Event Manager

Universities of Wisconsin•Milwaukee, WI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is seeking an Event Manager to join the College of Business within the Office of Communications, Marketing and Administrative Affairs. UWM is the flagship urban campus of the University of Wisconsin System, known for academic excellence and as a top research university (R-1 status). The Lubar College of Business offers a range of degree programs and is recognized for its distinguished faculty and research opportunities. Milwaukee, the location of UWM, is a vibrant and diverse metropolitan area on the shores of Lake Michigan, offering a high quality of life and affordability. The Event Manager will be the lead person responsible for planning, organizing, managing, executing, and evaluating the College of Business' events. These events cater to a diverse audience including prospective, admitted, and current students, alumni, donors, industry professionals, government officials, community members, and faculty and staff. The role involves close collaboration with the Director of Communications and Administrative Affairs, the Marketing & Web Manager, and Dean's Office staff. Additionally, the Event Manager will manage the administration of College-supported student competitions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
Minimum of four years of professional experience planning and coordinating events, programs, executive-level meetings, or similar activities.
Demonstrated evidence of independently coordinating events or projects from initial planning through implementation and follow-up.
Demonstrated experience managing multiple events, projects, or priorities with overlapping timelines and deadlines.
Coordinated event logistics, including vendors, facilities, technology, schedules, participants, or other event-related resources.
Provided on-site event management and responded to event-related issues or changing circumstances.
Experience communicating and working effectively with a variety of stakeholders, such as clients, colleagues, vendors, speakers, guests, or event participants.
Developed event-related communications, reports, assessments, or other materials requiring accuracy and attention to detail.
Experience using webinar, virtual meeting, and/or presentation technologies to support events or programs.

Nice To Haves

5-10 years of event management experience.
Experience managing budgets and adhering to fiscal policies.
Experience with Workday, Asana, WordPress, and Emma (or similar html email software).

Responsibilities

Monitors the budget and approves expenditures
Establishes and executes day-to-day operational functions and goals of events to align with existing strategy
Establishes and sustains relationships with internal and external stakeholders
May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees
Identifies, proposes, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
Manages all aspects of event planning and execution, including communication with colleagues, reservations, day-of event preparation, and post-event responsibilities.
Manages and reconciles budget allocations and expenditures, executes the approval process, and adheres to deadlines and fiscal policies.
Supports faculty and staff with planning, executing and assessing a wide range of events across the college, including but not limited to, receptions, award programs, retreats, meetings, lectures, webinars, and social events.
Maintains an event calendar and detailed planning system.
Organizes and leads primary program planning and debrief meetings.
Creates event plans and templates for all events, using Asana project management software.
Creates and distributes post-event surveys, analyzes and shares survey findings with all stakeholders.
Oversees and executes all event details, including but not limited to room/venue reservations, set-up tear down on site, participant and volunteer coordination, catering, parking, ordering of audio/visual, prepare speaker contracts, secure photographer/videographer, communicate to stakeholders about web updates and complete the initial round of Emma email updates.
Coordinates with the Marketing Manager to ensure events are properly marketed to targeted audiences.
Functions as the point person for the collection of RSVPs and updates event stakeholders weekly.
Executes communications to event personnel including confirmations, reminders, and any follow up as needed.
Manages and reconciles budget allocations and expenditures; recommends allocations based on expenditure history and anticipated needs; prepares summary reports and provides recommendations for funding and overall improvements.
Maintains updated contact lists for targeted audiences in SharePoint.
Participates in secondary program planning and debrief meetings with colleagues (in a support role for other units' events).
Coordinates with Marketing & Web Manager to ensure events are properly marketed to the targeted audiences (in a support role for other units' events).
Coordinates room reservations and catering orders. Billing for these activities will also be handled by the Event Manager (in a support role for other units' events).
Manages aspects of La Macchia New Venture Business Plan Competition, Scheinfeld Awards, and Business Ethics Case Competition.
Plans competition scheduling, including associated workshops, events, deadlines, and final competition dates.
Authors annual update of competition details on the Lubar College website; promotes the competitions in conjunction with Lubar marketing.
Suggests and, with approval of competition director, confirms competition judges and mentors.
Manages and communicates event details for all workshops and final competitions, including venue reservation, catering, parking, setup, materials, photography, and confirmations. Day-of activities will be shared between the event manager and the competition director.
Obtains necessary information from competition winners and processes their award payments.
Manages and reconciles budget allocations and expenditures for competitions; recommends allocations based on expenditure history and anticipated needs; prepares summary reports and provides recommendations for funding and overall improvements.
Compiles detailed information upon request to assist the Office of University Advancement in their development of reports to private donors supporting the competitions.