Senior Events & Rentals Manager

Socket.dev; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Museum of Life and Science is seeking a Rentals Manager in Durham, NC to lead the day-to-day operations of the facility rental program and deliver outstanding client experiences. You will supervise the Rentals team, manage the event calendar, and drive revenue and service excellence from inquiry through event execution and post-event follow-up.

The role requires a college degree or 3+ years of relevant experience, strong leadership, budgeting, and contract management skills, plus flexibility for

Qualifications

• College degree in Event Management, Hospitality Management, or a related field, or 3+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Commitment to the Museum's mission of sparking curiosity and respect for nature and science.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams, set priorities, and provide clear direction and leadership to staff.
• Experience with contracts, budgets, invoices, and revenue goals.
• Experience responding to client escalations.
• Proficiency with CRM, event-management, database, or project-management systems.
• Available to work occasional weekends, evenings, and late nights.
• Physical ability to be on one's feet for 8+ hours, travel distances of up to one mile on variable terrain, and lift 25 lbs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a responsive, client-centered sales and planning process that helps convert inquiries into successful rental events while meeting Museum revenue and service goals.
• Set daily and weekly priorities for the Rentals team and assign work based on the event calendar, staff availability, and operational needs.
• Provide regular supervision, coaching, feedback, and performance evaluations for direct reports.
• Maintain oversight of the full rental calendar and identify potential conflicts involving staffing, spaces, equipment, or other Museum resources.
• Establish and reinforce consistent team procedures, service standards, planning practices, and client communications.
• Hire, train, coach, and develop Rentals staff; partner with Assistant Managers to build team capacity, delegate responsibilities effectively, and ensure appropriate coverage.
• Serve as the first point of escalation for clients, vendors, and staff. Resolve routine concerns independently and bring significant policy, financial, safety, or client-service concerns to the Director.
• Work closely with other Museum departments to ensure events are appropriately planned and supported.

Skills

Event Management

Budgeting

Staff Leadership

Client Service

Contract Management

CRM Systems

Vendor Relations

Escalation Handling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Event Management or related field

Tools

CRM software

Event management software

Project management tools

Job description

Museum of Life and Science is seeking a Rentals Manager in Durham, NC to lead the day-to-day operations of the facility rental program and deliver outstanding client experiences. You will supervise the Rentals team, manage the event calendar, and drive revenue and service excellence from inquiry through event execution and post-event follow-up.

The role requires a college degree or 3+ years of relevant experience, strong leadership, budgeting, and contract management skills, plus flexibility for