The Wisconsin Restaurant Association is seeking to add an experienced Events and Member Engagement Manager to its team of high performing professionals.

The Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA), based out of Madison, is dedicated to the success of the foodservice and hospitality industry.  Our not-for-profit trade association is focused on giving our members the tools that they need to succeed and aim to be the champion on issues that make a difference in the world of restaurants, bars and other tourism businesses.

Key characteristics of our ideal person is someone that has a lot of energy, creativity, initiative, eagerness to learn, and professionalism. We’re looking for a collaborative leader who is driven to try new things and doesn’t want to grow complacent.

A little bit about this position

The Events and Member Engagement Manager will work in a team-based environment, helping to make our Association the best in our industry.  On the event planning side of this position, you will help create and manage business to business events for restaurant operators and suppliers to our industry.  And the membership side of this position will have you focused on improving our member engagement along with increasing benefit awareness and use.  For those that love multi-tasking, this position provides a high degree of variety.

Primary Responsibilities

Events Management

The person in this position is responsible for managing the event planning life cycle from concept, development, promotion and communications, on-site execution and post-event wrap-up for two annual business to business events.  Duties will include but are not limited to:

• Work closely with the Vice President of Membership & Business Development to strategize market needs and add appropriate programming that provides value to the attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.  This includes seeking speakers, the creation of new learning and experiential moments and coordination of ancillary events like cocktail parties.
  
  
• Participate in the development of RFP’s and site searches  when applicable, make venue and contractor recommendations and help with contract negotiations for WRA’s B2B events.
  
  
• Responsible for promotion of the events that you will be managing which will include development of the marketing calendar, touchpoint plan, writing copy and working with graphic artist on the design.  Promotions will include print, email, video, social media, website and SMS. 
  
  Ideally you will be knowledgeable in or will learn the MailChimp platform for creating and sending templated emails.
  
  Effectively working with other colleagues on the development of marketing creative will be key.
  
  
• Works with the team on the development of exhibit sales and sponsorship communications and service needs.
  
  
• This position will be involved in the registration operations process including the technology selection, day-to-day management, badge production, regular registration reports, and customer service.
  
  
• Oversee on-site logistics including registration, coordination with convention center as well as general service contractor if applicable.  Duties include the development of BEOs, set-up timelines and event day communications.
  
  
• Responsible for helping ensure that the events are meeting financial expectations.  Assist in budget creation, management, and reconciliation of all meeting-related invoices; track revenues and expenses to help ensure that they are aligned with budget.

• Provides customer service support to attendees and exhibitors.
  
  
• Develops various post-show surveys and reports to help leadership analyze the event outcomes.

Member Engagement
As part of the membership team at WRA, you will be responsible for helping our organization look for and administrate opportunities that will create deeper relationships with our members across the state.  Your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Research, recommend and administrate new ideas and communication methods for our association to be high touch and high value for our members with a focus on reinforcing their ROI.
  
  
• Be a champion for our member benefits program by increasing awareness and use of those benefits with our current members.
  
  
• Curate and manage content for a bi-weekly enewsletter that’s focused on providing our industry with resources, best practices, benefits and all-around great advice on how to hire, train and retain great team members. Responsibilities will include overseeing the schedule, researching online industry resources and recommending content, working with our marketing department on the newsletter development and providing leadership with engagement reports after newsletter deploys.
  
  
• Help manage WRA’s new mobile app by ensuring content is current, promotion of app to increase downloads and use as well as encourage discussion board dialogue.
  
  
• Manage and continue to evolve WRA’s online video library to meet current training needs for the restaurant industry. Responsibilities will include topic recommendations, speaker selection, working with sponsors and preferred supplier members, hosting webinar presenters and promotion and maintenance of video library.
  
  
• Help launch and manage a new weekly communication tool for our members. The “Monday Minute” will be a 60 second low-produced video that is emailed out to our members every Monday morning with current updates on advocacy issues, the state of the industry, upcoming events, benefit awareness and other timely tips.
  
  
• Help lead new initiatives that meets the organization’s evolving priorities as well as member sales and retention goals.
  
  
  

Other

• Represent the Association at some industry events throughout the year.
  
  
• Assist with special projects and perform other duties as needed.  As is the nature of association management, job duties may evolve over time to meet current member and industry needs.
  
  

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Proficient with various technology platforms and able to quickly train on new systems (Microsoft Office Suite, SmartSheet, Atlas, Zoom Webinar).
• Excellent in your use of social, verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrates excellence in organization, planning, and follow-through capabilities with a high degree of attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task and manage several projects simultaneously
• Comfortable working with colleagues in a hybrid work office environment
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing daily activities and schedules
• Willing to travel to occasional seminars, conferences and meetings
• Customer service focused with the ability to problem-solve
• Comfortable talking on the phone with members and vendors
• Understanding of the use of social media platforms for business to business posts and advertising (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Knowledge of SnapChat and TiKTok a bonus.)
• A doer who is sales-minded and also enjoys being creative
• Knowledgeable of marketing with a modern approach to connecting with members and other customers
  
  

Experience

• Minimum of two years work experience in the meetings industry is required.
• Professional association work experience is strongly preferred.

We Offer

• Life insurance with option for additional voluntary life insurance
• Medical and dental insurance with generous employer contribution
• Medical and dependent care flexible spending account
• Generous PTO program and paid holidays
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Flexible M-F workweek with hybrid option to work remotely from home office 3 days/week
• “Dress For Your Day” allows for relaxed clothing when your work day doesn’t require a more professional look

How to Apply

If we just described your ideal position, please let us know by submitting your resume, salary expectations and letter of interest that expresses why you will be the perfect fit.  Direct your application to iruss@wirestaurant.org  with “Job Applicant” in the subject line.