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Director of Conferences

Employer
University of San Diego
Location
San Diego

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Employment Type
Full Time
Institution Type
Four-Year Institution

Job Details



Director of Conferences

Department Description:

The University of San Diego, a contemporary and engaged Roman Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity’s urgent challenges.


Detailed Description:

The Director of Conferences administers management and oversight for sales & operations of the Conference Services department and its staff that directly provide logistical support, planning, coordination and execution for on and off campus educational, cultural, youth, religious, corporate and programmatic conferences and events. Responsible for fostering solid relations with internal and external partners in an effort to strategically recruit clients to the University; with the goal for assuring these solid partnerships and programs are cohesive to the mission of the University. Responsibility to include fiscal oversight of the department's operating budget thereby providing financial growth for the University. Supervision received from the Director of Hospitality Services. General supervision of the Director of Sport camps (summer position), Operations Manager, and administrative support staff; immediate supervision of University students working as area managers, conference/camp managers, and project coordinators.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

Leadership
  • Develop and execute and lead a strategic operating plan for the department's operating policies and practices.
  • Establish department goals and objectives that are aligned with the Auxiliary Services department goals and the Business Services and Administration division.
  • Design, implement and facilitate annual marketing and sales plan for the organization.
  • Translating business unit objectives and strategies to develop brand portfolio objectives, strategies and plan to facilitate business unit growth.
  • Develops marketing and sales strategy, based on knowledge of establishment policy and the nature of the market.

    Contracts
  • Acts as primary contact for all conferences inquiries. Coordinates campus tours and prepares bid packets as well as the necessary RFP.
  • Prepares and negotiates contracts for each conference group. Prepares final agreement detailing the needs of the conference group and provide ongoing client relationship management.
  • Coordinates details and needs with appropriate departments and offices to assure a successful conference.

    Finances
  • In conjunction with the Hospitality Director, sets summer conference rates.
  • Responsible for the collection of deposits and payments in excess of $3 million annually.
  • Oversees full accounting of departmental budget.
  • Responsible for full conference accounting for final billing for each conference.
  • Supervises the collection of all monies owed in a timely manner.
  • Negotiates billing discrepancies or variances with contracted group.
  • Oversees the timely and complete interdepartmental transfers for services rendered.
  • Produces a final accounting of Conferences Services business.
  • Submits report to the Director of Hospitality Services and Executive Director of Auxiliary Services.

    Personnel

  • Supervises the Director of Sports Camps (summer position only).
  • Supervises and coordinates the student staff hiring process including promotion, advertising, applications and interviews.
  • Supervises and coordinates week-long staff training with departments throughout campus.
  • Supervises the publishing of the annual staff manual.
  • Supervises and trains summer supervisors.
  • Conducts mid-summer and end-of-summer evaluations of summer staff.
  • Supervises 35/50 summer part time staff during the summer and 3-5 staff during the academic year.

    Operational and Organizational
  • Facilitates weekly staff meetings.
  • Facilitates weekly summer conference meetings with affected campus departments.
  • Supervises the publication of “the Book,” a listing of all summer groups, that is shared with pertinent personnel throughout campus.
  • Creates and develops a summer theme, including logo design for use on summer materials.
  • Coordinates with Housing the transitions from the academic year to summer and back again.
  • Ensures that adequate supplies and supply inventories are ordered and maintained.
  • Ensures the ordering of guest memorabilia for the conference program.

    Customer Service
  • Oversees and provides ongoing services for conference groups and guests to assure a smooth program experience.
  • Supervises the ordering of welcome gifts for conference chairs and thank you notes for chairs at the end of the summer.
  • Acts as official contact point and host/hostess for Conference Services at USD.
  • Addresses crises and critical incidents with a sense of business urgency, providing both remedial and long-term solutions.
  • Maintains ongoing communication with internal customers (USD departments and academic units) as well as with the larger community.


