Meeting & Event Planner - NCAA Conference Center

Short's Travel Management (STM) is a distinguished, family-owned and women-owned private corporation that excels in providing specialized sports travel management services. With a strong presence in the collegiate athletics community, STM is recognized as a leader in NCAA Athletic travel, servicing hundreds of athletic departments each year. As experts in team travel, recruiting travel, group hotels, bus charters, and air charters, STM ensures seamless travel experiences for student-athletes, moving more athletes than any other travel management company. The company is headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, and is committed to enriching the journey for student-athletes and their teams, focusing on the importance of "getting there, being there, and coming home." STM prides itself on fostering a team culture that emphasizes collaboration, passion, dedication, and innovation. The organization remains committed to delivering excellent service and customized travel solutions that create efficiencies and maximize value for their clients. They are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and participate in E-Verify to confirm employees' authorization to work in the U.S.

The Meeting & Event Planner role at Short's Travel Management offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to join a dynamic team at the NCAA Conference Center, located onsite in Indianapolis, IN. This position is crucial for managing all aspects of NCAA meetings and events, including contracting, detailed planning, execution, and final reconciliation of events. The role involves close collaboration with clients and client groups to organize and coordinate logistics for internal meetings and events, ensuring a flawless, professional outcome each time.

Candidates in this role are expected to demonstrate advanced knowledge of meeting and event planning, with the ability to handle space allocation, room setups, catering, and audio-visual needs effectively at hotels. On-site event management forms a core component of the responsibilities, requiring hands-on involvement during events. The planner will also master the use of Short's Travel's proprietary systems covering meeting requests, hotel inventory, rooming lists, and registration to maintain thorough organizational control.

Success in this role demands excellent customer service skills, including superior listening, negotiation, communication, creative problem solving, and meticulous attention to detail paired with strong follow-through capabilities. The candidate will develop and maintain productive relationships with NCAA staff and a variety of vendors—ranging from in-house catering and audio-visual suppliers to external hotel sales managers and national sales offices—ensuring customer satisfaction and smooth event execution.

Flexibility and teamwork are highly valued qualities at STM. The Meeting & Event Planner should be dependable, reliable, and able to multitask in a fast-paced environment, ready to assist other departments or take on tasks outside the typical scope of responsibility whenever necessary to benefit clients and the company.

The position offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance plans, a 401(k) savings plan, and paid time off. For event planners passionate about collegiate athletic events and dedicated to enhancing customer experiences through excellent service and innovative solutions, this team-oriented role at Short's Travel Management represents a highly rewarding career opportunity.