
• Experience with international events for a high‑tech industry.

Work Environment

• Metro‑accessible office location in Rosslyn, VA.
• Hybrid work schedule with in‑office work, a minimum of 3 days per week. Flexible work hours (e.g., 9/80 schedule) are possible.
• A professional, fast‑paced “startup” environment; crises are rare, but event days are busy.
• Approximately 20 % travel (some international).
• Occasional work outside regular business hours, particularly leading up to and during events.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $117,684 – $155,934 (ranges vary based on geographic location, market competitiveness, and internal equity).
• Eligibility for SRI’s Pay for Outstanding Performance program or the annual Performance Based Compensation program.
• Competitive benefits package (see https://www.sri.com/resources/benefits/).