Director, Education and Events at National Association of Home Builders – Washington, District of Columbia

NAHB seeks a creative, collaborative meetings professional to plan and execute educational programming, conferences, and special events associated with the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and other NAHB initiatives. Working closely with the VP of Meetings & Special Events, the Director will oversee logistics for keynote and specialty education sessions, manage vendor and venue partnerships, and direct the operations of the Meetings & Events department within the Events & Business Development (EBD) group. This role collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to assess needs, streamline processes, negotiate contracts, and deliver high-quality learning experiences and events that support NAHB’s members and strategic priorities.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead logistical planning and onsite delivery of International Builders’ Show (IBS) education programming, including session scheduling, speaker and moderator coordination, and room set design.
• Oversee specialty education programming at IBS, including keynote speaker contracts, set design, run-of-show development, script writing, and production of introductory and transitional videos.
• Serve as the onsite point of contact for IBS education session rooms, coordinating vendors, staff, and temporary personnel to ensure seamless program execution.
• Plan and execute special events and standalone programs ranging from approximately 200 to 600+ attendees, including site selection, contracting, vendor management, food and beverage coordination, entertainment, and onsite logistics in collaboration with sponsorship, marketing, and content teams.
• Oversee the Manager of Meetings & Events, responsible for smaller conferences and events, including hotel and vendor contracting, education programming support, and offsite programming.
• Produce event schedules and oversee meeting room assignments for NAHB programs and IBS-related events, ensuring appropriate space allocation and meeting room configurations.
• Communicate meeting requirements to venues, convention centers, hotels, and external vendors, including food and beverage and audio-visual needs, and proactively identify and resolve logistical issues.
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts with venues, convention centers, hotels, decorators, entertainers, speakers, audiovisual providers, and other event-related vendors and service providers to ensure favorable terms and high-quality event delivery.
• Develop and manage budgets related to assigned meetings and events and oversee review and processing of related invoices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate meeting operations, streamline processes, and improve efficiency and attendee experience.
• Supervise and support departmental staff, providing guidance, training, and resources needed to execute meetings and events successfully.

Qualifications & Preferred Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Supervisory experience required.
• 5–7+ years of experience in meeting planning, trade shows, conferences, special events, and member-focused education logistics.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, negotiate contracts, and direct vendors and staff under tight deadlines and high-volume workloads during peak planning periods.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite. Enthusiasm for using technology to improve productivity and collaboration.
• Willingness to travel, including weekends.

Equal Opportunity Employer