Event Planning Assistant

Penn State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University in University Park seeks an organized events coordinator to support Campus and Community Events. You will help plan and coordinate 20 undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies across multiple venues, and assist with the President's faculty, staff, and student awards programs.

The role requires strong Microsoft Office skills, content updates to WordPress sites, and ability to manage budgets, invoices, and purchase orders.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• 4+ years of relevant event planning experience preferred.
• Proficiency with WordPress or similar CMS and standard office software.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate planning and execution of commencement ceremonies across venues.
• Assist with planning and hosting faculty, staff, and student awards programs.
• Provide budget and office support: processing invoices, PO requests, office supplies.
• Maintain administrative details of Penn State policies under the director.
• Update Campus and Community Events websites and calendars.
• Support Penn State's United Way Campaign and event invitations.
• Draft publications and manage communications during high-volume periods.
• Assist on committees as needed.

Skills

Event planning

Organizational skills

Multitasking

MS Office

WordPress CMS

Workfront

Mailchimp

Cross-team collaboration

Education

Associate Degree

Tools

WordPress CMS

Workfront

Mailchimp

Microsoft Office

Job description

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

Penn State's Office of Strategic Communications -the University's central public relations and marketing division-seeks a highly organized individual to join the Office of Campus and Community Events and help plan and coordinate University-wide events such as undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies and the President's faculty, staff, and student awards programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the director to coordinate the planning and execution of 20 undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies held across multiple venues on the University Park campus
• Assist the director with planning and hosting the President's annual faculty/staff and student awards programs
• Provide budget and office support for Campus and Community Events and the director, including processing invoice payments, making purchase order requests, and ordering office supplies
• Assist with coordinating the administrative details of various Penn State policies that fall under the director
• Manage and update content on Campus and Community Events websites
• Help plan and implement Penn State's United Way Campaign, under general guidance from the director
• Monitor and determine appropriate responses to communications sent to Campus and Community Events, especially during high-volume times when family members, students, faculty, staff, and alumni have questions or need assistance
• Draft and compile correspondence, event programs, surveys, invitations, and other publications for various programs and events
• Maintain a University-wide calendar using College Net/25 Live
• Serve on multiple committees, as needed

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Have an extensive background in event planning
• Possess exceptional organizational skills and have the ability to pay attention to details
• Be able to manage multiple priorities and projects, often at the same time
• Have strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office programs
• Have experience updating websites using WordPress or a similar Content Management System
• Be familiar with tools such as Workfront to manage and improve projects and processes and Mailchimp to create and send event invitations and communications
• Be able to work collaboratively across teams and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Be a self-starter with a proactive approach to problem-solving and a strong sense of ownership
• Have the ability to adapt quickly in a dynamic environment
• Have experience in higher education or a similar complex organizational environment

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

Associate Degree

4+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Required Certifications: None

About Penn State's Office of Strategic Communications

As Penn State's central public relations and marketing division, the Office of Strategic Communications is a fully integrated, award-winning, best-in-class marketing and public relations team defined by innovative strategy and breakthrough creative driven by measurable goals. We advance the University by strengthening and protecting the institution's reputation in regional, national and international spheres of influence in ways that serve recruitment, resource and leadership goals.

Spanning Penn State's large-scale enterprise-including campus locations across Pennsylvania, nearly 90,000 students, and an alumni base exceeding 800,000-the Office of Strategic Communicati