College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences Event Coordinator

The College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences (CAFES) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) is seeking a dedicated and passionate Event Coordinator to join our team. The Event Coordinator will strategize, plan, and execute a variety of events on behalf of the CAFES Dean’s office. This position will represent the office of the Dean, as well as the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, CAFES Academic Programs, and SDSU Extension by directing internal and external-facing events from start to finish. Major duties of this position will cut across all the CAFES mission areas. Some events will be coordinated with the SDSU Event Coordinator and the office of the President of SDSU. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this position is a 12-month, full-time, benefit-eligible position.South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant mission of access.Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this positionKEY RESPONSIBILITIES:The CAFES Events Coordinator will be the main point of contact for event-related planning and decisions, and will work with facilities, food service/catering, state tech, parking services and marketing areas in order to produce successful events. The events will involve a variety of attendees ranging from high-profile alumni, stakeholders and donors, faculty, students, staff, parents, and other members of the general public. Events can be small, large, public, private, in the local community and in locations across the state, as well as at regional and national meetings. Examples of events include: receptions, stakeholder meetings and visits, candidate interviews, scholarship banquets, SDSU commencement, grand openings, groundbreakings, alumni receptions and private events for the Dean and small groups of VIP attendees.BENEFITS:South Dakota State University offers a wide range of excellent benefits including medical, dental, and flexible benefits, retirement plans, compensation packages, paid holidays, and vacation leave. We offer a generous retirement plan that includes 6% matching, 10 hours of annual leave each month, 9.34 hours of sick leave each month, and eleven paid holidays. Relocation benefits are available per university’s guidelines. Employees also have access to internal and state-sponsored training as well as reduced tuition for state-supported courses at all State of South Dakota academic institutions.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:Bachelor’s Degree in related field such as Journalism, Public Relations, Hospitality, or related area completed by start date;At least one year of experience in event planning and management;Ability to maneuver tables, chairs and promotional materials as needed;Ability to communicate well both verbally and in written communication;Ability to be a problem solver;Ability to excel under pressure;Highly motivated and self directed; andValid driver's license or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:Strong planning skills with a high ability to pay attention to details; andAbility to work collaboratively with faculty and staff from a variety of departments, as well as external partners and stakeholders.APPLICATION PROCESS:This system will guide you through the electronic application form. This employment site will also require the attachment of a cover letter, which should specifically address how the candidate meets the qualifications as outlined in the advertisement, resume, and a reference page with the contact information for three professional references. Email applications will not be accepted. Please contact SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance with this process.Any offer of employment is contingent on the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by law and/or university policies, including but not limited to, successful completion of a criminal background check.South Dakota State University is a tobacco free environment. It is the policy of the University to maintain a drug-free environment and to thereby establish, promote, and maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment for employees and students. This position is subject to South Dakota State University’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy 4:14.