Advertising Summary: The Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts (VCUarts) seeks a part-time Event Coordinator to
serve as the primary point of contact for planning, coordination
and execution of events for VCUarts. This position is a member of
the Communications team within the School and reports to the
Director of Communications and Marketing.
Unit: School Of The Arts MBU
Department: Deans Office Arts
Department Summary: We’re a public, nonprofit four-year art
and design school within a major research university, and offer 18
bachelor’s degrees and five master’s degrees. Located in Richmond,
Virginia—one of the nation’s most artistic cities, VCUarts is a
vibrant community of creators, performers and scholars dedicated to
pushing boundaries and tackling challenges far beyond traditional
arts practices.
Event Coordinator (part-time/hourly)
VCU School of the Arts
Office of Communications
Application Deadline: For best consideration, applications are
due Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Position Summary
The Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts)
seeks a part-time Event Coordinator to serve as the primary point
of contact for planning, coordination and execution of events for
VCUarts. This position is a member of the Communications team
within the School and reports to the Director of Communications and
Marketing.
The Event Coordinator is responsible for delivering high-quality,
strategically aligned events that enhance stakeholder engagement,
support VCUarts goals and elevate the School’s brand. This position
collaborates closely with internal stakeholders, external partners
and student teams—particularly from Development and Alumni
Relations—to deliver creative, professional and seamless event
experiences.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Event Planning and Execution – 40%
- Lead the planning and execution of VCUarts events, including
Dean's office and leadership events, academic ceremonies
(Commencement), and other signature events.
Develop event timelines, budgets, logistics, and staffing plans
while coordinating venues, vendors, catering, technology, and
on-site operations.
Partner with Communications and Marketing team, VCUarts
leadership, Development and Alumni Relations, and academic units to
deliver events aligned with strategic priorities and branding.
As a member of the VCUarts Office of Communications team, and
as a communications and marketing professional, the Event
Coordinator will collaborate closely with VCU Enterprise Marketing
and Communications to align content, storytelling and brand
positioning with institutional priorities and standards.
Evaluate event outcomes and implement continuous process
improvements.
Demonstrate proven ability to coordinate across multiple
stakeholders and manage competing priorities.
Manage event timelines and oversee day-of operations.
Operational Coordination and Logistics – 30%
- Serve as the primary point of contact for event planning and
logistics, including venues, catering, AV needs, registration,
staffing, signage, and vendor support.
- Plan calendars and coordinate approvals for all assets, plans,
and content.
- Coordinate printed materials, promotional items, and event
supplies.
- Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and event procedures
while ensuring compliance with university policies.
- Keep projects moving from intake to completion; confirm the
right people are involved and deliverables are accurate, approved,
and submitted correctly.
- Maintain strong quality control across multi-channel
deliverables (checklists, timelines, links, QR codes, approvals,
version control).
Communications – 20%
- Coordinate with the Social Media Coordinator to promote
events.
- Develop event communications, including web pages, emails,
graphics, digital signage, RSVP forms and social media promotions
in collaboration with communications and marketing team
members.
- Maintain clear communication with campus partners, internal
stakeholders and leadership.
- Bring excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a
strong customer-service mindset.
Budget and Resource Management – 10%
- In close collaboration with the VCUarts Office of Finance, as
well as the Director of Communications and Marketing, develop and
manage event budgets.
- Monitor expenditures and identify opportunities to improve
efficiency and maximize resources.
- In collaboration with the VCUarts Office of HR, ensure
pre-approvals are obtained for any event staffing needs; i.e.,
musicians, performers, artists, etc.
- Ensure compliance with budget guidelines and processes set by
the school and university.
Work Location and Flexibility
This position will be based on VCU’s Richmond campus. To ensure
comprehensive training and integration into our School and
university work environment, the position will be required to have
an on-site work schedule for the first six months. The standard
schedule of the Office of Communications is Monday through Friday,
8:30 am – 4:30 pm, however, the hours for the Event Coordinator
will not exceed 29 hours per week. After six months, the position’s
work schedule could shift to a hybrid structure with up to two days
of remote work per week, subject to the needs of the School. Access
to a car is required for this position as some events are
off-site.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
- A deep commitment to the arts.
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public relations,
hospitality, communications, or related field or educational
qualifications, professional experience, and training that equates
to a Bachelor’s degree.
- Demonstrated experience in event planning, coordination or
program development and management.
- Strong follow-through skills and ability to keep work moving
from intake to final closeout.
- Must be able to demonstrate diplomacy and professionalism at
all times when interacting with campus partners, internal
stakeholders, and leadership.
- Must be able to exercise confidentiality when necessary.
- Must be able to establish and maintain top-notch quality
control for multi-channel deliverables, including checklists,
timelines, links, QR codes, approvals and version control.
- Comfortable using project management and communications
software, especially Slack, Asana, Google Workspace platform (Docs,
Drive, Forms, Sheets) and/or Excel, as well as basic analytics and
reporting.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage
multiple projects simultaneously and ability to coordinate across
multiple stakeholders and manage competing priorities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a strong
customer-service mindset.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively
with diverse stakeholders.
- Flexibility to work occasional evenings or weekends in support
of events.
- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment
of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of
faculty, staff, and students from various background checks and
experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at
VCU.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in higher education, development or nonprofit event
planning.
- Experience managing complex, high-profile events or programs
within a large or decentralized organization.
- Demonstrated experience developing or implementing policies,
procedures, or operational frameworks.
- Knowledge of hospitality or event management best
practices.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex, high-visibility events,
including experience with risk management, compliance, and/or
institutional policies related to events or space use.
Application Deadline: For best consideration, applications are
due Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Salary Range: $30-$35/hour
Benefits : All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide
array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU.
Consult the
benefits website
for information on benefits eligibility according to employee
type.
FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt
Hours per Week: Up to 29 hours per week on average
ORP Eligible: No
Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite with assessment of
work structure after six months
University Job Title: 80354 - H - Sr Events Mgmt Coordinator
AX 1
Rank: Non Faculty
Contact Information:
Contact Name: VCUarts HR
Contact Email: artshr@vcu.edu
