Conference & Experience Specialist

Inside Higher Ed; Cottleville (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Charles Community College is seeking a Conference & Experiences Specialist to support growth and execution of conferences, events, immersive experiences, and community partnerships. The role emphasizes hospitality, coordination, and external partnerships to elevate campus initiatives and workforce engagement.

The ideal candidate brings strong communication, organizational skills, and a passion for creating engaging experiences across campus and the community.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience in hospitality, experiential events, customer service, communications, marketing, community engagement, or related field preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and social media platforms.

Responsibilities

• Create polished, engaging, and memorable guest and attendee experiences.
• Coordinate conference details including timelines, vendors, speakers, hospitality, registration, guest experience, VIP hospitality and event flow.
• Support the planning and execution of conferences, workforce events, speaker series, immersive experiences, and special campus initiatives.
• Manage multiple projects, details, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborate with campus departments and external partners to ensure successful conference execution.

Skills

Hospitality experience

Customer service

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Microsoft Office

Social media

Event coordination

Education

Associate degree

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Social media platforms

Event management software

Job description

St. Charles Community College is seeking an energetic, creative, and highly motivated Conference & Experiences Specialist to support the growth and execution of conferences, special events, immersive experiences, and community partnerships.

This role will help position SCC as a premier destination for innovation, workforce engagement, community experiences, and high-quality events. The Conference & Experiences Specialist will play a key role in supporting external partnerships, event experience development, hospitality, and strategic initiatives tied to conferences, workforce development, and the Center for Immersive Learning.

The ideal candidate brings strong communication skills, a hospitality mindset, creativity, professionalism, organization, and a passion for creating engaging experiences.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Conferences & Experiential Events

• Create polished, engaging, and memorable guest and attendee experiences.
• Coordinate conference details including timelines, vendors, speakers, hospitality, registration, guest experience, VIP hospitality and event flow.
• Support the planning and execution of conferences, workforce events, speaker series, immersive experiences, and special campus initiatives.
• Manage multiple projects, details, and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.

External Partnerships & Community Engagement

• Support relationship‑building efforts with community organizations, businesses, sponsors and workforce partners.
• Collaborate with the VP for outreach, follow‑up communication, and conference coordination related to external partnerships and community engagement opportunities.
• Represent SCC professionally in support of conferences, experiential events, and partnership initiatives.
• Deliver responsive, professional, and customer‑focused communication to internal and external stakeholders.

Event Promotion & Visibility

• Assist with conference marketing, communications, social media support, attendee engagement, and event storytelling.
• Develop presentations, promotional materials, and conference communications.
• Capture and promote conference successes, experiences, and community impact.

Project Coordination & Collaboration

• Manage project timelines, deliverables, planning meetings, and coordination tasks.
• Collaborate effectively with campus departments and operational teams to support successful conference execution.
• Support innovative and experiential event enhancements tied to SCC initiatives and the Center for Immersive Learning. This includes working Saturdays along with Friday evenings 2‑3 times per month in the CIL. The work weeks will be adjusted appropriately.
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow‑through.

Innovation & Hospitality

• Contribute ideas that enhance experiences, attendee engagement, and community visibility.
• Support SCC's efforts (and where appropriate, lead the efforts) to create welcoming, forward‑thinking, and professionally executed experiences for guests and partners.
• Demonstrate professionalism, initiative, creativity, and a positive, collaborative attitude.

Performance Expectations & Accountability

• Deliver professional and engaging customer and guest interactions.
• Support strong conference coordination, hospitality, and attendee experiences.
• Maintain appropriate responsiveness, communication, organization, and follow‑through.
• Demonstrate creativity and initiative in supporting conferences, experiences and partnerships.
• Support successful execution of conferences, experiential events, and community engagement initiatives.
• Meet established service expectations and key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with the role.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience in hospitality, experiential events, customer service, communications, marketing, community engagement, or related field preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Positive attitude with strong customer service and hospitality mindset.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast‑paced and evolving environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and social media platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Interest in innovation, immersive experiences, workforce development, or community partnerships.
• Experience supporting conferences, experiential events, hospitality operations, or community engagement initiatives.
• Experience with conference promotion, social media, or marketing support.

St. Charles Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.