Events Manager, Advancement

Events Manager, Advancement

Main Campus - Boston, MA
R09615

Located in Boston's historic Fenway area, Simmons has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons University was one of the first higher education institutions to prepare women to become leaders and has evolved to become a university offering a women's undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all.

You're joining our community at an especially exciting time as one of our strategic goals is to become the most inclusive campus in New England. You'll find that people who work here are truly committed to our mission of preparing students to become champions of social justice and leaders in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace. Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience.

As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices-at all levels, for all positions-ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.

Job Summary
Reporting to and supporting the Director of Alumnae/i and Volunteer Engagement in the Office of Advancement (“Advancement”), the Events Manager (“Manager”) is responsible for the planning, implementation, and management of all departmental and institutional events with Advancement-focused audiences. To that end, the Manager acts as liaison to and collaborates with campus partners to execute programs and events directed at the alumnae/i, donor, and prospect community. The Manager will be able to make decisions that impact people and resources across the University, without direct supervision. As such, this position requires exceptional planning and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Manage and facilitate logistics for Advancement events, including on-campus, regional, virtual, and donor/campaign events. Provide project management for events, adhering to scope, budget, and timeline, with the aim of providing consistent high-quality experiences for event audiences as well as stakeholders. Facilitate logistics and operations, including but not limited to technology orders, building facilities and access, room setup, catering, registrations, internal run of shows, surveys, and virtual event support such as coordination of Zoom meetings and webinars and present to team.
  
• Develop and monitor/track multi-month event plans and projections that account for audience, programming, resource/support needs, outreach, initiation, and evaluation.
  
• Lead event operation committees and support in program strategy planning committees that are convened for major events with Advancement-focused audiences, such as annual programs like Homecoming/Reunion/Alumnae/i, Family and Friends Weekend, Donor Relations events (i.e., scholarship and professorship celebrations), academic-focused events (i.e., the Gwen Ifill Forum), and unique media relations events/campus site visits. Works in partnership with donor-facing staff to organize and support all elements of event programming and logistics (including fundraising efforts with academic and Board partners).
  
• Partner with Advancement staff, Simmons partners, and/or other clients to develop concepts and key logistics, including goals, metrics, and audiences, for programs and events.
  
• Work with Advancement staff and campus partners to develop and disseminate communications such as invitations, registration confirmations, and event-related reports.
  
• Partner with appropriate staff to prepare event budget estimates and monitor costs; liaise with external vendors or contractors, identifying, selecting, and maintaining successful relationships.
  
• Build strategic partnership with University marketing and communications teams, as well as academic units and programs to optimize event content and experience.
  
• Develop and maintain event-related inventory, resources (e.g., policies, templates), and best practices with the goal of sharing and influencing event management resources and best practices across the University.
  

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
  
• A minimum of five (5) years of formal events management, preferably in higher-education or a nonprofit organization, or equivalent or transferable skills and experience.
  
• Demonstrates knowledge of and skill in event and project/events management, higher education, project management work.
  
• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  
• Strong interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to be aware of, coordinate, instruct, negotiate with, persuade, and be in service to others.
  

Preferred Competencies

• Knowledge of business administration and principles and practices, such as basic clerical/office procedures, strategic planning, budgeting and project and resource management.
  
• Knowledge of communication and dissemination techniques and methods, including alternative techniques and methods. Knowledge specific to marketing techniques and methods a plus.
  
• Knowledge of and skill with navigating and utilizing spreadsheets, presentations, word processing, databases, the internet, and other key computer and technical applications and related software. Knowledge of and skill with navigating and utilizing customer relations management applications (Raiser's Edge/NXT in particular) a plus.
  
• Strong communications skills, demonstrating the ability to effectively communicate and understand information and ideas across multiple stakeholders and constituencies, demonstrating active listening and learning
  

• Strong interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to be aware of, coordinate, instruct, negotiate with, persuade, and be in service to others. Excellent diplomacy skills.
  
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to look at data and draw conclusions to inform strategies.
  
• Demonstrates a strong ability to work with individuals across different identities, backgrounds, and abilities.
  
• Strong ability to work effectively in an outcomes-focused, team environment, with demonstrated ability to take responsibility for assigned tasks and take initiative.
  
• Ability to recognize and identify problems of varying complexity and develop, implement, and evaluate creative solutions as appropriate. Ability to manage one's self and others as appropriate.
  
• The ideal candidate will be positive, extremely service-oriented, and have a demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships with a variety of different individuals and groups.
  

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• This is a full-time (40-hours/week) office position with occasional night and weekend and rare travel requirements; eligible for a flexible, hybrid in-office/remote work setting structure.
  
• This position requires a high degree of mobility and environmental awareness which can include extensive standing and walking and a moderate degree of carrying and lifting.
  

Required Application Materials:

• Cover Letter
  
• Resume
  

Salary Grade
S09

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices-at all levels, for all positions-ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.


To apply, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Events-Manager--Advancement_R09615

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons College is a small, private, non-sectarian College which has educated students for enriching careers and purposeful lives since 1899. Working at Simmons means joining a collaborative, diverse and mission-driven community of educators and professionals.

We prepare students to be leaders for themselves, their communities and the world. Our faculty and staff members lead by example - sharing a commitment to excellence and putting the students first.

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