    Job Requirements:

    Minimum Qualifications:

    1. Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Hospitality Management, Communication or in the meeting industry related field.
    2. Minimum of (5) five years demonstrated experience in a combination of marketing/managerial experience, in the hospitality/customer services field area, or a combination of education and upper managerial level experience where these skills have been acquired.

    Preferred Qualifications:

    1. Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

    Performance Expectations: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

    1. Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to interact with a wide variety of constituencies with tact and diplomacy.
    2. Experience coordinating conferences/events with over 1,500 participants.
    3. A demonstrated understanding of the recreation, tourism, hotel, and resort management industries.
    4. Possess a commitment to quality, client-oriented service.
    5. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; strong conflict resolution skills.
    6. Excellent public relations skills.
    7. Strong analytical, reasoning and self-motivational skills; ability to instill these skills in those supervised.
    8. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple responsibilities with constantly changing deadlines and requirements.
    9. Ability to plan and executive effective training programs.
    10. Thorough knowledge of accounting principles.
    11. Excellent skills in the use of specific equipment and tools - Personal computer, Microsoft Office, Event Master (CBORD), CP (Seattle Technology), general office equipment.

    Special Conditions of Employment:

    Must be able to travel for extended periods of time to evaluate other programs/venues and attending sales show to recruit future client for the university. No vacation may be taken May through August due to peak seasonal responsibilities.

    Background check: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

    Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.


    Posting Salary:

    Commensurate with experience; Excellent Benefits.

    The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package, to include medical, dental, vision, a 12% retirement contribution given to you by the University (with three year vesting period), and access to on-campus Fitness Centers. Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer. USD: Human Resources: Benefits


    Special Application Instructions
    Click 'Apply Now' to complete our online application and, for full consideration, please upload a resume and cover letter to your application profile for the hiring managers’ review. If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at 619-260-6806, or email us at jobs@sandiego.edu


    Additional Details:

    Hours: 37.5 hours per week

    Closing date: Open Until Filled

    Note: External job postings will be up for at least five days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

    The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.

    The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.


    To apply, visit https://jobs.sandiego.edu/cw/en-us/job/493632/director-of-conferences





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  • Organization

    The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic institution committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service.

    Located on 180 acres overlooking the city of San Diego, Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the campus is a community treasure, with Spanish Renaissance-inspired buildings and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes.

    Chartered in 1949, the university enrolls more than 7,000 students and is known for its commitment to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and community service. In less than 60 years, the University of San Diego has grown from a local college with 50 students and a handful of professors to a nationally ranked university. This achievement is the direct result of a single, unwavering expectation: academic excellence.

    USD offers more than 60 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The university adds depth to education by inspiring students to grow spiritually, morally and socially. The breadth of programs and depth of facilities means that students can easily find a course of study that ignites their intellectual fire. In the classroom, coursework across disciplines encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills.

    Small class size means the instructors know their students and can stimulate curious minds with anything from participation in a research project to an after-class discussion on topic. Instructors welcome the free exchange of complex ideas in an environment of tolerance and civility. In this environment, students begin a lifelong habit of appreciating and cultivating their individual gifts.

    To complement this instruction, the university's Honors program provides a challenging curriculum for USD's uniquely motivated students. The university also holds memberships in several honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa.

    While intellectual growth is key, USD adds depth to the education experience by inspiring students to grow spiritually, morally and socially. An active faith community invites widespread student participation. In the classroom, study is accompanied by an examination of ethics and values University of San Diego students inquire freely and challenge ideas, exercise moral, spiritual and social judgment, serve others, and contemplate social justice in their lives and in their chosen fields. These students are truly educated. These students achieve excellence.

    Students, faculty and staff are active members of the community, volunteering time and expertise, fostering friendships, and working to preserve the region’s unique character. With a population of more than 7,500 students and approximately 2,000 employees, the university impacts the life of the area economically, politically and socially. In turn, the university welcomes the community to participate in campus life, through classes, special events, sports, forums and tours.

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