Associate Director, Events & Communications, ELA

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Under the direction of the Dean of Emerson Los Angeles (ELA), the Associate Director, Events & Communications provides strategic leadership, coordination, and execution of all events and public-facing programs across the ELA campus. The Associate Director is responsible for overseeing the planning, scheduling, and delivery of a wide range of on-campus and off-campus events, including industry facing programs, student showcases, alumni engagement events, masterclasses, lectures, selected student-life programs. In addition, the Associate Director oversees ELA’s communications and social media presence, ensuring that all events and initiatives are supported by strong digital storytelling, marketing, and public visibility. The Associate Director manages ELA’s Marketing and Communications staff member coordinating closely with Emerson’s Marketing and Communications division to ensure brand alignment and strategic integration across campuses.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Provide leadership and oversight for all ELA events, both on-campus and off-campus, ensuring high-quality execution and alignment with institutional goals. 

• Plan, execute, and manage large-scale events for students, alumni, and the public, ensuring high-quality experiences and logistics.  

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive events calendar, coordinating timing, sequencing, and resource allocation across departments.

• Establish clear processes and workflows for event planning, approval, and execution across ELA.

• Oversee the planning and delivery of key event categories, including Alumni and industry networking events, Student showcases and screenings, Masterclasses, lecture series, and guest talks, Public-facing programs and partnerships and Select student life and community-building events.

• Delegate and coordinate event responsibilities across staff, ensuring efficient and professional execution.

• Monitor booking, space reservations and requests, to ensure coordination of space use with events programming.

• Oversee ELA’s communications strategy across social media, digital platforms, and event-related publicity.

• Manage and supervise the ELA Marketing and Communications staff member, providing direction, prioritization, and oversight.

• Coordinate with Emerson’s central Marketing and Communications team to align messaging, branding, and institutional priorities.

• Support recruitment, advancement, alumni relations, and institutional visibility through strategic communications tied to events and programming.

• Supervise a team of staff supporting events and communications, including roles focused on coordination, logistics, talent booking, and communications.

• Provide clear direction, delegation, and accountability across the team to ensure effective execution of all initiatives.

• Manage event-related budgets, accounts, vendors, service providers, and external partners.

• Serve as the central point of coordination across academic, administrative, and external stakeholders for event-related activity.

• Use the college’s event management system and/or third-party systems such as Eventbrite or Mailchimp to run invitations, track events, monitor attendance, and improve future attendance and communication. 

• Contribute to major institutional initiatives and cross-campus collaborations as needed.

• Serve as a visible representative of ELA at events and public programs.

• Other Duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job. 

• Bachelor's degree in Education or Social Sciences or 7-10 years’ equivalent experience working with students in higher ed, specifically in the areas of programming, events management or customer service required.

• In addition to the above, at least 5 years of demonstrated experience managing both large-scale events and communications strategies required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with the job.  

• Proficient in online social engagement platforms (Google Hangout, Zoom, etc.).

• Excellent Customer service skills.

• Demonstrated ability to use a proficient level of software applications in word processing,

• spreadsheets, and databases, graphics, internet, social media, email, and Google Suite.

• Strong knowledge of marketing, programming, event operations, and risk management

• congruent with campus programming practices and standards.

• High level organization skills and the ability to manage multiple projects at once.

• Ability to work independently on assigned projects and prioritize efficiently and effectively.

• Positive, team-oriented, with a proven record of collaboration.

• Effectively communicate (written and verbal) with a broad spectrum of stakeholders (staff, faculty, students, guests).

PHYSICAL ABILITIES – Activities commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• This position is generally sedentary in nature, movement throughout the area is required from time to time.

• Ability to have continuous oral and written communication with students, co-workers and supervisors are essential.

• Repetitive movements, occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds, reaching, lifting, stooping

• Ability to read a computer screen, detect color-coding, and read fine print will be expected.

WORK ENVIRONMENT – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job.

• Typical office conditions. Exposed to moderate noise levels.

• Ability to sit or stand for long periods.

• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

• Evening and weekend work hours will be required for this position. 

• Position may require timely on-campus response under emergency and time-sensitive circumstances.

Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Employees may be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties as requested, subject to all applicable state and federal laws.  Certain job duties described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

IN-OFFICE EXPECTATIONS
This position requires an in-person presence on the Los Angeles Campus during the work week.

Compensation: $74,500.00 - $91,350.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

 

Grade of Position: 23-09E

Employment Category: Regular

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Scheduled Weekly Hours: 36.25

In addition to a competitive salary, Emerson College is committed to the health and well-being of our employees and family members. We offer a generous benefits package to regular staff scheduled to work 20+ hours per week. 

Emerson Employment Categories influence work schedules, benefits eligibility, and time off policies. Benefits include outstanding health plans with limited out-of-pocket expenses, dental plans, generous time-off programs, and a 403(b) retirement benefit with a 9% employer contribution once eligible. Additional benefits, such as life and disability coverage and commuter offerings, are available.

Please refer to our benefits website for a full list of benefits and eligibility requirements.