Senior Weddings and Special Events Coordinator

Wake Forest University; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem is seeking a Special Events Coordinator to deliver high-impact events, coordinating conferences, weddings and corporate functions with detailed contracts and client guidance.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s degree plus two years in hospitality or related experience, strong communication, and the ability to work flexible hours. This role offers growth within the Conference Center and cross-department collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus two years of related experience in hospitality preferred.
• Knowledge of Graylyn's history and guest room features (training available).
• Ability to sell contracts via phone and personal interaction.
• Demonstrated knowledge of customer service skills.
• Ability to interact with guests in a friendly and professional manner.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in computer use and relevant software; ability to use standard office equipment and products.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, plan and coordinate details of an event.
• Ability to resolve conflict to guest satisfaction.
• Ability to communicate effectively in the English language.
• Ability to work flexible shifts, which may include evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Attains maximum revenue levels through various sales processes, including the direct solicitation of social events and conducting property tours for prospective clients.
• Coordinates corporate and social functions by ascertaining detailed information regarding all aspects of the event, publishing detailed contracts, and advising the client during the planning process to ensure a successful experience.
• Works directly with the Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing to assess trends in the wedding business.
• Makes recommendations for enhancements to our menus and services.
• Assess price strategies related to competition and make recommendations to leadership.
• Communicates concise planning information to the operating departments in a timely fashion.
• Oversees the setup of all special events with the direction of procuring necessary props, flowers, costumes, entertainment, etc. for these events.
• Maintains up-to-date banquet pricing packets.
• Presents weekly Special Event Functions at Coordination meetings.
• Assists periodically with the analysis of departmental procedures and offering management viable alternatives to processes of the Department, including billing procedures, client correspondence and form generation.
• Maintains and adds database information for weekly backlog updates and quarterly revenue reports.
• Maintains and distributes up-to-date information on pricing to clients.
• Communicates professionally with clients and staff.
• Adheres to the policies of the Conference Center as outlined in the Employee Handbook and reports any observed violations to Human Resources.
• Maintains the highest level of employee/guest relations.
• Maintains a good working relationship with all Departments.
• Ability to work any assigned shift/work schedule.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Sales processes

Customer service

Event coordination

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Two years related experience

Job description

Job Description Summary

Under general supervision, the Special Events Coordinator is a detail-oriented planning professional, possessing excellent sales and organizational skills. The Coordinator must display the ability to generate theme concept designs and act as a creative source for staging unique events. The Coordinator must be adept at solving conflicts that may arise through the selling and coordination processes. The Coordinator must know Conference Center operations, including Food and Beverage, Conference setup, and Front Desk operations.

Job Description Essential Functions

• Attains maximum revenue levels through various sales processes, including the direct solicitation of social events and conducting property tours for prospective clients.
• Coordinates corporate and social functions by ascertaining detailed information regarding all aspects of the event, publishing detailed contracts, and advising the client during the planning process to ensure a successful experience.
• Works directly with the Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing to assess trends in the wedding business.
• Makes recommendations for enhancements to our menus and services.
• Assess price strategies related to competition and make recommendations to leadership.
• Communicates concise planning information to the operating departments in a timely fashion.
• Oversees the setup of all special events with the direction of procuring necessary props, flowers, costumes, entertainment, etc. for these events.
• Maintains up-to-date banquet pricing packets.
• Presents weekly Special Event Functions at Coordination meetings.
• Assists periodically with the analysis of departmental procedures and offering management viable alternatives to processes of the Department, including billing procedures, client correspondence and form generation.
• Maintains and adds database information for weekly backlog updates and quarterly revenue reports.
• Maintains and distributes up-to-date information on pricing to clients.
• Communicates professionally with clients and staff.
• Adheres to the policies of the Conference Center as outlined in the Employee Handbook and reports any observed violations to Human Resources.
• Maintains the highest level of employee/guest relations.
• Maintains a good working relationship with all Departments.
• Ability to work any assigned shift/work schedule.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree plus two years of related experience, preferably in a hospitality environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of Graylyn's history and guest room features (training available).
• Ability to sell contracts via phone and personal interaction.
• Demonstrated knowledge of customer service skills.
• Ability to interact with guests in a friendly and professional manner.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in computer use and relevant software; ability to use standard office equipment and products.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, plan and coordinate details of an event.
• Ability to resolve conflict to guest satisfaction.
• Ability to communicate effectively in the English language.
• Ability to work flexible shifts, which may include evenings and weekends.

Physical Requirements

Light work. Physical activities include walking, talking, hearing and repetitive motions. Close visual acuity.

Environmental Conditions

Subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions. Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Additional Job Description

This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

Time Type Requirement: Full time

Note to Applicant: This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact [e-mail] or [phone].

About WFU

Wake Forest University, formed in 1834, has experienced decades of growth and innovation. WFU is a distinctive university that combines a liberal arts core with graduate and professional schools and innovative research programs. The University embraces the teacher-scholar ideal, which prizes the personal interaction between students and faculty. It is a place where exceptional teaching, fundamental research and discovery, and the engagement of faculty and students in the classroom and the laboratory are paramount. Wake Forest University is a community that seeks the enlightenment and freedom which come through diligent study and learning. Its higher goal, however, is to give life to the University motto “Pro Humanitate,” as members translate a passion for knowledge into compassionate service. The community shares a tradition that embraces freedom and integrity and acknowledges the worth of the individual. The heritage, established by the school's founders and nurtured by succeeding generations, promotes a democratic spirit arising from open-mindedness and discourse. Wake Forest fosters compassion and caring for others. Its collective strength and character are derived from the values and distinctive experiences of each individual; therefore, it affirms the richness of human intellect and culture and its contribution to knowledge, faith, reason, and dialogue. Furthermore, it strives toward a society in which good will, respect, and equality prevail. To that end, Wake Forest University rejects hatred and bigotry in any form and promotes justice, honor, and mutual trust. The University is comprised of: the undergraduate college, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Divinity, School of Law, and School of Medicine (located on the Bowman Gray campus with Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center) and today enrolls about 4,846 undergraduates and 2,823 students in graduate programs at its principal location, the Reynolda campus. Students at Wake Forest University enjoy a great deal of access to and interaction with world-class faculty both in and out of the classroom setting with a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Wake Forest employs approximately 2,772 full and part-time faculty and staff. Wake Forest is a collegiate university offering a vibrant, intellectual community with a rich cultural life, an impressive array of facilities, and a strong athletics program competing in the fifteen-team Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since its founding, the university has adopted the motto “pro humanitate,” which is exemplified by a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world. Wake Forest has a strong commitment to holistic, eight-dimensional well-being for students, faculty and staff as evidenced in the Thrive initiative. Winston-Salem, North Carolina Wake Forest is located in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina, a beautiful, mid‑sized city centrally located in the Piedmont‑Triad region of North Carolina. Winston‑Salem residents enjoy close proximity to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains (1.5 hours) and Atlantic beaches (4 hours), a moderate climate with four distinct seasons, a very reasonable cost of living, and an eclectic variety of restaurants, wine bars, and breweries for dining with friends and family. Winston‑Salem offers many of the amenities of a large city but with the sense of community and quality of life of a smaller town.