Summary of responsibilities

The Director, Education and Events is responsible for the strategic leadership, planning, and execution of all educational programs and events hosted by the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (ACOS). This role ensures compliance with American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accreditation standards, oversees continuing medical education (CME) activities, manages departmental operations, and collaborates with internal teams, volunteer committees and external vendors to deliver high quality learning experiences for ACOS members. The Director also supervises staff, maintains accreditation status, and supports the organizations mission through innovative educational initiatives and effective event management.

Responsibilities

1. Core Values and Cultural Expectations

     Maintain the following for the position and department:

• Commitment to excellence and continuous improvement
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset
• Ability to work independently while contributing meaningfully to a collaborative team
• Creativity and innovation in problem-solving and program development
• Strong organizational and time management skills

 Strategic Planning and Oversight

• Provide oversight and supervision for the Education and Events Department
• Administer annual needs assessment for educational programs and submit findings to the CEO for review for future planning.
• Develop annual work plans and budgets for major meetings, monitor budget variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Create and maintain historical reports for educational programs including registration, room block status, and exhibit sales.
• Evaluate and recommend potential meeting sites for major ACOS events and assist the CEO and Board of Governors in site selection.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO or Board of Governors to support ACOS’s educational mission.

3. Educational Program Development and Accreditation

• Collaborate with volunteer committees and subject matter experts to develop timely and relevant educational content addressing identified knowledge and skill gaps of ACOS members.
• Provide staff support for various committees including the Continuing Education Coordinating Committee (CEC), General Surgery Midyear Meeting Committee (previous In-Depth Review Committee), Scientific Exhibits/Posters Committee, and Discipline Program Chairs to plan, design, implement, and evaluate continuing education programs in compliance with AOA and ACCME accreditation standards.
• Maintain ACOS’s accreditation status with AOA and ACCME. Oversee documentation for CME accreditation audits.
• Identify and implement adult learning trends, technologies, and instructional design improvements based on educational event feedback.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures for programming, scientific exhibits, poster sessions, and Quickshot presentations including placement, judging, honorariums and awards.

4. Speaker and Content Management

• Manage speakers and content contributors to ensure CME compliance, support the call for speakers process, and assist attendees with CME credit claims.
• Provide onsite and virtual support to faculty and speakers before, during and after educational events.
• Serve as lead administrator for the topic proposal and abstract submission process, including training, workflow monitoring, deadline management, and process improvement recommendations.

5. Event Logistics and Operations

• Coordinate onsite logistics of all ACOS meetings including hotel specifications, room block management, vendor coordination, budget development, and speaker management.
• Assist with logistical set up for events including signage, room configuration, and audiovisual requirements.
• Manage logistical arrangements for Board of Governors and College committee meetings including accommodations, meeting set up and audiovisual support.
• Coordinate activities for affiliated organizations during ACOS events including board meetings, testing, receptions, and banquets/galas.
• Collaborate with external vendors to manage commercial exhibits including prospectus development, exhibitor communications, and exhibit hall logistics. Detailed assessments to be completed following each event and shared with the CEO.
• Assist in negotiating contracts with external vendors for meeting space, food and beverage, audiovisual services, registration staff, and other services, subject to CEO approval.

6. Attendee and Member Support

• Support attendees in accessing, completing, and reporting CME credits.
• Coordinate CME tracking and reporting with Express Evaluation’s platform (or equivalent platform) and submit CME credit reports to AOA and ACCME.
• Mange registration activities for educational programs ad meetings.
• Coordinate with third party vendors to develop attendee support systems such as mobile apps, itinerary planners and evaluation platforms.

7. Communications and Reporting

• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to produce membership communications, newsletters, and promotional materials for meetings and educational events.
• Support the work of ACOS committees by developing programs based on member needs, managing communications, preparing meeting materials, and participating in meetings.
• Prepare and present summary data reports from evaluations to faculty, committees, and the ACOS Board of Governors.
• Conduct post event evaluations and submit findings to the CEO within established timelines.
• Review vendor and speaker expenses for processing with the CEO and coordinate with the Finance Department for processing.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in meeting and event management within a nonprofit or association environment.
• Minimum of two (2) years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of continuing medical education (CME) trends and accreditation requirements including AOA and ACCME standards.
• Professional certification such as Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) and/or Certified Association Executive (CAE), or equivalent credential.
• Exceptional organizational, written, and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and consistently meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with iMIS association software or other membership database systems.
• Familiarity with online community platforms.
• Experience with Elevate or comparable Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Proficiency with Cadmium CD systems including Education Harvester, Survey Magnet, Scorecard, or similar speaker and learning management tools.
• Demonstrated experience in educational needs assessment, program evaluation and adult learning methodologies.
• Experience in developing and implementing continuing medical education (CME) programs.
• Proven ability to work effectively with volunteer committees and leadership within a membership organization.
• Experience designing innovative learning programs utilizing current adult learning theories and instructional design best practices.

Travel Requirements

This position requires travel to support organizational meetings and events, including a seven (7) day annual meeting in the fall and a three (3) day midyear meeting in the spring. Additional travel may be required based on programmatic needs and organizational priorities.

Job Classification

Exempt

About American College of Osteopathic Surgeons

The American College of Osteopathic Surgeons is committed to assuring excellence in osteopathic surgical care through education, advocacy, leadership development, and the fostering of professional and personal relationships.

Connections working at American College of Osteopathic Surgeons