Events Manager

Position Overview

This position manages plans, implements, and executes a wide variety of events for the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing to meet desired event outcomes. Manage operational plans and logistics for all events. The position will be responsible for conceptualizing ideas for the events, creating and enforcing budgets, liaising with suppliers, communicating with clients, and ensuring that each event is flawlessly executed. Will manage the reservations system for the College’s event spaces.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions**)

• Manages and implements strategic and long-range planning of events, including organizing event logistics and operations, arranging facilities, and all event details.  
• Oversees and manages all logistical arrangements for priority events at the College and Institute level, such as Commencement, including venue/vendor negotiations, menu selection, site inspections, floor plan design, event staffing, etc
• Supervises events production, including managing staff, part-time/temporary staff, volunteers, caterers, and onsite vendors during events.
• Liaises with stakeholders to understand their needs, makes recommendations for event logistics, and ensures customer satisfaction.
• Collaborates with event sponsors to create/obtain event content/speakers and adhere to timelines.
• Participates in debriefing meetings, ensures appropriate follow-up with customers, and assesses the effectiveness of programming and logistics.
• Prioritizes events based on organizational needs and College priorities.
• Responsible for taking timeline/action steps for events/projects and adhering to deadlines.
• Identify appropriate vendors and on-campus service providers to meet specific event needs
• Negotiate contracts for providers and supervise onsite work.
• Manage purchasing process and vendor payment according to MIT policies and procedures
• Nurture and build relationships with vendors, venues, and other industry contacts to craft and implement creative and logistical aspects of all
• Makes recommendations, develops, and implements new event policies and procedures to increase quality and efficiency.
• Conduct planning and strategy meetings with caterers, venue contacts, and vendors. Determines or recommends staffing needs and guides day-of-event volunteers, staff and vendors.
• Respond to any arising issues and troubleshoot any emerging problems on the event day.
• Collaborates with the communications team to promote the event.
• Guides PR activities.
• Ensures timely and clear communication to event stakeholders.
• May arrange and oversee the arrangement of logistics related to speakers and guests, including travel, accommodations, and transportation.
• Tracks and reconciles event budget(s). May establish and manage the budget for events.
• Develops and maintains databases to generate reports, including registration and budgets.
• Evaluates ongoing and new events. Recommends, reviews, and implements changes and enhancements for future events based on feedback.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Traveling and working nights and weekends, as required.

Supervision Received

Supervision is provided on a limited basis by the Assistant Dean for Administration.

Supervision Exercised

Will supervise temporary staff.

Qualifications & Skills

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality or related field required minimum of 5 years of experience in events management, preferably in a non-profit or higher education environment. Demonstrated ability to take initiative; must work well independently and as part of a team. Exceptional customer service skills; outstanding communication (written and verbal) skills; ability to anticipate needs and prioritize/manage multiple complex tasks simultaneously in a demanding, fast-paced environment.  Experience problem-solving and advising individuals with complex and diverse needs. Proficiency in reservation software and Excel, as well as Microsoft O365. Creative out-of-thebox-thinking. Strong organization and time management skills. Ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders; willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends. Must be able to lift (approximately 20 to 30 pounds) and perform other physical exertion. Must be able to work a variety of hours to accommodate events.

Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

^{** To comply with regulations by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the principal duties in job descriptions must be essential to the job. To identify essential functions, focus on the purpose and the result of the duties rather than the manner in which they are performed. The following definition applies: a job function is essential if removal of that function would fundamentally change the job.}