Senior Coordinator, Operations & Events

Vanderbilt University•Nashville, TN

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Coordinator of Operations and Events is part of the Student Centers department within the Student Affairs division at Vanderbilt University. This role is a key individual contributor responsible for managing and executing events in facilities across campus for members of the Vanderbilt and Nashville community. The position also manages full-time staff, student staff, including graduate assistants. This role requires an energetic, responsive, inclusive, and hands-on leader with strong customer service and communication skills, excellent organizational and critical thinking capabilities, and the ability to solve problems effectively and efficiently. Reporting directly to the Associate Director, this position leads initiatives internal to Student Centers regarding our student employment program, staff professional development, and assessment. Additionally, this position will engage with student leaders and student organizations, sell and market event spaces to all stakeholders, and plan, manage, and execute high-profile events taking place in Student Centers facilities, including those for the Chancellor's Office, Provost Office, Summer Conferences, and Corporate events. The Senior Coordinator of Operations and Events will lead the student employment program within Student Centers, overseeing hiring, training, promotions, professional development, and staff recognition. This position will provide support for professional staff to ensure a consistent and development-focused employment experience for all Student Centers student staff. Furthermore, this position will manage all aspects of large-scale events, including meetings, banquets, conferences, receptions, and student performances. It will also manage daily operations in multiple Student Center facilities to support student engagement opportunities, including formal and informal engagement for student organizations, and providing space for and supporting meetings, performances, and other engagement opportunities for students.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree is required.
Proven customer service and event management experience is preferred.
Two years of related experience is preferred.
Proven ability in establishing and maintaining relationships with clients and vendors of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences is preferred.
Proven ability to manage diverse large-scale, high-risk, multi-faceted events and/or conferences is preferred.
Experience working in a University setting is preferred.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Hospitality Management, Higher Education, Student Affairs, or related field is preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee and coordinate all aspects of events in the Student Centers including, but not limited to, logistics, a/v, staffing needs, housekeeping requests, accessibility needs, plant operations requests, outside rentals, security, and invoices to assure their success and compliance with Student Centers and University Risk Management regulations.
Works with clients, including high profile clients such as the Chancellor’s Office, Provost’s Office, University Ceremonies and Events, Development and Alumni Relations, Conferences and Events and others to plan, manage logistics and execute their events (banquets, receptions, conferences, lectures, meetings, concerts, theatrical shows, etc.).
Creates quotes and invoices for events.
Uses Event Management System (EMS) to track reservations within Student Centers spaces.
Collaborates with others in the department to prioritize facility improvements that best support successful events and client experiences.
Be proactive in resolving problems, troubleshooting, and answering inquiries to ensure successful events.
Support Senior Director and Associate Directors with achieving Objectives and Key Results for the department and providing support for development of strategic plans.
Work closely with Associate Director to maintain and implement policies and procedures for the Operations and Events team.
Inspect and maintain the Student Centers facilities, including: maintaining inventory of supplies and equipment, submitting work orders and reports, assisting with renovation projects and building recommendations to improve operations in our facilities.
Provide excellent customer service and communicate information efficiently and effectively for visitors, clients, and building associates to create a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.
Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (i.e. catering, vendors, VUPD, Parking Services, building associates, etc.) in order to facilitate successful events and building operations.
Assist student organizations in facilitating and planning successful events and programs that support and celebrate student experiences and adhere to University policies.
May serve as an advisor for student organizations, assisting with goal-setting, attending student organization executive board meetings and providing support for student leaders.
Support student organization initiatives with regards to training, education, and creating a sense of belonging to improve the experience for all members.
Inform students of changes to student organization policies and procedures that enable them to more effectively manage their organization.
Utilize budgeting skills to support successful financial management and use of Oracle by student leaders and organizations.
Lead efforts to recruit, hire, train, schedule, and supervise student staff to assist in Student Centers operations, including event management and event setups, to provide excellent hospitality and event services to customers and clients utilizing the event spaces.
Effectively train other coordinators and support staff on policies and procedures to create successful team relationships and event management.
Support efforts to develop, implement, and evaluate a robust student training and professional development program.
Lead the OEC and Supervisors bi-weekly meetings discussing accountability, training, hiring, and evaluations.
Collaborate on the development of a Student Centers student staff evaluation tool.
Coordinate all-student staff trainings throughout the year, including the content and schedule.
Create and lead the student accountability program.
Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
Participate in division wide events as needed (Move-In Day, Rites of Spring, Diverse ‘Dores Day, MLK Day, etc.) to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.
Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of university resources.
Demonstrate a willingness to support colleagues across the division in order to encourage the implementation or fulfillment of divisional goals and strategic priorities.