About the Alliance
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) supports all museums across the United States, including aquariums, zoos, historic sites, parks, and gardens. Serving over 30,000 members including museums, museum professionals, and companies that support the sector, the Alliance is the largest national museum organization in the U.S. The Alliance serves its membership and the museum community through four pillar programs: Learning, Building and Connecting our Community, Advocacy, and Practice Management. Maintaining an annual operating budget of $10M with 35 staff members, we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit headquartered in Arlington, VA and an equal opportunity employer.
The Opportunity
The Assistant Director, Conference & Event Production leads the planning, production, and execution of AAM’s flagship events—including the AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Museum Advocacy Day, and the Museum Summit. This position ensures AAM’s programs inspire, educate, and connect museum professionals in the U.S. and abroad while advancing AAM’s strategic goals.
Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Learning, this role oversees all aspects of AAM event production with a focus on audiovisual (AV) management, general session production, abstract management, and presenter engagement. The Assistant Director will combine strategic thinking and operational excellence with a passion for creating innovative, accessible, and meaningful experiences that reflect AAM’s brand and mission.
Team Size: 3
Direct Reports: 1 (Sr. Manager, Meetings & Events)
Your Role in Action
Strategic Leadership
- Lead the planning, design, and execution of AAM’s flagship events and other organizational gatherings.
- Provide strategic guidance on program content, speaker management, and participant experience.
- Collaborate across departments to ensure seamless coordination of goals, logistics, and communications.
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with executive leadership, members, partners, and vendors.
Event Production & AV Management
- Oversee all aspects of event production, including AV, staging, rehearsals, session scheduling, and presenter communication.
- Develop and manage the AV Request for Proposal (RFP) process, including contract negotiation and technical coordination.
- Ensure high-quality execution of presentations, recordings, streaming, and hybrid components in collaboration with AV vendors.
- Provide on-site leadership during events, resolving issues and ensuring an exemplary participant experience.
Abstract & Content Management
- Manage the Annual Meeting abstract submission and review process, coordinating with the Content Advisory Committee.
- Ensure programs reflect diversity, accessibility, and inclusion principles.
- Oversee project timelines, speaker communications, and program delivery.
Budget & Resource Management
- Develop and manage event budgets, negotiate vendor contracts, and allocate resources for quality and sustainability.
- Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) for attendance, engagement, satisfaction, and revenue.
- Identify opportunities to improve processes and enhance efficiency.
Risk & Compliance Oversight
- Anticipate and mitigate risks related to health, safety, accessibility, and operations.
- Lead the development of event crisis plans in collaboration with internal partners.
Leadership & Supervision
- Supervise the Sr. Manager, Meetings & Events, supporting professional growth and collaborative problem-solving.
- Act as a brand ambassador, ensuring all events reflect AAM’s values and mission.
What You’ll Bring to the Team
- Bachelor’s degree in event management, hospitality, communications, or related field.
- 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in conference or event planning, with significant expertise in AV and production management.
- Proven experience managing large-scale, high-profile events with multiple stakeholders.
- Strong skills in negotiation, vendor management, and budget oversight.
- Familiarity with abstract management systems, mobile event apps, and attendee engagement technologies.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and project management platforms (e.g., Asana preferred).
- Excellent organizational, communication, and project management skills.
- Ability to travel up to 25% and work flexible hours during peak event periods.
- Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in all aspects of event delivery.
Salary & Work Location
Salary: Starting at $80,000
Location: 2451 Crystal Dr. Suite 1005 Arlington, VA 22202
Interested Candidates
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to hr@aam-us.org with the subject line: Assistant Director, Conference & Event Production.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. AAM values a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other opportunities.
For more information, please visit www.aam-us.org.
