OPT Event Planner Jobs
Event Planner jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in hospitality, communications, marketing, or business. Most roles qualify for standard 12-month OPT, and STEM OPT extensions are available when the position is tied to a STEM-designated program at a qualifying employer.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada.
Position Summary
The Group Concierge will help drive the post-purchase process for our group guests, developing strong rapport while handling the vital details of the group business. Along with coordinating the logistics for the event, the group concierge will drive upsell potential, increasing the average order value of each order they oversee. This position will report to the General Manager or the Senior Concierge Manager depending on port-specific needs.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sales Focus:
- Develop a comprehensive knowledge of all regional vessels, products and enhancements.
- As directed, take the lead on post-contract follow-ups including passenger count adjustments and upsells to groups, with the goal of driving incremental revenue.
- Successfully upsells existing guests to higher-value options and enhancements.
- Follows City Cruises guidance on when and how to follow up with clients to present revenue generation opportunities through order enhancements.
- Handle objections as they arise by using vast product knowledge.
- Ability to maintain a flexible weekly schedule, including night and weekend demand while conducting site visits, cruise detail meetings and meeting clients as needed to support the account management team.
- Serve as a resource for the sales team, including conducting site visits, greeting clients upon boarding to be the local resource when a national account manager is not present in the local port.
Guest Service:
- Serve as the primary point of contact for client post-booking, including conducting site visits and meeting clients as needed.
- Be present during highly detailed events and serve as the liaison between sales and operations.
- High attention to detail, including complete and accurate product details are communicated to the Food & Beverage and Operation teams to ensure proper product execution.
- Ability to manage a minimum of 50 events per month, including handling all details for the cruise.
- As directed, being present during highly detailed events serving as a liaison between sales and operations.
- Develops strong rapport with the guest, thanking the guest for their business, gaining feedback, asking for referrals, rebooking, and firmly asking the client to fill out our survey.
- Work with the General Manager and Director of Sales to resolve all guest issues in a timely manner.
Administrative:
- Manage all administrative and operational activities (including payment collection) to enhance the guest experience.
- Answer all post-booking inquiries, leveraging deep understanding of vessel, products, enhancements, and pricing.
- Ensure guests are billed correctly (including payment collection) for all extra services provided according to the signed contract with the support of the Account Manager.
- Document guest interactions in Salesforce, emphasizing detailed notes and task management, and sending weekly reports as directed by the Director of Sales.
- Compile necessary reports for bi-weekly meetings, ensuring all cruise details are visible for the sales and operations team.
Additional job duties assigned.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred with a minimum of 1 year of experience in a sales support or as an event coordinator.
- Communicate effectively in oral and written form.
- Maintain a high level of organization & be detail-oriented.
- Handle multiple tasks/projects at one time.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships as required by job responsibility.
- Listen effectively, assess the situation, determine relevant issues, & suggest solutions.
- Work with Microsoft Office applications (especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends to accommodate site inspections and guest needs.
The RESPECT Service System embodies our mission, vision, values and operating principles. By creating a company culture that puts RESPECT at its core, we believe it will drive us to achieve our goal of becoming a Global Experiences and Transportation Leader.
EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Hornblower is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibit discrimination and/or harassment of any type, including but not limited to discrimination and or harassment based upon race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy or relation medical conditions, childbirth, breastfeeding, parental status, veteran and/or military status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, political affiliation, domestic violence survivor status, marital status, or other characteristics prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Additionally, as a federal, state, and local contractor, Hornblower complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals, where and as they apply. The company also participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations.
INTRODUCTION
Hornblower Group is a global leader in experience and transportation. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water- and land-based experiences and ferry and transportation services. City Experiences, Hornblower Group’s premier experience division, offers dining and sightseeing cruises and walking and food tours through the City Cruises, Walks, and Devour brands. City Ferry, part of Hornblower Group’s Ferry and Transportation Division, is the largest private operator of high-speed passenger and vehicle ferries in the United States, carrying more than 10 million passengers annually and operating services including NYC Ferry, Puerto Rico Ferry, and other regional ferry systems. Hornblower Group’s subsidiaries include Hornblower Marine, which provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Seaward Services, Inc., a full-service shipping, waterfront logistics and management company that specializes in the operation and maintenance of government and commercial vessels. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a Hornblower Group subsidiary and independent entity, provides reservation, ticketing and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers over 10 countries, over 50 U.S. cities and serves more than 20 million guests annually. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in San Francisco, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; London, United Kingdom; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada.
Position Summary
The Group Concierge will help drive the post-purchase process for our group guests, developing strong rapport while handling the vital details of the group business. Along with coordinating the logistics for the event, the group concierge will drive upsell potential, increasing the average order value of each order they oversee. This position will report to the General Manager or the Senior Concierge Manager depending on port-specific needs.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Sales Focus:
- Develop a comprehensive knowledge of all regional vessels, products and enhancements.
- As directed, take the lead on post-contract follow-ups including passenger count adjustments and upsells to groups, with the goal of driving incremental revenue.
- Successfully upsells existing guests to higher-value options and enhancements.
- Follows City Cruises guidance on when and how to follow up with clients to present revenue generation opportunities through order enhancements.
- Handle objections as they arise by using vast product knowledge.
- Ability to maintain a flexible weekly schedule, including night and weekend demand while conducting site visits, cruise detail meetings and meeting clients as needed to support the account management team.
- Serve as a resource for the sales team, including conducting site visits, greeting clients upon boarding to be the local resource when a national account manager is not present in the local port.
