Special Events Coordinator

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise.

Primary Purpose

The Special Events Coordinator is responsible for developing, coordinating, and delivering diverse programs and large-scale campus wide events aimed at enhancing the student life experience for the undergraduate students on campus.

Key Accountabilities

• Responsible for delivering successful large scale (5000+ attendees) campus wide events with positive attendee experiences and programs tailored for the students at the University of Waterloo.
• Researches current campus programming options by keeping up with industry trends, collaborating with other institutions/unions and attending conferences/exhibitions.
• Negotiates with agencies to book performers where contract costs stay within budget and positively impact the experience of our students.
• Develops clear Event documentation highlighting objectives, risk, resource requirements, people requirements and timelines and evaluation metrics.
• Ensures diversity in programming efforts to maximize the reach and participation of efforts throughout the year.
• Performs post event evaluation to highlight and review results of programming efforts, overall impact, and identify areas of improvement for future events.
• Leads all corporate events as assigned by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association including general meetings, grand openings, anniversaries/celebrations etc.

Student Volunteer Management

• Responsible for the recruitment, onboarding, and retention of 100+ student volunteers to help with planning and delivery of programs & events.
• Ensures student input is gathered during development of events by enabling student volunteer to champion efforts and incorporated into the overall efforts.
• Engages students by empowering them to take on various responsibilities with respect to the execution, marketing, and planning of special events.
• Ensures volunteers are provided with effective training and development programs and equipped with the right tools and resources to meet deliverables.
• Organizes and executes a volunteer appreciation event for students directly involved in the executed events.

Relationship Management & Outreach

• Raises $40k+ annually in sponsorship dollars and materials with off campus businesses & partners to enhance programming efforts.
• Works with key stakeholders and partners across campus throughout event development and delivery efforts.
• Maintains positive relationships with vendors that we purchase/book goods, services or equipment from.
• Works closely with the Marketing Specialist to ensure programming efforts are effectively marketed and developed successfully for the current student market and their needs/wants.

Budgeting & Procurement

• Prepares annual programming plan and budget of $100k+ to senior management for review and board/council approval.
• Ensures all submitted expenses are within budget and revenue projections are met for sponsorships & ticket sales.
• Responsible for purchasing goods, equipment and services for programming and ensuring the organization is purchasing efforts result in best value for money.
• Responsible for pricing events and programs to ensure adequate cost recovery and participation.

Risk Management

• Responsible for completing risk assessment for all major programming efforts highlighting areas of risk, mitigation efforts and overall risk factor for review of senior management prior to any programs/events being booked.
• Ensures all major events/programs have comprehensive Emergency Action Plans (EAP).
• Training volunteers to efficiently and safely execute emergency action plan protocols at times of need.
• Work with partners to ensure risk is mitigated at all events.

Required Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in a related discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Several years’ experience with large scale event planning and management, with at least 2 years in a management/leadership position.
• Experience successfully recruiting and managing staff or volunteers.
• Demonstrated ability to be creative and engaging in event/idea generation.
• Previous experience effectively booking live entertainment and negotiating contracts.
• Previous experience in reaching targets set for sponsorship of events.
• Several years’ experience with program assessment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to relate to University student experiences is essential.
• Knowledge of the campus environment at the University Level and some knowledge of post-secondary education landscape.
• Excellent time management.
• Strong problem solving skills and ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work within a budget with excellent planning skills.
• Ability to raise sponsorship dollars and negotiate contracts.
• Excellent organization skills.
• Excellent leadership skills.
• Ability to work well within a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills (written & oral).

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.