Outreach & Event Coordinator

South Dakota Board of Regents; Rapid City (SD); On-site; USD 29,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

South Dakota Mines in Rapid City is seeking a Public Relations & K-12 Outreach Coordinator to plan and execute community events and outreach programs. You will connect prospective students with Mines resources and coordinate with school partners.

The role requires collaboration across departments, strong event planning skills, and the ability to manage outreach initiatives throughout the year.

Qualifications

• Plan and execute public relations events and K-12 programs.
• Public relations principles for building a positive image.
• Engage teachers and school partners in K-12 contexts.
• Proficiency with common office software (Calendar, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and execute public relations events and K-12 programming.
• Manage event budgets, including projections and tracking.
• Coordinate events with departments, university personnel, and external partners.
• Serve on committees as chair or participant.
• Maintain a public outreach webpage with Marketing & Communications.
• Maintain inventory of K-12 and community outreach activities.
• Build relationships with area teachers and coordinate events with STEM faculty.
• Track prospective students from outreach events.

Skills

Event planning

Public relations

K-12 outreach

Interpersonal skills

Public administration knowledge

Data collection basics

Office software proficiency

Tools

Google Calendar

Outlook

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

CMS/website content management

Job description

STARTING HOURLY RATE : $21.41-$23.99 hourly, depending upon education and experience, GG

Position Summary:

Support South Dakota Mines’ public image and K-12 education pipeline by planning and executing public relations and K-12-focused events, and by developing community and K-12 outreach efforts that connect prospective students with Mines resources.

Duties include:

• Plan, organize, and execute public relations events and K-12 programming, such as the science fair and Engineering & Science Week
• Manage event budgets, including projections and expenditure tracking
• Collaborate and coordinate events with other departments, university personnel, and outside entities
• Serve as chair or participant on committees
• Build and maintain a public-facing outreach webpage in partnership with Marketing & Communications
• Maintain a campus-wide inventory of K-12 and community outreach activities
• Build relationships with area teachers and coordinate outreach events connecting them with SD Mines STEM faculty
• Partner with the database administrator to track prospective students from outreach events
• Perform other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE , SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• planning and effectively executing both large and small events;
• public relations principles and practices for building and maintaining a positive public image;
• K-12 education environments and effective approaches to engaging teachers and school partners;
• professional office environment and procedures, including excellent interpersonal skills;
• work processes and practices pertaining to public administration, management, and professional subject areas;
• basic statistical measures, research methods, database development and maintenance;
• high level of proficiency with computer systems and common applications (Google Calendar, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), including basic website content management.

Ability to:

• communicate information clearly and concisely in person and/or writing, exercising tact, patience, discretion and professional demeanor;
• organize work, manage multiple events and outreach relationships simultaneously, work independently and learn quickly;
• establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships, interacting in a supportive manner with a variety of cultures and personalities, within a high-pressure environment;
• build trust and sustain long-term relationships with external partners such as teachers and school contacts;
• read, comprehend, gather, prepare, and summarize data from a variety of sources;
• type accurately, be detail oriented, have excellent organizational skills, handle multiple tasks, prioritize accordingly and meet strict deadlines;
• maintain confidential and sensitive information, including student data collected at outreach events;
• use a computer, copy machine, and other office equipment;

South Dakota Mines is committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce and offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package for employees, spouses and dependents; retirement plans; paid holidays; and a generous vacation and sick day allowance.

Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Posting Date

Posting Date 08/07/2026

Closing Date

Open Until Filled Yes

First Consideration Date

First Consideration Date 08/14/2026

Advertised Salary

Advertised Salary $21.41-$23.99 hourly, depending upon education and experience,

Duration of the Term

Duration of the Term 12 months

Appointment Percent

Appointment Percent 100

Work Hours

The normal business hours are scheduled 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. Hours may be adjusted due to special events held throughout the year.

Typical Hours Worked Per Week

Appointment Type

Appointment Type Regular

Scope of Search

Scope of Search External (includes Internal)

If internal, define scope of search

This position requires

If other, please indicate

Department Description and Cultural Expectations

Founded in 1885, South Dakota Mines is the premier destination for ambitious students seeking bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in STEM fields. Our vibrant community of supportive faculty, tenacious students, and passionate alumni fosters a culture of ingenuity, collaboration, and lifelong success. South Dakota Mines is recognized frequently for its rigorous curriculum, groundbreaking research, and return on investment.

Rapid City, the home of the Hardrockers, is the state’s second-largest city with an MSA population of nearly 160,000. The city is nestled next to the beautiful Black Hills, a region boasting breathtaking scenery, hundreds of miles of trails for outdoor enthusiasts, and attractions ranging from complex cave systems to historic towns and massive monuments.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

South Dakota Mines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. South Dakota Mines and the Board of Regents ensure that all employment practices are free of discrimination.

Contact Information

Working Conditions

Cognitive Requirements

Please check the appropriate response that describe the cognitive requirements for this position.

Protective Clothing/Equipment

Please check the appropriate response for this position's use of the following protective clothing or equipment.

If other protection is used please identify

Physical Requirements

Please designate the physical requirements of this position

• Balancing
• Carrying
• Climbing Stairs
• Driving
• Lifting light
• Sitting for sustained periods of time
• Standing for sustained periods of time
• Use Both Hands
• Use of Either Hand
• Independently
• Walking

Describe any of the conditions selected

Sensory Requirements

Please check the appropriate response that describe the sensory requirements for this position.

Please check the appropriate response that describe the sensory requirements for this position. Color Vision, Depth Perception, Hearing, Speaking, Vision (With and without corrective lenses)

• Color Vision
• Depth Perception
• Hearing
• Speaking
• Vision (With and without corrective lenses)

Working Conditions & Exposures

Working Conditions or Exposures (or potential exposures) that this position may encounter during the course of the work day.

Working Conditions or Exposures (or potential exposures) that this position may encounter during the course of the work day. Walking/Standing on rough or uneven surfaces (gravel, rocks, etc), Walking/Standing on wood, metal or concrete

• Walking/Standing on rough or uneven surfaces (gravel, rocks, etc)
• Walking/Standing on wood, metal or concrete

Please describe, in more detail, any of the conditions checked above

Check the appropriate box(es) that best describes the environment in which the primary function of the position is performed.

Check the appropriate box(es) that best describes the environment in which the primary function of the position is performed. Athletic/Wellness Facilities, Office Environment, Outdoors Environment

• Athletic/Wellness Facilities
• Office Environment
• Outdoors Environment

If you have indicated Other Environment, if work tasks involve one or more of the above, or if further explanation is necessary, please use the space provided.

Supplemental Questions

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • Public Job Posting
  • Internal Job Posting
  • Agency Referral
  • Advertisement/Publication
  • Personal Referral
  • Website
  • Other
• Please attach a cover letter, resume and list of three professional references (including name, phone number, and email address for each reference).

  (Open Ended Question)

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Reference List

Optional Documents

The South Dakota Board of Regents is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Board of Regents will take affirmative action to ensure that all employment practices are free of discrimination. In addition, the Board of Regents fully supports incorporation of non-discrimination and affirmative action rules and regulations into all of its employment practices.

South Dakota Board of Regents
306 E. Capital Ave, Suite 200
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-3455