Conference & Event Coordinator – Housing & Conference Services (Bargaining Unit 179)

Saint Mary’s University; Halifax; On-site; CAD 48,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits package

Defined Contribution Pension plan

Vacation

Flexible Workplace

Holiday closure

Summer hour schedule

Discounted Employee Transit EPass

Job summary

Saint Mary's University in Halifax is seeking a Conference & Event Coordinator to join the Housing & Conference Services team. You will manage events from planning through on-site execution, coordinate with Facilities, Food Service, Security and other units, and ensure seamless service for internal and external clients.

The role requires strong communication, organizational skills, and experience with EMS/StarRez and event setup.

Qualifications

• Business or Tourism Certificate (1 year or longer).
• Minimum of two years' related experience.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Experience with office administration and client support.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office / Office 365.
• Experience using EMS; StarRez is an asset.
• Experience in setting up technical equipment (e.g., LCD projectors).

Responsibilities

• Provides expertise and support to clients and groups through planning, execution and follow-up.
• Coordinates events requiring university resources and service delivery units.
• Facilitates acquisition of external resources (audio-visual, decor, etc.).
• Prepares standard contracts and agreements for groups or events.
• Checks function locations for space preparation and on-site readiness.
• Manages on-site logistics and responds to client issues.
• Supports student functions and policies for space usage.
• Processes payments and reconciles accounts; records revenue and prepares reports.
• Provides technical support and coordinates equipment setup with clients.
• Coordinates timetable with Enrolment Services and EMS bookings.
• Evaluates client priority for facilities use and maintains departmental website.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Customer service

Tech equipment setup

Education

Business or Tourism Certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office / Office 365

EMS (Event Management System)

StarRez

Job description

Date Posted: October 19th, 2026

Posting Deadline: November 2nd, 2026

Department: Housing & Conference Services

Type of Employment: Permanent, Full-Time

Group Affiliation: Bargaining Unit 179, Group 7 ($47,988- $58,659 annually)

At Saint Mary's University, you will be surrounded by a talented and dedicated team of professionals committed to accessibility, diversity, and the provision of a positive and supportive learning environment. We recognize the importance of the contribution and growth of each individual in the University's success. We are currently looking to fill the position of Conference & Event Coordinator to join our Housing & Conference Services team.

What we offer

As a team member at Saint Mary's, we are proud to offer many benefits. Some of these include:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Defined Contribution Pension plan
• Vacation
• Flexible Workplace
• Holiday closure
• Summer hour schedule
• Discounted Employee Transit EPass through Halifax Transit

Job Information and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Manager, Conference Services, the Conference & Event Coordinator will:

• Provides expertise and support to internal and external clients and groups through the three phases of their respective events: planning and organization, execution and on-site support, and follow-up.
• Co-ordinates events and functions requiring a broad range of university resources and service delivery units including Facilities Management, Food Service, University Security, and Liquor Services. Functions as a liaison with departments to ensure seamless service delivery to clients both internal and external.
• Facilitates the acquisition of external resources via outside contractors to meet client needs and requirements (i.e. additional audio-visual equipment, decorating solutions, or non-traditional set-ups for space)
• Prepares standard contracts and agreements for each group or event.
• Physically checks arrangements at function location to ensure space preparation as necessary.
• Manages on-site logistics and provides on-site support to respond to emerging client issues and concerns.
• Supports and co-ordinates student and student society functions including ensuring policies pertaining to space usage for students are observed.
• Receives, processes, and records payments for invoices, deposits and/or refunds.
• Receipts all payment and/or deposits, prepares bank deposits, records information for Financial Services, and reconciles accounts.
• Prepares invoices for clients for services rendered by Conference Services and other university service providers.
• Maintains accurate records of revenue generated by Conference Services including the preparation, upon request, of up-to-date financial reports for the purposes of budgeting, tracking progress with respect to projections and annual targets, and disbursing payments (i.e. provincial marketing levy, transfers to Food Services for food service provided).
• Provides technical support to external clients including the acquisition and set-up of all requested technical equipment, the provision of on-site support and expertise and troubleshooting emerging issues.
• Meets with clients to discuss technical needs, offers guidance and facilitates the ordering of rental equipment as dictated by client needs.
• Co-ordinates the timely provision of the academic timetable with the Enrolment Services and inputs the bookings into the Event Management Systems Software (EMS).
• Makes decisions about availability, including evaluating clients with respect to priority for the use of the University's Facilities for non-academic purposes.
• Maintains and manages the content of the departmental website.

The Collective Agreement can be viewed Here.

Experience and Education Requirements

To be the successful Conference & Event Coordinator you will have:

• Business or Tourism Certificate - 1 year or greater in duration.
• Minimum of two years' related experience.
• High level of communication and organizational skills.
• Experience in office administration and client support.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office / Office 365.
• Experience using Event management Systems Software (EMS), StarRez an asset.
• Experience in set up of technical equipment (eg LCD projectors).

Late applications may not receive consideration. We appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

At Saint Mary's University equity and diversity are integral to excellence and enrich our community. As an institution committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and respect, we welcome applications from women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity and others who might contribute to the growth and enrichment of our community.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. If you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail].