College Events and Planning Manager

NC Community Colleges; Salisbury (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College seeks a Manager of College Events and Logistics to coordinate college-wide events, facility use, and related logistics across Rowan-Cabarrus locations. The role leads major function projects and serves as the primary contact for vendors, partners and College stakeholders.

Based at North Campus with travel to all Rowan-Cabarrus locations, the position supports event planning from concept to close-out, manages budgets, schedules, staffing and post-event assessment,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and two years of related experience or equivalent combination required.
• Experience managing multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience planning events from concept through completion.
• Knowledge of audiovisual, event production and virtual/hybrid event tech.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to lead within a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
• Ability to set priorities, anticipate needs and solve problems quickly.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to build relationships with staff, vendors and partners.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage college-wide events and related logistics across locations.
• Serve as lead event project manager for major College functions.
• Manage event budgets, scheduling, vendors and staffing.
• Provide executive and departmental event support and post-event assessment.
• Collaborate with College departments, vendors and external partners.

Skills

Project management

Event planning

Multiple deadlines

Vendor coordination

Budget management

Communication skills

Leadership in cross-functional teams

Detail oriented

Customer service

Microsoft 365 proficiency

Event technology knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Microsoft 365

25Live

Event management systems

Job description

The position is based at North Campus and supports events and activities across all Rowan-Cabarrus locations. Regular travel between College locations may be required. The position requires flexibility to support events outside normal business hours, including occasional evenings and weekends. Work may take place in classrooms, auditoriums, conference spaces, outdoor venues and other College or community locations. The position may require extended periods of activity during events and participation in event setup, event operations and event closeout, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Employment Type

Full-Time

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and two (2) years of experience in event planning, project management, hospitality, promotions, facility management, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the responsibilities of the position.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing events from initial concept through completion.
• Working knowledge of audiovisual, event production and virtual or hybrid event technologies, with the ability to identify technical needs and coordinate requirements with technical specialists.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to provide leadership within a collaborative, cross-functional project environment.
• Ability to establish priorities, anticipate needs, solve problems and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to build effective relationships with employees, executive leadership, vendors, community partners and external organizations.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion and sound judgment when working with confidential or sensitive information.
• Strong customer service skills and commitment to creating welcoming, accessible and professional experiences.
• Ability to manage event budgets and maintain accurate financial and project records.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to learn College scheduling, project management and event technology platforms.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience planning and managing large-scale events, ceremonies, executive functions or other high-profile programs, preferably in higher education, government or a nonprofit environment.
• Experience supporting executive leadership, trustees, elected officials, donors, VIPs or other key stakeholders at events and official functions.
• Experience with event scheduling, space management, registration or event management systems such as 25Live.
• Experience coordinating facility use, vendors, procurement, budgets, contracts and other event-related operational needs.
• Experience coordinating audiovisual production, livestreaming, virtual or hybrid events, or other event technology needs.
• Knowledge of event accessibility, safety, emergency planning, risk management and related compliance requirements.

Position Description

The Manager of College Events and Logistics is responsible for coordinating and managing college-wide events, facility use, and event-related logistics across Rowan-Cabarrus facilities. The position serves as the lead event project manager for major College functions and the primary point of contact for facility usage, event scheduling, vendors, community partners, tenants and College stakeholders, providing event planning expertise to support safe, welcoming and professional events across Rowan-Cabarrus.

The Manager helps maintain a consistent standard for College events through thoughtful planning, effective project management, strong guest experiences and coordination among internal and external partners. Responsibilities include event planning and logistics, event budgets, facility use, scheduling, vendors, event staffing, executive and presidential event support, external facility requests and post-event assessment. The position provides event planning expertise to departments across the College. The Manager assesses event needs, develops project plans, establishes timelines, identifies required resources and coordinates with appropriate College departments throughout the planning process.

As a representative of the President’s Office and Rowan-Cabarrus, this position requires exceptional professionalism, discretion, judgment, customer service and attention to detail. The Manager works closely with departments across the College. The Manager serves as the lead project manager for an event but does not supervise other positions. The position is based at North Campus and provides support at all Rowan-Cabarrus locations as event and operational needs require. The position reports to the Director of Marketing and Events and may provide support to the President’s Office as needed.