Event Planner

Stanford University; England; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Event Planner to manage and execute programs and events within its Graduate School of Business. The ideal candidate will have an associate degree, at least three years of experience in event planning, and strong skills in customer service, communication, and time management. Key responsibilities include designing and coordinating events, managing vendor contracts, and providing administrative support. This full-time role offers a salary range of $72,972 - $87,751 per annum and supports a collaborative environment with generous benefits.

Benefits

Career development programs

Wellness programs

Flexible working options one day per week

Generous vacation policy

Access to world-class exercise facilities

Qualifications

• Associate degree and three years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success planning events.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Knowledge of scheduling management systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and plan customized events.
• Consult with stakeholders for event objectives.
• Inspect event facilities for needs.
• Manage vendor contracts and services.
• Provide administrative support in finance and communications.

Skills

Event planning

Customer service

Time management

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Associate degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Mazevo

Job description

Overview

Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) has built a global reputation based on its immersive and innovative management programs. We provide students a transformative leadership experience, pushing the boundaries of knowledge with faculty research, and offering a portfolio of entrepreneurial and non-degree programs that deliver global impact. We invite you to be part of our mission of developing innovative, principled, and insightful leaders who change lives, change organizations, and change the world.

The Event Operations team within the Facilities & Hospitality Department of the Stanford Graduate School of Business seeks an Event Planner for a fixed term position with an end date of August 31, 2026, with a possibility of renewal. The Event Planner will work in partnership with Stanford GSB departments and program owners. The Event Planner schedules, plans, and executes programs and events, such as academic courses, seminars, conferences, major events, and executive programs for the GSB as well as the university. This position monitors and responds to requests submitted through email, phone, or the venue reservation system and manages a portfolio of events and programs, working with a diverse constituency of staff, faculty, and students to produce logistically precise events. This position also provides administrative support to the department in finance and communications, among other administrative tasks.

The Event Planner will need to exercise good judgment regarding how to prioritize tasks in the face of frequently shifting priorities. It is essential to have excellent judgment, integrity, flexibility, and creativity as well as a positive attitude, the ability to collaborate and consult, and a good sense of humor. In this role, you will have the opportunity to use your event planning and venue management skills to support the mission of the GSB. If you are an experienced event planner with exceptional venue scheduling and customer service skills, ready to take on new challenges in higher education, this position is ideal for you.

The GSB campus properties include the Knight Management Center and GSB Residences on 19.5 acres with nearly 700K sq.ft. of buildings that support academic and administrative functions, student and executive residential experiences and food service programs. The Schwab Residential Center is a 24hour, 7-day/week residence, conference center.

Primary Responsibilities Include

• Design, plan, implement, and coordinate customized events.
• Serve as a member of the Event Operations team and contribute to a wide variety of functional areas, including decisions around scheduling, event logistics, and facilities.
• Consult with stakeholders to determine event objectives and requirements.
• Inspect event facilities to ensure they meet the event needs.
• Procure and coordinate vendor services. Negotiate vendor contracts to minimize liability and risk.
• Communicate with visiting entities such as vendors, alumni, and program participants for assigned events.
• Research and provide recommendations to optimize event locations and evaluate alternatives and availability.
• Resolve calendar conflicts. Generate analytical reports and summaries.
• Utilize and maintain complex venue reservation system/database in Mazevo and other event planning software.
• Monitor and respond to inquiries by email, phone, in-person, or through the venue reservation system. Serve as a resource regarding a defined set of policies and procedures.
• May serve as project leader on smaller scale events or work as part of a team on program elements for larger scale events.
• Provide administrative support in areas of finance, communications, webpages, among other administrative tasks.

Minimum Requirements

• Associate degree and three years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success planning events.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to establish priorities, manage shifting priorities, and handle numerous time-sensitive projects with multiple deadlines.
• Demonstrated creativity, problem solving skills, taking initiative, judgment, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to accomplish goals working through formal and informal channels, with diplomacy and tactfulness.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, time management, and customer service skills.
• Must be well-organized and detail-oriented.
• Ability to interact and successfully collaborate with a broad spectrum of contributing groups and customers, including students, staff, faculty, and relevant university policies.
• Proficient computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications such as Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace.
• Knowledge and/or previous experience with space management and scheduling platform, such as Mazevo.
• Willingness to learn the department reservation system and other applications.
• Comfort with technology and data management.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
• This is a fully onsite role with the potential to work remote one day per week.

Certifications And Licenses Required

• Must possess and maintain a valid California non-commercial Class C Driver’s License.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to drive day or night.

Work Standards

• When conducting university business, must comply with California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements.

In Addition, Preferred Requirements Include

• Experience in venue management

This position is campus-based with limited hybrid flexibility and requires on-site presence during events and special engagements.

The expected pay range for this position is $72,972 - $87,751 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges that represent its good-faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, the base pay represents only one aspect of the total comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specific details about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

Why Stanford is for You

Benefits

Stanford’s dedicated 16,000 staff come from diverse educational and career backgrounds. We are a collaborative environment that thrives on innovation and continuous improvement. We provide competitive salaries, excellent healthcare and retirement plans, and a generous vacation policy, including additional time off during our winter closure. Our generous perks align with what matters to you:

• Freedom to grow. Take advantage of career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course audits. Join a TedTalk, or film screening, or listen to a renowned author or leader discuss global issues.
• A caring culture. We understand the importance of your personal and family time and provide you access to wellness programs, child-care resources, parent education and consultation, elder care, and caregiving support.
• A healthier you. We make wellness a priority by providing access to world-class exercise facilities. Climb our rock wall, or participate in one of hundreds of health or fitness classes.
• Discovery and fun. Visit campus gardens, trails, and museums.
• Enviable resources. We offer free commuter programs and ridesharing incentives. Enjoy discounts for computers, cell phones, recreation, travel, entertainment, and more!

We take pride in being a culture that encourages and empowers you.

How To Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and résumé along with your online application.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.