"Events Specialist"

Position Summary:

The School of Humanities and Arts seeks a dynamic, people-focused Event Specialist to lead the planning and execution of high-impact events and special projects. This is a high-visibility role that serves as the primary bridge between our school, the university, and the public. Beyond logistics and budgeting, the Specialist acts as a project lead who energizes stakeholders, manages complex social dynamics, and ensures that every event provides an exceptional experience for participants. The successful candidate will blend high-touch interpersonal engagement with high-tech operational rigor, utilizing Asana to create transparent, efficient, and repeatable event frameworks.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is someone who prefers a highly interactive workday over solitary tasks. You should genuinely enjoy the interpersonal aspects of event management--from constant face-to-face coordination to hosting receptions--and possess the interpersonal stamina to remain an active, welcoming presence throughout the life of a project. Successful candidates can balance a "boots-on-the-ground" presence with a disciplined approach to administrative tracking, ensuring that no detail is lost in the excitement of a live event.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person at Rice University. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range:

This position is benefits-eligible and exempt. It has an expected minimum salary of $65,000, dependent on experience and qualifications.
*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.*

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• 3 years of related experience
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills:

• Superior project and event management skills
• Ability to manage a diverse team of staff and contingent labor, holding them to deadlines and the highest quality output
• Ability to manage stakeholder expectations through transparent, real-time reporting
• Excellent analytical skills
• Extreme attention to detail and deadlines; ability to prioritize and manage complex workflows
• Excellent communication, time management, and customer service skills; must be well organized and detail-oriented
• Ability to accomplish goals while working through formal and informal channels with diplomacy and tact
• Ability to make strategic decisions
• Strong problem-solving skills

Preferences:

• Experience with project management software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, or Trello) to build project roadmaps, manage workflows, and manage cross-functional team communications
• Process improvement: proven ability to translate complex event goals into actionable digital task lists and timelines

Essential Functions:

• Participates in the planning of events
• Oversees the management of event teams to produce quality, multifaceted events and productions
• Serves as project manager of multiple activities; scopes out project tasks and team assignments; guides teams to create work plans and schedules; monitors progress; and meets milestones
• Operates as project leader responsible for providing meeting and event status reports and ensuring achievement of meeting and event deliverables
• Oversees event logistics, including travel, accommodations, catering, registration, etc.
• Acts as department representative at cross-departmental project meetings
• Works cross-departmentally to prepare and manage complex meeting and event budgets
• Manages budgets, goals, and objectives in alignment with organizational goals
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

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