Special Events Coordinator - Erickson Alumni Center Operations

Description

The Erickson Alumni Center at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Special Events Coordinator.

About the Opportunity

The event planner at the Erickson Alumni Center serves as a support role for the General Manager and for all event operations. This administrative position directly supports the General Manager by capturing and coordinating events and is responsible for detailing the incoming event/catering business for WVU, WVU Medicine, and external markets. This position is responsible for social media management and the management of assigned events. This position should be knowledgeable about the event industry.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Complete contracts, prepares the appropriate paperwork, including the banquet event orders, coordinate with business and operational areas of The Erickson and resolve challenges, complaints, and problems to ensure a quality product/ service delivery and customer satisfaction.
• Assist the Sales Manager in all aspects of selling, closing and producing an event.
• Actively upsells business opportunities to maximize potential revenue with permission from the Sales Manager.
• Administratively serving existing accounts while assisting the Sales Manager with the cultivation and development of new leads within various markets.
• Builds and promotes strong, enduring customer relationships while partnering, anticipating and understanding client needs and communicating them to the Sales Manager
• Maintain a tracking system that ensures all sales activity is defined, detailed and accurately recorded in an organized manner.
• Constant Communication with the entire team at the Erickson which includes facilities staff, sales manager, general manager, catering staff and Executive Chef to ensure all client's needs are serviced.
• Lead weekly production meeting and communicate information to appropriate personnel to ensure a high level of customer experience.
• Maintain and serve as lead point of contact with groups while in house when directed by the Sales Manager
• Work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of The Erickson clients.
• Manages the planning and execution of EAC events while embodying the organization's commitment to hospitality. Events vary in size and scope from small business meetings to large scale weddings, reunions, and conferences.
• Is the face of the EAC, interfacing daily with all types of EAC clientele which will include WVU President, Board of Governors, Alumni Board of Directors, WVU senior administrators, elected officials, donors, alumni, students, senior leaders of large corporations and the general public.
• Is fully responsible for creating, implementing, leading, and evaluating a comprehensive, first of class, standard of excellence, customer service program.
• Ensures that proper staffing is available for all events at the EAC.
• Ensures that required hospitality, customer service operations and training standards are met.
• Maintains, monitors, coordinates, and prepares for customer requirements. Relays information to appropriate personnel to ensure a high-level customer experience.
• Manages all onsite duties related to the client experience in the facility, providing an exceptional customer experience for assigned events
• Ensures all needs that client agreed upon are successfully executed (time of food delivery, clean up etc.) for assigned events
• Collaborates with and serves as an onsite resource to clients in the execution of their special events.
• Resolves administrative issues and inquiries, coordinating communications and activities within the Center.
• Meets with other staff on a daily basis to resolve issues and concerns.
• May attend on- and off-campus meetings as requested and report back on issues of importance.
• May answer phones and greets visitors to office or location.
• May work with A/V in rooms for events as needed
• Performs related duties as assigned or as directed.
• Develops and coordinates organic social media strategy and posting for the Erickson Alumni Center through photo, video and graphic media that are consistent with current and emerging trends as well as Erickson/WVU brand standards
• Develops and coordinates paid social media ad strategy and posting to accomplish specific inquiry and booking goals for various event seasons (i.e., weddings, holiday parties, corporate events, etc.)
• Collaborates with the Strategic Initiatives marketing team on social media plans to support the overall goals of the Erickson Alumni Center, drive inquiries and enhance the Erickson Alumni Center brand
• Creates and manages relationships with local vendors and patrons to utilize, with permission, user-generated photo/video content on Erickson Alumni Center social accounts
• Serves as an expert on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram) and their features to effectively market the Erickson Alumni Center

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience in event planning.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Prior Event Planning Experience Preferred
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to plan, organize and execute detailed and multi-faceted events
• Ability to multi-tasks and balance multiple priorities, while meeting critical deadlines
• Ability to create rapid and creative approaches to problem identification, resolution, and prevention
• Diplomacy and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to work independently, exercising appropriate judgement
• Excellent commination and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to gather, compile and interpret data and draw valid conclusions
• Knowledge of the hospitality industry
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including the ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as needed
• Ability to learn/use conferencing software
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse clientele thorough knowledge of office methods, procedures, and protocol, along with thorough knowledge of correct English, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.
• Good knowledge of, or the ability to rapidly learn, the policies, procedures and regulations governing budget issues, with the ability to interpret and apply these policies to unique situations.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of fiscal record keeping.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain a professional demeanor while interacting with customers either in person or over the telephone.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships among all levels of employees within the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to apply solid judgment, discretion, and initiative in performing a variety of complex administrative tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and prioritize many different administrative tasks, determine relative importance of each, set deadlines, and complete projects in a timely manner.
• Proven ability to type with speed and accuracy.
• Solid familiarity with a demonstrated competency in using a personal computer and related software packages, including word processing, database management and web design.
• Demonstrated ability to independently determine proper location and cross reference of files in alphabetical, numerical, chronological, and/or subject matter order.
• Ability to reason logically and analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to rapidly learn the operations of the University and work environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a business or hospitality related field.
• Experience in event planning in a higher education setting and/or experience managing a conference center or hotel property.