Community Events Coordinator, Law School

The Community Events Coordinator is a collaborative, cross-functional role jointly supporting the Office of Student Life and the Operations team within the Law School at Vanderbilt University. This position is essential to the success of the VLS community experience, serving as the primary coordinator for school-wide events and student programming. The Community Events Coordinator manages space reservations, vendor coordination, event logistics, and external client services while also providing direct support for major student programming initiatives including Orientation, Commencement, and signature law school events. This position is not eligible for hybrid or remote work; it is required to work in person, which may include evening and weekend events. This position reports administratively to the Assistant Dean for Student Life and Building Operations; Dean of Students and functionally to the Operations Manager and to the Manager of Student Engagement and Community.

About the Work Unit:
Office of Student Life: Vanderbilt Law School’s Office of Student Life has a mission to create and implement policies, programs, and communication channels to facilitate learning and support the success and well-being of every student by developing a culture of accountability, responsibility, inclusion, and respect. The office is designed to help VLS students from orientation through graduation by supporting the academic and well-being aspects of the law school experience.

Operations: Vanderbilt Law School’s Operations Department supports the Law School in the areas of oversight, management, and assistance with the law school building and its 178,000 square feet of space and over 300 events per year. This includes coordination of room scheduling, event planning, coordination and execution, upkeep, and general maintenance. The Operations Department also handles the planning and execution of larger scale building expansion and renovation projects.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:
School-Wide Events Coordination
• Manages the Event Management System (EMS) room and space reservation system for the Law School, serving as the primary point of contact for all space booking requests.
• Coordinates the planning calendar and Anchor Link, recognizes potential scheduling conflicts, and communicates prioritization of time and resources to resolve competing event needs.
• Coordinates timing of all vendors providing rentals, audio-visual services, catering for larger events, and food drop-offs, ensuring seamless event execution.
• Develops and maintains a preferred vendor list for event-related services including catering, rentals, and other event support, regularly evaluating vendor performance and updating recommendations as needed.
• Assists with set-up and breakdown of events; manages inventory of event furniture, linens, and décor.
• Creates and/or reviews table setup diagrams and event floor plans.
• Manages content on digital signage using pre-designed templates to promote upcoming events and community programming.
• Maintains and manages inventory of event supplies, including catering and alcohol inventory in compliance with applicable policies.
• Ensures compliance with all legal, health and safety, and university-specific standards related to events and facility use.
• Serves as a subject matter expert within the Law community on event planning and coordination; communicates and collaborates with other departments to maximize the effectiveness of Law School facilities and event goals.
• Supervises student workers supporting events; manages time schedules and provides oversight of time reporting.

External Clients
• Arranges for, coordinates, and provides set-up for external clients sponsoring or hosting events, lectures, receptions, special programs, and other activities scheduled in the Law School facility.
• Manages invoicing for Law School space reservations for approved non-Law School events and external clients.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for external clients from initial inquiry through event completion, ensuring a professional and welcoming experience.

Student Programming Support
• Works in close partnership with the Senior Director of Student Affairs to plan and execute Orientation and Commencement, two of the Law School’s most significant annual events.
• Coordinates all major lectureships under the supervision of the Program Manager for Student Engagement and Community.
• Supports the Office of Community and Culture, including the Associate Dean, with related events and meetings.
• Provides logistical and coordination support for additional large-scale Law School events such as the Legal Aid Auction, Humans of VLS, VBA Family Weekend, and other signature programming.
• Collaborates with student organizations and Law School departments to ensure events reflect the community values and mission of the Office of Student Life.
• Other duties and project support as assigned.

Professional Supervisory Relationships:
This position may supervise part-time student workers. This position reports administratively to the Assistant Dean for Student Life and Building Operations; Dean of Students and functionally to the Operations Manager and to the Manager of Student Engagement and Community.

Qualifications:
• A bachelor’s degree is preferred; a two-year degree with relevant experience will be considered.
• A minimum of 1-2 years of experience in event coordination, project management, hospitality, or a related field is required.
• A certification in event planning, coordination and/or management is a plus.
• Experience in an academic or higher education setting is preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building, and communication skills are required.
• Detail-oriented and organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously is required.
• Positive, collaborative, and engaged self-starter who thrives in community-facing interactions is required.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders is required.
• Skilled in general Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
• Experience with Event Management System (EMS) or similar space reservation and scheduling platforms is preferred.
• Ability to perform physical tasks associated with event set-up and breakdown, including lifting and moving furniture and event equipment, is required.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required by the event calendar is required.