Job Description

Description

The

SPP Communications

within the

School of Public Policy

is currently seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term

Senior Event Specialist

for approximately 1 year.


Reporting to the Manager, Communications and Marketing, the Senior Event Specialist supports the development and delivery of in-person and online community outreach events for the School of Public Policy (SPP). The Senior Event Specialist operates in a fast-paced, collaborative environment requiring professional judgment, time management and relationship building. In this position, you collaborate closely with the Community Outreach team, the Communications and Marketing team, the academic program team, and SPP executive leadership.


The Senior Event Specialist interacts with key SPP stakeholders including donors, alumni, community leaders, dignitaries and government officials. In this role, you must apply a high degree of professionalism handling confidential information. The Senior Event Specialist is expected to communicate and build long-term relationships with external partners, donors, vendors and suppliers. The Senior Event Specialist is responsible for enhancing the Schools reputation and must demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, and organizational skills.


This position has a high volume of work, with peak times and high stress factors driven by deadline pressures, competing priorities and little tolerance for error. Early morning, evening and weekend hours is required on occasion, as well as some travel. There is some physicality to the position, including event set up, tear down and equipment transportation.



The primary purpose of this position is the coordination and execution of high impact outreach activities for the SPP, its five areas of focus, donor stewardship events, student speaker series and academic focused programs.



The Senior Event Specialist plans and executes a variety of events and programs simultaneously and is responsible to ensure the programs are delivered successfully. This position is pro-active in nature, requiring innovation and independent decision-making, as well as collaborative work with the SPP executive leadership, external partners, support staff and contractors. Strong event planning skills are required.



This is a one-year term position, 35 hours per week, and requires working at SPP's Downtown Campus at least four days per week.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

(job functions include but are not limited to):

Work independently within a team environment to manage multiple events per year as part of the SPP's outreach activities. Develop event plans with measurable objectives, established themes, and key messages aligned with The School priorities. Source and negotiate services with vendors (i.e. Entertainment, AV, etc.), to ensure the best quality and value. Plan and deliver complex events that include multiple panels, VIP guests, government protocols, sponsors, travel and international guests. Take initiative to proactively address issues and provide solutions. Developing event timelines, and service standards related to project delivery from conception to post-production. Work in collaboration with the Communications team and academic program teams to create and provide content for event promotion. Developing printed materials in cooperation with the Communications team. Work with the Development team, ensure donor/sponsor requirements are met. Oversee post-event activities, creates post-event surveys, collects and submits invoices, and ensures reimbursement of expenses. Maintain an in-depth understanding of new developments in the field, industry trends, technology, and best practices by attending professional development opportunities as well as leveraging industry relationships. Build and maintain relationships with external and internal stakeholders, donors and vendors including soliciting feedback for post-event analysis. Develop and manage the budgets for internal and external events. Performing other duties as assigned by the SPP Manager, Communications and Marketing.

Qualifications / Requirements:

A minimum of 5 to 7 years of event management experience is required. Previous experience working in a fundraising or post-secondary educational setting is considered a strong asset. Experience planning small to large in-person events including seminars, conferences, receptions, gala dinners, large public lectures and multi-day educational workshops. Experience planning complex events that include multiple panels, VIP guests, government protocols, sponsors, travel and international guests. Working knowledge of protocols including working with Indigenous Elders, government officials and advance security teams for dignitaries. Experience supporting digital/hybrid events, webcasts and webinars including the technology and platforms. Strong understanding of audio-visual setups and trouble shooting. Strong understanding of audio-visual setups and trouble shooting. Ability to build and adhere to in-depth event budgets. Ability to communicate effectively with SPP executives, donors, and internal and external stakeholders. Strong decision making and time management skills. Demonstrated professionalism in handling confidential information. Demonstrated competency in social media and event marketing strategy. Experience building programs, researching speakers, working with talent agencies. Excellent computer skills including database/information management. Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a large, complex organization. Ability to adhere to University policies and procedures and adhere to internal control principles and systems. Experience with Blackbaud CRM (BBCRM) and Marketo is considered a strong asset. Familiarity with the fundamentals of CASL (Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation) and its application in event management is also highly valued.

Application Deadline:

November 06, 2025.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.


This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the

Specialist / Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.


For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our

Management and Staff Careers website

.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.


The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (

equity@ucalgary.ca

) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (

hrhire@ucalgary.ca

).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.