The Thomistic Institute is seeking a Conferences & Events Coordinator. This position works in close collaboration with the Thomistic Institute’s Programs team and will play a leading role in planning and executing academic conferences, panels, and other academic events throughout the year, in addition to assisting in the planning of events for benefactors and smaller salon-style events for faculty and other Thomistic Institute partners.
Event-based travel and occasional work on weekends and in the evenings will be required. This is a full-time, in-office position that requires residency in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. The Conferences & Events Coordinator reports to the Manager of Student Programs.
Responsibilities:
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Event development. Developing the theme and content of conferences/events (in collaboration with the Director of the Thomistic Institute, other Dominican and/or faculty partners, other partner organizations, and other members of the TI team), scheduling the event, identifying the audience, and finding suitable venues and vendors, reserving lodgings for attendees, planning logistics, etc.
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Event execution. Running events/conferences as staff including: coordinating registration ahead of time, preparing folders and swag, checking in event attendees, setting up rooms for lectures, coordinating with caterers, setting up socials and soirees, ensuring audio/visual is working properly, troubleshooting problems with attendee lodgings, and directing attendees where they need to be.
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Speaker hosting. Preparing welcome packets, ensuring speakers are shown hospitality and know where they need to be. Helping coordinate their travel and lodging and reimbursing their expenses after the event.
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Event marketing. Developing digital and physical marketing materials for events. Creating webpages for events on the Thomistic Institute website. Coordinating with the Thomistic Institute’s marketing team to ensure the events are given maximum visibility.
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After action review & metric tracking. Continually working to improve the Thomistic Institute’s conference planning, meeting with the team after the event to discuss what worked and what didn’t, keeping track of certain metrics to include in benefactor reports.
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Budget tracking. Developing budgets and keeping track of spending for events.
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Team management. Ensuring events are properly staffed either by full-time Thomistic Institute employees, contract workers, interns, or some combination of the three. Providing training to new members of the team. Developing a detailed staff plan for each event and presenting it to the appropriate team members ahead of the event. Scheduling contract photographers and/or videographers for events.
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Benefactor events. Planning small events for the Director and development team to meet with benefactors.
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Student coaching. Coaching and assisting student chapters in planning small student-organized conferences.
Desired Qualifications:
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At least a B.A. degree or its equivalent;
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2-3 years of event planning experience;
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Good verbal and written communication skills;
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Knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and motivation to spread the faith by intellectual evangelization;
The best candidate will be highly organized and trustworthy; is ready to take initiative and to work independently; has good judgment; is self-motivated, hard-working, and able to work without constant supervision; exhibits careful attention to detail; able to multitask and track multiple projects simultaneously; able to anticipate issues and respond creatively to problems; and is cool under pressure. The candidate should be strongly motivated by the Thomistic Institute’s mission to bring the truth of the Catholic intellectual tradition to secular university campuses and the wider public square, and to deepen engagement in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas in the contemporary academy.
As part of the position, the Conference & Events Coordinator will be entitled to audit one course per semester at the Dominican House of Studies (e.g., M.A. level classes in philosophy or theology), during office hours.
All members of the TI team are encouraged to participate in the regular liturgical life of the Dominican friars (e.g., step away from work for Mass, the daily midday rosary, the divine office, etc.).
The Thomistic Institute is a research institute of the Pontifical Faculty of the Dominican House of Studies and an apostolate of the Dominican friars of the Province of St. Joseph. The person holding this position will represent the TI and the Dominican friars in public, will bear witness to and teach the Catholic faith, and will at times participate in (and even lead others in) Catholic prayers. Applicants must be practicing Catholics in good standing who assent to and profess the Catholic faith in its entirety as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Salary:
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Commensurate with experience
Benefits:
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Medical benefits and a retirement plan.
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Two weeks of paid vacation; in addition, TI employees receive paid leave for most public holidays and Catholic Solemnities (e.g., the Triduum, St. Joseph’s Day, Immaculate Conception), plus from Dec. 21-Jan. 2 for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday.
To apply, please send your résumé, cover letter, and salary expectations to thomisticinstitute@dhs.edu.
Please include “Conferences & Events Coordinator” in the subject line or email.