Guest Service:
- Serve as the primary point of contact for client post-booking, including conducting site visits and meeting clients as needed.
- Be present during highly detailed events and serve as the liaison between sales and operations.
- High attention to detail, including complete and accurate product details are communicated to the Food & Beverage and Operation teams to ensure proper product execution.
- Ability to manage a minimum of 50 events per month, including handling all details for the cruise.
- As directed, being present during highly detailed events serving as a liaison between sales and operations.
- Develops strong rapport with the guest, thanking the guest for their business, gaining feedback, asking for referrals, rebooking, and firmly asking the client to fill out our survey.
- Work with the General Manager and Director of Sales to resolve all guest issues in a timely manner.
Administrative:
- Manage all administrative and operational activities (including payment collection) to enhance the guest experience.
- Answer all post-booking inquiries, leveraging deep understanding of vessel, products, enhancements, and pricing.
- Ensure guests are billed correctly (including payment collection) for all extra services provided according to the signed contract with the support of the Account Manager.
- Document guest interactions in Salesforce, emphasizing detailed notes and task management, and sending weekly reports as directed by the Director of Sales.
- Compile necessary reports for bi-weekly meetings, ensuring all cruise details are visible for the sales and operations team.
Additional job duties assigned.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred with a minimum of 1 year of experience in a sales support or as an event coordinator.
- Communicate effectively in oral and written form.
- Maintain a high level of organization & be detail-oriented.
- Handle multiple tasks/projects at one time.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships as required by job responsibility.
- Listen effectively, assess the situation, determine relevant issues, & suggest solutions.
- Work with Microsoft Office applications (especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends to accommodate site inspections and guest needs.
The RESPECT Service System embodies our mission, vision, values and operating principles. By creating a company culture that puts RESPECT at its core, we believe it will drive us to achieve our goal of becoming a Global Experiences and Transportation Leader.
EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Hornblower is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We offer equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibit discrimination and/or harassment of any type, including but not limited to discrimination and or harassment based upon race, religion, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, pregnancy or relation medical conditions, childbirth, breastfeeding, parental status, veteran and/or military status, disability (physical or mental), medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, political affiliation, domestic violence survivor status, marital status, or other characteristics prohibited by federal, state, or local law. Additionally, as a federal, state, and local contractor, Hornblower complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals, where and as they apply. The company also participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Event Planner
Target employers who already sponsor work visas
Large hotels, convention centers, and corporate event management firms file H-1B visa petitions regularly. Search OFLC disclosure data for employers with a history of sponsoring event coordinators and planners before applying.
Frame your OPT timeline upfront with recruiters
Event planning hiring moves fast. Tell recruiters early how much OPT time you have remaining so they can assess whether H-1B sponsorship is feasible before investing time in interviews on both sides.
Emphasize project management and vendor coordination skills
Employers weighing sponsorship costs want to see clear, hard-to-replace value. Highlight budget management, multi-vendor coordination, and logistics experience that demonstrates specialized expertise beyond entry-level event assistant work.
Pursue CMP certification to strengthen your sponsorship case
The Certified Meeting Professional credential signals professional-grade expertise. Employers who see CMP progress on your resume are more likely to view H-1B sponsorship as a worthwhile investment in a credentialed long-term hire.
Focus on corporate events over social event roles
Corporate event roles at mid-to-large companies are far more likely to offer visa sponsorship than boutique wedding or social event firms. B2B event management and conference planning teams at established organizations sponsor more consistently.
Document your event outcomes with measurable results
Quantify your impact before interviewing. Attendance numbers, budget adherence rates, and client satisfaction scores give employers concrete evidence of your value, which strengthens the business case for sponsoring your visa.
Event Planner OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Event Planner qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B sponsorship?
Event Planner can qualify as a specialty occupation if the role requires a bachelor's degree in a specific field like hospitality management, marketing, or communications. Generic coordinator roles where any degree suffices may face USCIS scrutiny. Roles at large corporations, conference management firms, or healthcare systems tend to have stronger specialty occupation arguments because the position requires field-specific knowledge.
Can I work as an Event Planner on OPT with a hospitality or communications degree?
Yes, as long as the job is directly related to your degree field. A hospitality management graduate working in hotel event coordination has a clear connection. A communications graduate managing corporate conferences also qualifies. The key is that your DSO and employer can demonstrate the role falls within your program's field of study when USCIS or your school reviews the OPT authorization.
Is Event Planner eligible for STEM OPT extension?
Standard Event Planner roles are not STEM-eligible because hospitality and communications are not on the STEM designated degree list. However, if your degree is in a qualifying STEM field and your event planning role sits within a technology, data, or operations function at a qualifying employer, there may be a path. This is uncommon and worth discussing with your DSO before assuming eligibility.
Where can I find Event Planner jobs that offer OPT and visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers open to work authorization. Rather than sorting through general job postings where sponsorship willingness is unclear, Migrate Mate surfaces Event Planner roles from employers who have sponsored visas before, saving you time and reducing the risk of spending weeks in a hiring process with a company that won't sponsor.
What should I do if my OPT is expiring before I receive an H-1B decision?
If your employer files your H-1B petition before your OPT expires and you have a timely filed receipt notice, you're covered by cap-gap protection through September 30 of that year. If your OPT runs out outside of cap-gap eligibility, you must stop working immediately. Talk to your DSO and your employer's immigration attorney as early as possible, ideally six months before your OPT end date.