Special Events/Alumni Coordinator

University of South Carolina•Columbia, SC

42d•Onsite

About The Position

Special Events/Alumni Affairs Coordinator for the College of Education plays a key role in planning, organizing, and executing a wide range of events, while also leading promotional strategies to drive strong attendance and engagement. Working closely with the Dean's Office, this role supports the College's priorities around special events, alumni relations, and related initiatives. This position will draw on best practices in alumni and external relations to help implement programs and strategies that highlight the College's activities, initiatives, and impact to key audiences. The ideal candidate will bring exceptional organizational skills, strong communication abilities, and a passion for creating meaningful and memorable experiences for the College of Education community.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 1 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.
Must be able to be reached at other than normal work times.
Must be willing to work after hours and weekends for events.
Ability to plan, organize, and execute events of varying scales.
Attention to detail to ensure all elements of the event, such as venue, catering, audiovisual equipment, permits, and security, are properly arranged.
Flexibility and adaptability to handle unexpected changes or challenges during events.
Creativity in designing promotional materials and campaigns that resonate with the college community.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively liaise with internal stakeholders, external vendors, sponsors, and attendees.
Ability to think creatively and innovatively to design unique and engaging events that resonate with the college community, students, employees and alumni.
Quick decision-making skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure to address any emergencies or unforeseen issues during events.

Responsibilities

Event Planning / Execution: Spearhead the planning and execution of all College of Education development events, including the Champions of Education Gala, annual Homecoming celebration, Scholarship Luncheon, Retired Faculty Luncheon, and Treats with the Dean visits. Collaborate with university departments, student organizations, and external partners to conceptualize, plan, and execute a wide range of events that align with the university's mission, values, and strategic priorities. Coordinate all logistical aspects of events, including venue selection, scheduling, room setup, catering, audiovisual equipment rentals, transportation, photography coverage, and on-site coordination. Develop detailed event timelines, budgets, and production schedules, ensuring all resources are allocated efficiently and deadlines are met. Liaise with campus facilities management, security, and other relevant departments to obtain necessary permits, approvals, and support services for events. Provide guidance and support to event organizers, volunteers, and student leaders to ensure successful event execution and adherence to university policies and procedures. Spearhead and oversee alumni activities and services, including reunions, alumni interest groups, vendor relations, meeting coordination, and communication management. Plan alumni cultivation events and activities, contribute to the COE Alumni LinkedIn Group as needed, and oversee content and engagement on the College of Education Facebook Alumni page.
Vendor and Stakeholder Management: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with vendors, partners, sponsors, and other stakeholders to secure resources, support, and sponsorship opportunities for events. Negotiate contracts and agreements to ensure favorable terms and mutually beneficial partnerships. Coordinate with internal departments and external partners to fulfill sponsor obligations, deliver promotional benefits, and maximize visibility and return on investment. Serve as the primary point of contact for vendors and event partners, addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and fostering positive, long-term relationships.
Promotional Strategy: Design and implement strategic promotional campaigns to increase event awareness and participation among students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community. Utilize a variety of marketing channels-including social media, posters, email communications, and campus-wide announcements-to effectively promote events. Collaborate on the development of marketing materials and collateral pieces, such as programs, invitations, and Eventbrite event pages, to ensure consistent branding and engagement.
Budget and Alumni Relations Database System Oversight: Develop and manage event budgets, forecasts, and financial projections, ensuring expenditures are within approved budgets and financial goals are met. Monitor expenses, track financial transactions, and reconcile invoices and receipts in a timely manner, maintaining accurate records and documentation. Identify cost-saving opportunities, negotiate pricing with vendors, and implement budget optimization strategies to maximize cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Maintains the Development and Alumni Relations database system, known as Blackbaud CRM, and runs specific queries and reports.
Evaluation and Reporting: Conduct post-event evaluations to assess successes, challenges, and areas for improvement.Solicit feedback from attendees, volunteers, and stakeholders to gauge satisfaction and gather suggestions for future events.Maintain accurate records of event attendance, feedback, and performance metrics for future reference and analysis.Utilize data analytics tools to extract insights from promotional campaigns and attendee demographics, informing targeted marketing strategies. Generate reports and presentations summarizing key findings and recommendations for optimizing future events and promotional efforts to senior leadership.
Contributes to college efforts by performing other duties assigned or required.
Recognition and Stewardship of Alumni & Donors: Develop and manage alumni engagement and donor stewardship initiatives for the College of Education, including identifying and nominating alumni for university recognition opportunities, coordinating donor acknowledgments, overseeing thank-you communications and calls, maintaining the annual Honor Roll of Donors and Dean's Circle, and producing two student-centered thank-you videos each year-one in the spring and one in the fall. Feature a distinguished alum monthly through a written story or Q&A article to strengthen alumni connections and highlight their impact.