Temporary Events Planner (AR2)

TEMPORARY EVENTS PLANNER (AR2)

CONVENTIONS, CONFERENCES & TRAVEL DEPARTMENT

JOB ID: P0001

INTERNAL / EXTERNAL POSTING

May 14, 2026

This position reports to the Director of Logistics. The Event Planner is responsible for planning, leading, and executing union events, including the union's triennial convention, conferences, large meeting events, and coordinating with hotels and vendors. Additional responsibilities include supporting travel and accommodation arrangements for union members and staff attending union business, conferences and conventions within and outside Canada.

This position is located at our Burnaby office.

Term: 6-month temporary position

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Convention & Travel Activities

• Organize and coordinate all aspects of BCGEU conferences and events, ranging in size from small meetings of approximately 25 participants to large-scale conferences with thousands of attendees.
• Coordinate with internal (other union departments) and external partners, vendors and service providers.
• Coordinate assigned activities within the Conventions & Travel department.
• Negotiate contracts and agreements with hotels, venues, and third-party vendors.
• Prepare, monitor, and reconcile budgets for conferences and events.
• Review and authorize leaves of absence, travel advances, and expense claims for members and staff.
• Review and submit invoices and purchase orders for authorization and payment processing.
• Monitor, track, and summarize union travel activity.
• Respond to members and staff inquiries regarding travel, expense claims, and applicable union policies and procedures.
• Conduct and attend meetings with external organizations and facilities to ensure accessibility, safety and logistical standards are in place.
• Plan other events and functions as required.
• Coordinate, arrange and book all aspects of travel and hotel arrangements for staff and members travelling on BCGEU business, including domestic, international and group travel.
• Perform other convention and event planning-related duties as assigned.

Triennial Constitutional Convention

• Calculate delegate entitlements in accordance with union policy and constitutional requirements.
• Draft and distribute correspondence to delegates, guests, committees, affiliates and staff.
• Liaise with other convention and conference administrators to plan and arrange for the BCGEU's delegation participation.
• Coordinate union staff assignments and responsibilities related to convention operations.
• Oversee delegate, staff and participant travel arrangements.
• Perform other convention planning-related duties as required.

Policies, Procedures, and Modernization

• Assist in reviewing and updating departmental policies and procedures and training documents.
• Ensure compliance with the union's financial, travel, and operational policies and procedures.
• Work collaboratively with technical staff to identify, implement, and improve travel and convention software and systems.

Other

• Any other Conventions & Travel related activities as deemed necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

The successful applicant will possess the following:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience planning large conventions and conferences.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience creating and managing event budgets.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in high-volume online travel and hotel bookings.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating contracts with event facilities, vendors and suppliers.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to coordinate complex travel arrangements, determine delegate counts, book appropriate meeting facilities and accommodations, and support agenda planning.
• Sound understanding of the purpose of a union convention and union election process.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to prepare concise written reports, and effectively communicate with union leadership, members and staff.
• Proficient in all Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and work effectively under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.

Travel is required; therefore, applicants must hold a valid B.C. Driver's license.

SALARY

Bi-weekly: $4,844.54- $4,932.63

Annual: $126,390.66 - $128,688.86

HOW TO APPLY:

Please note that temporary and probationary employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements.

The BCGEU is committed to employment equity. Indigenous workers, workers of color, women, 2SLGBTQI+ workers, and workers with disabilities are encouraged to apply for positions with the BCGEU.

Please include only one attachment with your application. If you need to include both a cover letter and a resume, combine them into a single file before uploading. Please reference the Position Title and the Job ID in the subject line when submitting your application. Applications with multiple attachments may be rejected.