Director, Special Event Planning

SUMMARY The Director, Event Planning advocates for clients while providing event planning, guidance, support, and problem-solving options for all aspects of the College’s and Campus events. Working and managing relationships with all main client contacts or client liaisons when conducting business, the Director, Event Planning provides the leadership, direction, and hands-on oversight of day-to-day operations within the Special Events department of Campus Services and Business Operations.

This position requires a focus on facility set-up and execution of special events, coordination of event planning, and enthusiasm for client/customer satisfaction and loyalty. The Director monitors and supports individual clients’ events, College dining services catering program, and designated College events from start to finish and acts on performance issues to ensure consistent service delivery, customer satisfaction, attainment of revenue goals, and compliance with established contractual standards and performance targets.

Directs and manages special projects on behalf of the department and College and has direct responsibility for several sites throughout the Cuyahoga Community College District.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Provides overall direction/management, coordination, and ongoing evaluation of event operations at the Jerry Sue Thornton Center. Plans for and leads preparation of the facility operations, hospitality, janitorial, catering and IT staff for upcoming event schedules on a weekly basis. Plans room layouts as needed for room set up.

Develops relationships with clients by maintaining and following established procedures, answering client inquiries and meeting client expectations. Manages client relationships from start to finish including development, production, and delivery of events. Oversees events and motivates a cross functional team including student employees, staff, and vendors to successfully carry out events.

Coordinates with clients and College contacts to ensure all event requirements from start to finish are documented and produces a BEO (banquet event order) for client review and approval. Consults with clients for special service/program/meeting needs and makes necessary arrangements to accommodate. Manages and facilitates weekly BEO meetings with appropriate staff members and vendors, ensuring they are knowledgeable and ready for the event.

Enforces required deadlines to obtain payment in accordance with the college’s policies and procedures. Including setting up vendors on ACH payments, and prompt billing and collection of facility rental revenue. Finalizes information required for event delivery costs, billing and collects balances of event charges as agreed upon in client’s contracts.

For College events, maximizes revenues and controls expenses within budgeted guidelines. Directly supervisors the Concierge Service at the Jerry Sue Thornton Center (JSTC) working with the Concierge on special events in the JSTC Ford Room and the Building. Manages the College’s Special Event budget and provides detailed budget information for Collegewide events to the Vice President of Campus Services and Business Operations.

Manages and coordinates all aspects of client event while on-site using the event scheduling sheet provided and coordinating with staff as needed. Manages and maintains relationships with catering contractors to ensure the College’s and client’s satisfaction and fiscal goals are met. Provides oversight of catering operations, including menu offerings, pricing, product availability, service packages, and event execution, to ensure alignment with College expectations, contractual requirements, and evolving customer needs.

Establishes and evaluates catering service and performance standards, including food quality, presentation, timeliness, staff professionalism, customer experience, and operational compliance; utilizes event observations, performance metrics, and customer feedback to identify trends and opportunities for improvement. Partners with dining service leadership to drive operational excellence, addressing service concerns, developing corrective action plans, implementing best practices, and advancing catering guidelines, training initiatives, service standards, and customer communication strategies.

Provides College leadership with analysis and recommendations regarding catering performance, customer satisfaction, service recovery, and overall program effectiveness to support strategic decision-making and continuous improvement. Ensures all insurance, legal, health, and safety obligations are adhered to in accordance with College policy and procedures.

Organizes facilities for car parking, traffic control, and security, as needed. Maintains a presence at the event to field requests and ensure the function runs smoothly and efficiently. Cultivates and develops relationships for community outreach through various programs that promote the College and the use of College facilities and programs.

Assists with the organization and implementation of College-wide events, including special projects on internal seminars, Convocation, Commencement, Campus Day, securing accommodations with offsite venues as needed for external events. Works closely with students in the planning and participation in College-wide events and presents experience opportunities College-wide to Hospitality Management Students, Interns, and Event Planning program students for them to enhance their work portfolio within the field.

Collaborates with Marketing and Communications to identify marketing opportunities for special events through the college website, electronic marquee, internal plasma televisions, and other forms of communication. Conducts post-event evaluations (i.e., thank you letters, follow-up conversations, surveys, etc.) with clients and staff to continuously improve services and offerings.

Performs other related duties as assigned.