Events and Communications Coordinator

Events and Communications CoordinatorApply NowHow to ApplyA cover letter and resume are required for consideration for this position. The cover letter must be attached as the first page of your resume and it should address your specific interest in the position and outline your skills and experience that relate directly to this position. Candidates who do not adhere to this requirement will not be considered.Finalists may be asked to provide a portfolio of work including samples of the type of work described in this posting.Job SummaryThe Departments of American Culture (AC) and Comparative Literature (Comp Lit) in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) seek a self-motivated, organized, strategic, and dynamic individual to join our teams as an Events and Communications Coordinator (ECC). As a key member of the staff in each department, you will report to the Chief Administrator and work with faculty, students, and staff to provide proactive and flexible support for a wide range of academic and administrative events and communications throughout the year.As our Events and Communications Coordinator, you will work with faculty, students, and staff to bring new ideas to campus by planning and providing recommendations about departmental,faculty-sponsored, and student-facing events. Working in close collaboration with departmental leadership, your role is central to advancing the outreach, fundraising, and educational missionsof both departments.We are seeking an individual who can manage multiple projects across multiple departments and who has excellent graphic design skills. As the ECC, you will help our communities by creating eye-catching and informative designs for print and digital media, elevating the research of our faculty and students, and helping future AC and Comp Lit students find and learn about the departments. As the ECC, you will have significant responsibility for AC's and Comp Lit's communications strategies and guidelines.American Culture and Comparative Literature are longstanding and well-established centers for their respective expertise and have creative, energetic, committed, and vibrant communitiesthat your expertise in digital and print communications and event planning would help elevate and share. For more information about the departments, please visit http://lsa.umich.edu/ac andhttp://lsa.umich.edu/complit .Mission StatementThe mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.Why Work at Michigan?In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days

A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting

Many choices for comprehensive health insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability coverage

Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

In addition, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) offers:

Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses

Strong commitment to work/life balance

Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs

Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care, that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.

ResponsibilitiesCommunications (45%)

Lead the strategic vision for our print, web, and social media presence to best represent each department's mission.

Oversee the production and distribution of AC's and Comp Lit's annual newsletters in close cooperation with departmental leadership.

Write original content and create graphics for social media and websites including interviews of faculty and students, creating faculty research profiles, announcing faculty publications, and reporting on grants or awards received by faculty and students.

Promote events (seminars, dissertations, defenses and other big department happenings) in a clear and catchy way on all relevant platforms.

Solicit updates and general content from faculty and staff in order to update academic sections of the websites, especially faculty publications, in a timely and consistent manner.

Proactively oversee maintenance of department and program websites using Adobe Experience Manager.

Develop brochures, handouts, and other useful tools to help advance the department.

Oversee, create, and maintain a robust social media presence aimed at engaging students, faculty, and the broader community.

Oversee creation and distribution of monthly department newsletters through Mailchimp featuring department activities and projects.

Photograph events and individuals for departmental publicity.

Review and edit websites, publicity, and social media content to ensure a consistent unit message and image adhering to University and LSA formats, styles, and logo standards.

Research, evaluate, and learn new tools to support communication needs.

Liaise with Michigan News/media relations and build relationships in and out of the departments to develop content for websites and print media.

Event Planning (35%)

Work closely with faculty, students, and staff to organize and coordinate event logistics for in-person, hybrid, and virtual departmental events including receptions, seminars, colloquia and lectures including, but not limited to, catering, venues, photography/recording, audio/visual and IT needs, travel, and honorarium payments.

Utilize internal tracking mechanisms in order to ensure all team members are aware of the status of events.

Be present, or ensure coverage, at departmental events to manage all event details.

Communicate with organizers and invited guests (including non-English speaking guests) regarding event logistics.

Provide guidance and information about best practices and university procedures to faculty and students planning events for the UM community.

Set up for events and coordinate break-down of events.

Prepare materials related to events including but not limited to itineraries, programs, and other print material.

Coordinate with other departmental staff to plan and execute graduation ceremonies.

Keep department calendars up to date with events.

