Visitor and Event Coordinator (VEC)

DEFTEC Corporation•New London, CT

5d•$52,000 - $68,000

About The Position

The Visitor and Event Coordinator (VEC) is the primary orchestrator of the museum’s public programs, special events, and daily visitor experience. The role ensures smooth operations aligned with institutional policies, safety standards, and mission-driven goals. The VEC plans and executes approved events by preparing logistics documents, supervising setup and teardown, coordinating with internal and external partners, and serving as the on-site lead during evening and weekend functions. The position also oversees visitor flow, trains frontline staff, collects and analyzes feedback, tracks authorized event costs, and maintains the master institutional calendar. The VEC provides adaptable, professional support for routine museum operations and high-profile, multi-stakeholder events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
Two to four years of experience in event planning, hospitality, or front-of-house museum operations.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, event registration systems, and scheduling software.
Experience managing visitor flow, crowd control, and ADA compliance.
Experience sourcing, negotiating with, and supervising third-party event vendors, such as caterers, AV providers, florists, and rental companies.
Familiarity with local fire codes, occupancy restrictions, and safety regulations.
Experience gathering and tracking visitor feedback and translating it into actionable improvements.
Must obtain a Tier 1/NACI Background Clearance at hire and successfully complete and clear the process.

Nice To Haves

Excellent customer service and problem-solving skills during high-stakes or fast-paced public events.
Experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder functions, including senior military and political protocols.
Attention to event layouts, setups, and aesthetic alignment with adjacent gallery environments.

Responsibilities

Coordinate approved museum public programs, recurring operations, and authorized events, including coordination with the National Coast Guard Museum Association when directed by the Government.
Adapt event and visitor-support plans to participant demographics while observing approved budget, space, safety, staffing, and policy parameters.
Create run-of-show documents, layout designs, and scheduling parameters, and supervise equipment setup, transitions, and teardown.
Serve as the primary on-site contact during evening and weekend events, enforce building protocols, and establish standard operating procedures for those procedures.
Coordinate scheduling to avoid conflicts between daily gallery visitors and private or public events.
Conduct, collect, and analyze visitor surveys to identify areas for improvement.
Train frontline guest service teams to promote museum and USCG historical messaging.
Track authorized event costs, vendor invoices, and cost-allocation documentation; contractor personnel may not obligate Government funds or approve payments.
Maintain the master institutional calendar.