Events Jobs in Florida

Job Description Summary

The Assistant Director of Engagement and Special Events serves as the primary coordinator of the University’s event programming and community engagement activities. This position plans, organizes, and executes a broad portfolio of on-campus events and represents the University at external community events to strengthen institutional visibility and build meaningful relationships. Approximately 70 percent of engagement activity is focused on alumni, with the remaining 30 percent directed toward community partners, business leaders, and other regional stakeholders. Beyond event execution, this role channels participants into sustained volunteer engagement through structured pathways, including College Advisory Councils, peer mentoring programs, student networking opportunities, and classroom speaking engagements.

DUTIES AND TASKS:

Note: The following duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Management may require incumbents to perform duties other than those contained in this document.

• Plan, coordinate, and execute a comprehensive calendar of on-campus events, including alumni gatherings, speaker series, galas, award ceremonies, networking receptions, and other University signature events.
• Manage all event logistics, including venue coordination, vendor management, catering, audiovisual setup, attendee registration, and volunteer staffing, to ensure consistent, high-quality execution.
• Represent the University at external community events to build relationships with business leaders, civic organizations, and regional stakeholders, with the goal of strengthening the University’s profile and community presence.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize external events that offer meaningful opportunities to advance institutional partnerships and enhance the University’s visibility in the region.
• Engage event attendees and community contacts in sustained volunteer opportunities, including College Advisory Councils, the Alumni Ambassadors Program, peer mentoring programs, student networking events, and classroom speaking engagements.
• Recruit, train, steward, and support volunteers across engagement programs to build a sustainable pipeline of University advocates and community connectors.
• Collaborate with the AVP of University Advancement to develop annual event and engagement goals aligned with University Advancement priorities, and track progress toward measurable outcomes.
• Partner with campus departments, including Career & Workforce Engagement, Athletics, Academic Colleges, and Student Affairs, to co-create integrated events that connect alumni and community members with the University community.
• Develop and implement alumni engagement initiatives designed to increase participation rates across the alumni lifecycle, including affinity-based programming, career networking, and young alumni outreach.
• Develop and execute digital engagement strategies to promote events, increase alumni and community participation, and support volunteerism across relevant platforms.
• Support campus-wide efforts by leveraging alumni and community connections to link employers, industry professionals, and civic partners with students, faculty, and academic programs across the University, in coordination with Career & Workforce Engagement and academic departments.
• Collaborate with development and annual giving teams to integrate engagement activity into fundraising campaigns and align event participation with philanthropic cultivation strategies.
• Identify highly engaged alumni and community contacts as potential annual and major gift prospects and support related cultivation strategies.
• Support donor stewardship and recognition efforts through engagement programming and event participation.
• Ensure accurate tracking of all event and engagement activities in the CRM and collaborate with Advancement Services to maintain high standards of data integrity and reporting.
• Prepare regular event and engagement performance reports for University Advancement leadership and recommend strategy adjustments based on outcomes data.
• Support strategy to develop and formalize community partnerships, including Memoranda of Understanding with employers, civic organizations, and regional entities, while stewarding existing relationships that advance University engagement goals and amplify institutional presence in the broader community.

SECONDARY JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, analytical, and planning skills.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with a broad range of internal and external constituents.
• Demonstrated experience in event planning and logistics management, including coordinating on-campus events and representing an organization at external community events.
• Ability to function autonomously as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze engagement data and apply insights to improve strategy.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Experience working with CRM systems such as Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or similar platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in event management, alumni relations, higher education, community relations, and/or nonprofit volunteer management.
• Experience supporting engagement initiatives tied to annual giving, donor cultivation, or institutional community partnerships.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or University.
• Valid driver's license and the ability to travel and work evenings and weekends, as necessary.

ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are a representation of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of this position.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about the office and University, handle various type of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. The employee is occasionally required to lift to ten pounds unless otherwise specified in the job description.

NOTICE:

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total specific duties and responsibilities of any position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description. Saint Leo University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student, and graduate success.

Why Work at Saint Leo?

What it’s Like to Work Here: Ask our employees and the one word they’d use to describe working at Saint Leo University is “Community.” Our team members all share the Saint Leo core values, positive attitudes, and problem-solving abilities, enabling them to provide excellent student centered service. Our mission is educating and preparing students for life and leadership in a challenging world. Thank you for your interest in joining the Saint Leo PRIDE!

We are committed to providing our employees with the support they need. At Saint Leo, we offer an array of medical, dental, and vision packages as well as several add-on perks to make your benefits package truly customizable to you and your family needs. Available benefits based on employment status (Full Time vs Part Time).

• FREE Tuition - Employee, Spouse, and Dependents*
• Tuition Exchange Opportunity - Dependent of Employees*
• Generous Paid Leave - Sick, Vacation, and Holidays
• Comprehensive Group Health Plan (Medical, Dental, and Vision)
• Group Medical Plan includes Teledoc, Surgery Plus, Wellness Incentive Program and more!
• 100% Employer-Funded Health Reimbursement Account
• 100% Employer-Paid Short Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer-Funded Employee Assistance Program (healthcare and dependent options)
• Employer-provided life insurance
• Discounted On-Campus Dining Meal Plans
• Nationwide Pet Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 403b Retirement Plan
• Wellness Center

*Eligibility based on meeting required service period