Events Specialist (6292U) - #82790

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Departmental Overview

Works in the administrative cluster supporting East Asian Languages & Cultures, the Group in Buddhist Studies, South and Southeast Asian Studies, the Group in Asian Studies, the Group in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, Middle East Languages and Cultures, and Ancient Greek and Roman Studies comprising approximately 60 senate faculty, 60 lecturers. 8-10 postdocs, 10-15 visiting scholars.

Position Summary

The Events Specialist provides supervision and guidance for events in the CASMA Cluster. Under the direction of the Cluster Manager, the Events Specialist has primary responsibility for planning and organizing Cluster events, including managing logistics such as facilities, caterers, and vendors, coordinating technical support, and providing facilitation of communication and services with program sponsors, speakers, and program event staff.

In addition, the position is responsible for creating and distributing advertising materials for classes and events; Donor Relations including gift acknowledgements, Big Give solicitations, and Department newsletters/alumni letters.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 12/15/2025.

Responsibilities

Event Management

• Ensures smooth-running, effective events, including successfully recognizing and resolving potential and real problems in a timely manner using tact, sensitivity, discretion and political acumen.
• Schedule and organize departmental-sponsored events.
• For most mid-to-large scale events, partner with relevant department staff and faculty to define budget, scope, delegation of work responsibility, etc.
• A myriad of smaller-scale productions may include colloquia, seminars, meetings, small social events, and dinners that are spread over the course of the year.
• Initiate annual event planning and direct process to ensure that regular events such as the annual Fall Welcome, Commencement, and the colloquium series are on schedule and within budget.
• Provide year-end summary and analysis and make suggestions for future planning cycles.
• Define event goals, make recommendations regarding budget projections, schedule arrangements for room rental, audio/visual equipment, catering, clean up, publicity, staffing, and parking.
• In collaboration with communications coordinator, and department event planners, ensure that all department-sponsored events are scheduled on the master calendar, minimizing scheduling conflicts, and advertising to the appropriate audiences.
• Work with vendors, and take necessary steps to ensure delivery of goods to events and activities.
• Serve as primary contact with the Faculty Clubs or off-campus facilities for lodging and events.
• Secure required campus approvals such as alcohol permit, EH&S food permit, and approval request for amplified noise.
• Solicit feedback after events and produce summary notes to ensure smooth planning and operation of future events.
• Oversee the process for sponsored event support requests, including directing faculty event committee members to review and approve requests, and ensuring financial support remains within annual budget allocation.
• Identify, manage and direct all vendors including caterers, florists, photographers, videographers, designers, audio visual technicians, valets and valet parking companies, parking and transportation authorities, building security, custodians, and other specific services required for an event.

Training and Resource Support

• Serve as resource and trainer for department event coordinators.
• Lead training, provide online resources, and provide advice to a range of staff and faculty who coordinate events that are run through the cluster.
• May recruit, train, and oversee student Event Assistants who cover the following duties: provide support to Events Specialist for events, and support end-to-end processes related to seasonal faculty-led events.
• Create and expand web-based tools and resources for department event management.
• Streamline processes utilizing web forms, track and manage budget and event summary data for more efficient decision making and planning, and optimize collaborative work tools.

Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Partner with cluster leadership to tailor plans to focus on raising funds, engaging donors, and highlighting particular department needs.
• Build and maintain relationships with donors, including a regularized schedule of sending thank-you notes and other communications.
• Coordinate with staff and relevant department leadership to tailor event invitations, develop social media strategies, and utilize email and other channels to provide routine and donor-focused communications, including donor impact reports.
• Collaborate with department, College, and Campus staff and faculty in planning for annual fundraising cycles (including the Big Give campaign), development of department events, matching gift programs, and special acknowledgements for donor contributions.
• Partner with cluster leadership to develop personalized experience for donors, emphasize exclusive nature of major donor events to make guests feel valued and appreciated, and work toward a longer-term plan of a set of donor-focused events.
• Partner with cluster leadership to optimize outreach strategies with alumni to increase engagement and foster a culture of giving.
• Goals may include highlighting alumni stories, involving alumni in fundraising activities, and creating impactful volunteer opportunities.

Planning and Analysis

• Manage the annual spring commencement ceremonies, leading a team of staff to execute tasks leading up to and including the day of the ceremony.
• Strategize annual events to focus on extending department community, including donors and alumni relations
• Research and recommend vendors and pricing for program purchases and for future events.
• Negotiate prices with vendors when possible.
• Search, identify and visit appropriate venues, including, but not limited to, the UC Berkeley campus or other private and public universities, as well as off-site venues such as hotels, private clubs, museums, wineries, corporate facilities, and private homes.
• Asses any honoraria, travel reimbursements, entertainment expenses, etc. with the cluster's accounting unit and with other departments in the case of jointly sponsored conferences or colloquia.
• Prepare payment requests, serve as cardholder for department credit card, track payments and ensure policy compliance.

Event Support

• Schedule special uses of Cluster-controlled departmental spaces. Book Dwinelle common spaces (3401, 370, and Ishi Court).
• Serve as back up for one-time room requests for review sessions and special events for all instructors, including GSIs.
• Create and distribute fliers for Cluster events and classes.
• Work with Cluster leadership to create and distribution program newsletters.
• Evaluate and maintain department events inventory, with attention paid to economical and environmentally-friendly options.
• Bulk purchases of alcohol with tightly-managed inventory enables a balance of quality, efficiency and policy compliance.
• Serve as emergency backup for front office support and unlock and lock departmental classrooms, stepping in as needed when front office student and staff support are all unavailable.

Professional Development

• Participate in employee development and training programs or other workshops to maintain or improve the necessary skills to perform the duties described above.

Required Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles and practices of event planning and public relations, including event design, organization and production.
• Demonstrates good judgment in making decisions and managing events.
• Skill in effectively meeting budget and time constraints.
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills to work successfully with clients to produce high quality events that meet client needs and appropriately represent the campus for fundraising events.
• Skills to provide excellent donor stewardship.
• Highly developed interpersonal communication skills including political acumen and social perceptiveness.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate with a variety of populations with competing priorities.
• Highly developed judgment, decision-making and problem recognition/avoidance/resolution skills, including skill in determining those issues/problems that need to be brought to management's attention.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of volunteer recruitment, supervision, motivation and evaluation.
• Proven ability to work on several tasks simultaneously.
• Skill at responding effectively to priorities and setting deadlines.
• Experience maintaining a high standard of productivity within a broad scope of responsibility despite frequent interruptions.
• Ability to complete large volume of diverse tasks efficiently, meeting established deadlines.
• Ability to give clear directives and use independent, rational judgment to make optimal decisions.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of crowd management, crowd safety protocols, security and emergency procedures related to small, medium and large-scale gatherings.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $74,700.00 - $95,000.00.

• This is a full-time (40 hours/week), career position that is eligible for UC Benefits.
• This is an exempt monthly-paid position.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
• This position is eligible for up to 40% hybrid work. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Misconduct

SB 791 and AB 810 Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.