Graphic Design (10%)

Keep pace with U-M and federal accessibility guidelines and collaborate with faculty, students, and staff to produce a wide variety of publicity materials (high quality posters, flyers, digital signage, event programs, invitations, slide shows, and other design required materials in support of departmental events) and website and social media content while implementing accessibility best practices.

Develop relationships with faculty, students, and staff to develop a better understanding of the cultures of each department and create effective content and enhance the quality of publicity materials.

Produce outreach materials to students, donors, and alumni consistent with each department's identity.

Functional supervision for graphic design student assistant, including delegating tasks and projects to them and evaluating and editing their graphic design materials as needed.

General Administration (10%)

Understand, interpret and comply with U-M, LSA, and other relevant policies and procedures related to hosting, events, and communications and keep internal resources updated.

Create and track departmental event and communications budgets and ensure events and publicity are within outlined budgets; monitor expenses against budget and adjust as needed.

Manage PCard and shortcode expenses and reconcile appropriately; facilitate honorarium processing and reimbursements for guest lecturers for departmental events.

Participate in professional development opportunities including the LSA Events and Communications Resource Group regular meetings.

Work with department leadership to create a strategy to optimize fundraising efforts for both departments by understanding the department's needs and how they relate to donor interests.

Create content and assist in creating communications strategies for university wide fundraising initiatives.

Required Qualifications

High School diploma and 3 or more years progressively responsible experience with event coordination experience, preferably in an academic setting.

Outstanding interpersonal skills with demonstrated commitment to customer service and to creating a positive, diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment.

Exceptional organizational skills and demonstrated attention to detail.

Proven ability to prioritize and manage large volumes of work (including planning and managing multiple, complex projects simultaneously).

The successful candidate must have the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with multiple and sometimes conflicting deadlines with a high level of interest in and ability to collaborate effectively with a wide variety of constituents (faculty, upper level administration, staff, etc.).

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Prior experience writing content for both print- and web-based outlets.

Past experience managing website content, digital photography, and editing digital images for print and the web.

Knowledge of social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Familiarity with creating and managing multiple budgets.

Desired Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communication, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

More than 5 years progressively responsible experience with event planning and communications in an academic environment.

An understanding of and an aptitude for writing about diversity, equity, and inclusion; anti-racist practice and ideas; social justice issues; and other related topics.

Working knowledge of Adobe products (including Adobe Experience Manager and Photoshop), Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite, and MailChimp.

Knowledge of the policies and procedures of the University of Michigan and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.

Prior experience creating and managing budgets.

Experience in developing strategic communication plans.

Additional InformationThe salary range for this position is $43,000-56,000. A higher salary may be offered based on equity and the selected candidate's experience.The person in this position must be able to move carts of equipment, food, or other items needed for event set up across campus. Ability to push a cart weighing up to 50 pounds is required as well as the ability to move 10-15 pounds of such items if needed. Chosen candidate must have the ability to physically set up and tear down for events including moving and arranging tables, chairs, and mobile equipment. This position requires the ability to move materials weighing up to 25 pounds to a height of 3-4 feet and set them on tables, carts, or other surfaces.The person in this position may occasionally communicate with individuals for whom English is not their first language; they must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.Support of departmental events may require infrequent evening and weekend work with advance notice. This position works on campus most of the time with occasional remote work.As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion in LSA, please visit lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei (https://lsa.umich.edu/lsa/dei.html) .To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision .Background ScreeningThe University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.Application DeadlineJob openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.U-M EEO/AA StatementThe University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.Job DetailJob Opening ID252444Working TitleEvents and Communications CoordinatorJob TitleMeeting/Event Coord Non ProfitWork LocationAnn Arbor CampusAnn Arbor, MIModes of WorkOnsiteFull/Part TimeFull-TimeRegular/TemporaryRegularFLSA StatusNonexemptOrganizational GroupCollege Of LsaDepartmentLSA American CulturePosting Begin/End Date8/01/2024 - 8/21/2024Salary$43,000.00 - $56,000.00Career InterestHospitalityApply Now