Events & Engagement Specialist

Vertex Education•Chandler, AZ

About The Position

The Events & Engagement Specialist supports planning and execution of network-wide events, community outreach, marketing communications, and organizational visibility initiatives across Vertex Education and Legacy Traditional Schools. Working closely with the Sr. Manager of Events & Engagement, this role turns strategy and priorities into organized execution across the organization. The specialist works with campus leaders, state-based teams, Vertex departments, vendors, and community partners, and manages multiple initiatives simultaneously. The role supports Legacy and Vertex events, campus activities, student travel programs, community engagement, partnerships and sponsorships, MarCom and PR visibility, and employee recognition activities. It also coordinates event logistics, vendors, supplies, budgets, communications, project tracking, and post-event information. The position requires travel between campuses, offices, community locations, and event venues as needed, and occasional travel to other Legacy markets. Events may require outdoor work and occasional evening or weekend hours.

Requirements

Two to four years of experience in event planning and coordination, marketing communications, community engagement, partnerships, sponsorships, project coordination, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience planning and coordinating events from initial planning through execution and post-event follow-up, including timelines, logistics, vendors, materials, communications, setup, and on-site support.
Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple concurrent timelines, deadlines, details, and stakeholders while maintaining consistent follow-through.
Ability to anticipate needs, identify missing information, and proactively follow up on outstanding items.
Strong written and verbal communication, relationship-building, and customer-service skills.
Resourcefulness, a solutions-oriented approach, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to adapt when plans or circumstances change.
Ability to work independently while following established strategies, standards, and priorities.
Proficiency with project-management software, Microsoft Office, and/or Google Workspace.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to obtain and maintain an IVP Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card.
Ability to successfully complete required criminal background screening.
Reliable transportation and ability to travel between campuses, Vertex offices, community locations, and event venues as needed.
Ability to lift and carry objects up to 50 pounds and assist with event setup and breakdown.
Ability to work outdoors for extended periods and in varying weather conditions, including heat and cold, as required for events and community activities.
Ability to stand or walk for extended periods.
Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends based on event schedules.
Associate or bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Hospitality, Event Management, or a related field is preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience in K-12 education, charter schools, nonprofit organizations, or multi-location organizations.
Experience with Asana, HubSpot, Eventbrite, or similar project-management, CRM, or event-registration systems.
Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

Support planning and execution of network-wide Legacy and Vertex events, campus activities, student travel programs, and community outreach across multi-state markets.
Provide hands-on event support, troubleshoot execution issues, and escalate significant concerns.
Manage Eventbrite listings and event logistics, including scheduling, materials, vendor management, and on-site execution.
Coordinate family, community, and alumni engagement initiatives and build relationships with businesses, nonprofits, and civic organizations.
Submit purchase requisitions; order event materials and supplies; coordinate delivery and distribution; manage event inventory; and monitor vendor costs and expenses against approved budgets.
Collect event attendance, feedback, expenses, and other post-event data to support metrics reporting and future planning.
Draft and distribute routine event and community-engagement communications, partnership communications, organizational initiative communications, invitations, stakeholder communications, and event messaging.
Gather and organize photos, content, and other assets from campuses and Vertex events to support marketing communications.
Identify potential student and staff stories and gather background information, photos, and materials to support organizational reputation and visibility.
Research award and recognition opportunities and assist with submissions.
Identify corporate partners and community sponsorship opportunities in collaboration with campus leaders, state-based teams, and internal stakeholders.
Assist with outreach and relationship-building with prospective and existing partners and sponsors, and coordinate communications, deliverables, activations, promotional materials, event participation, and follow-up.
Track partner and sponsor contacts, opportunities, deliverables, and outcomes for follow-up and evaluation.
Assist in producing employee events, appreciation activities, milestone celebrations, and other culture-building initiatives.
Manage vendors, awards, gifts, and supplies for employee engagement and recognition activities.
Use Asana and other project-management tools to organize MarCom tasks and follow up with stakeholders to support timely execution.
Monitor project deadlines, resources, and documentation to support continuity, visibility into current initiatives, and reporting.