Director of Institutional Event Project Management

Project Equity; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Trinity College in Hartford, CT seeks a Director of Institutional Event Project Management to serve as the centralized PM leader for high-profile academic, ceremonial, presidential, and institutional events. You will create strategic plans, coordinate cross-divisional efforts, and drive continuous improvement of planning processes to deliver exceptional experiences aligned with the College's mission.

You will collaborate with faculty, staff, and partners to standardize planning, build master

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in project management, institutional operations, higher education administration, event management, or related fields.
• Experience managing complex, cross-functional projects.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience facilitating collaborative planning processes.
• Knowledge of project management methodologies.
• Experience with enterprise scheduling or EMS or similar.
• Familiarity with higher education governance and academic protocol.

Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive project management for assigned institutional events.
• Develop and maintain master project plans and implementation schedules.
• Coordinate planning timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor project progress and facilitate timely decision-making.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure alignment with institutional priorities and strategic objectives.
• Coordinate planning across multiple College divisions and departments.
• Facilitate Institutional Events Team meetings and build campus partner relationships.
• Lead Operational Readiness Reviews and coordinate venue readiness, logistics, technology, hospitality, safety, and campus presentation.
• Implement and maintain planning templates, documentation, and standards across events.
• Lead post-event assessments, measure performance, capture lessons learned, and prepare executive reports.
• Prepare planning briefings and executive updates for senior leadership.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Organization

Analytical thinking

Confidentiality

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree (preferred)

Tools

EMS or similar

Job description

Job Description

The Director of Institutional Event Project Management serves asTrinity College's centralized project management leader forassigned institutional events. The Director provides strategicplanning, project management, operational coordination, andcontinuous improvement for the College's highest-profile academic,ceremonial, presidential, and institutional events.

Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, andcampus partners, the Director leads a standardized planningmethodology that strengthens collaboration, promotes operationalexcellence, preserves institutional knowledge, and createsexceptional institutional experiences aligned with the College's mission and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

Institutional Project Management

• Lead comprehensive project management for assigned institutional events.
• Develop and maintain master project plans and implementations schedules.
• Coordinate planning timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor project progress and facilitate timely decision-making.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure alignment with institutional priorities and strategic objectives.

Cross-Functional Planning & Coordination

• Coordinate planning across multiple College divisions and departments.
• Facilitate Institutional Events Team meetings.
• Build collaborative relationships among campus partners.
• Coordinate planning activities across all Institutional Planning Areas.
• Ensure effective communication among stakeholders.
• Support Executive Sponsors throughout the planning process.

Operational Readiness

• Lead Operational Readiness Reviews for institutional events.
• Coordinate venue readiness, logistics, technology, hospitality, safety, and campus presentation.
• Monitor event readiness and resolve operational issues.
• Coordinate event-day operations and decision support.
• Ensure contingency and emergency plans are in place.

Planning Methodology & Standards

• Implement and maintain Trinity College's Institutional Experiences and Event Management Framework.
• Develop and continuously improve planning templates, project documentation, and operational standards.
• Maintain planning calendars and project management tools.
• Promote consistent planning practices across institutional events.
• Support organizational learning and planning excellence

Assessment & Continuous Improvement

• Lead structured post-event assessments.
• Measure operational performance and institutional outcomes.
• Capture lessons learned and best practices.
• Maintain institutional planning documentation.
• Recommend improvements to planning processes and participant experiences.
• Prepare executive reports and recommendations.

Executive Support

• Prepare planning briefings and executive updates.
• Support senior leadership with planning analysis and recommendations.
• Coordinate materials for Executive Sponsors and College leadership.
• Assist with strategic decision-making throughout the planning process.

Institutional Planning Areas

Coordinate planning across the College's Institutional PlanningAreas, including:

• Academic & Ceremony Operations
• Student Experience & Engagement
• Operations & Logistics
• Facilities & Infrastructure

Safety & Emergency Management

• Communications & Marketing
• Information Technology & Event Production
• Hospitality & Guest Experience
• Advancement & Constituent Engagement
• Trinity Traditions & Institutional Heritage
• Presidential & Executive Engagement

Perform other related duties as assigned and based on departmental need.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree, required
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in project management, institutional operations, higher education administration, event management, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, cross-functional projects.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Experience facilitating collaborative planning processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.

Preferred

• Master's Degree, preferred
• Experience in higher education.
• Experience managing major institutional events, commencements, convocations, or presidential events.
• Knowledge of project management methodologies.
• Experience with enterprise scheduling or event management systems (EMS or similar).
• Familiarity with higher education governance and academic protocol.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strategic planning
• Project management
• Operational integration
• Facilitation and consensus building
• Organizational leadership
• Executive communication
• Risk management
• Budget awareness
• Process improvement
• Data analysis and reporting
• Customer service and hospitality
• Continuous improvement

About Us

Trinity is a highly selective, independent, nonsectarian liberal arts institution located in the capital city of Hartford, Connecticut. The college maintains a rigorous academic profile complemented by a vibrant co-curricular program. With more than 2,100 full-time undergraduate students, representing forty-three states and ninety-one countries, we consider our location in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse capital city to be among Trinity’s most distinctive assets; and we cultivate strong connections with our surrounding neighbors and with institutions and organizations throughout Hartford and the region. As a preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives.

Trinity College is an independent, nonsectarian liberal arts college for men and women, with approximately 2,200 undergraduate students and 200 faculty members, located in Hartford, Connecticut.

The College is committed to building a representative and diverse faculty, administrative staff, and student body. Trinity is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities should request, in advance, any needed accommodation in order to participate in the application process.

Our Mission is “Engage. Connect. Transform.”

For all faculty positions, completion of the Ph.D. or appropriate equivalent is expected. Candidates should have a strong commitment to undergraduate and interdisciplinary teaching in a liberal arts context, and a well-articulated plan for sustained research. Trinity is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching, and service.