What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Conference and Event Services position at Wheaton College Massachusetts?
The Director, Conference and Events Services is a key leadership position responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of event logistics, program planning, and revenue generation for the college. This role provides strategic vision and hands-on operational leadership for all major institutional events and external conferences, camps, and workshops. The Director will serve as a central point of contact, ensuring effective communication and collaboration among all internal and external partners to achieve successful outcomes.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Financial & Strategic Oversight:
- Provide leadership for efforts to maximize revenue through the rental of campus facilities to external groups.
- Negotiate contracts and agreements for conference and event business in partnership with key administrators and legal counsel. Manage the department’s operating and personnel budgets, overseeing billing and collaborating with Accounting Services.
Event & Program Management:
- Lead the planning and facilitation of logistics for a wide range of events, from small, ongoing activities to major college-wide events like Commencement, Welcome to Wheaton Day and Opening Day. Serve as a primary liaison between event planners and on-campus service providers, ensuring all logistical needs are met.
- Develop and manage a comprehensive 3-year institutional event calendar in collaboration with campus stakeholders. Act as primary liaison with facilities staff to ensure programmatic execution.
Department & Staff Leadership:
- Direct and supervise all departmental staff, including managers, full-time/part-time employees, and student workers. Determine and implement departmental policies, procedures, and technology to ensure efficient service delivery.
Campus & Client Relations:
- Cultivate productive and collaborative relationships with key internal divisions and departments.
- Manage liaison activities between internal offices and external clients, ensuring high client satisfaction.
- Serve on institutional and event planning committees to support college goals.
Software and System Management:
- Provide oversight for the administration of 25Live, associated with campus space utilization/reservation.
- Troubleshoot and problem-solve space usage scheduling conflicts.
- Research, analyze and implement upgrades, and modules in collaboration with campus administration user teams.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree
- A minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in event management, with significant supervisory and financial responsibility.
- Equivalent combination of education and experience can be substituted.
- Proven ability to manage complex logistics, budgets, and contracts.
- Experience with event management software required. Experience with 25Live event management software administration is preferred.
- Intermediate level of proficiency working in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Google Docs, including Docs, Sheets, Forms and Calendars
- Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
- Some evening and weekend work required
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with 25Live event management software administration is preferred.
- Experience in a higher education environment, including experience in campus conference and event management.
Compensation and Benefits
To attract and retain the most talented individuals, Wheaton College maintains a flexible and competitive staff compensation and benefits program.
When determining and establishing hiring rates or recruitment ranges for a position, the College considers a number of factors including the budget for the position, the range of the grade, the external market for the position or similar positions, level and scope of responsibilities, required education, skills and relevant experience as well as internal equity. All salary offers must have the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The anticipated hiring or recruitment range for this position is $80,000 – $95,000, commensurate with the qualifications, education and experience of the selected candidate.
When determining and establishing hiring rates or recruitment ranges for a position, the College considers a number of factors including the budget for the position, the range of the grade, the external market for the position or similar positions, level and scope of responsibilities, required education, skills and relevant experience as well as internal equity. All salary offers must have the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The anticipated hiring or recruitment range for this position is $80,000 – $95,000, commensurate with the qualifications, education and experience of the selected candidate.
Physical Demands
- Work takes place in both an office environment and in other campus buildings and outdoor locations where programs and events may be held.
- This position involves traveling throughout the campus and could on occasion require bending, reaching, ascending and descending stairs, stooping, kneeling, crouching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling and lifting.
ADA Statement:
Individuals must possess these knowledges, skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.
Eeo Statement
Wheaton College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich an intellectually diverse learning environment, the Department and the College actively encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.
Wheaton’s core belief is that valuing diversity is pivotal to personal development, intellectual expansion, and societal equity. Our community is united by a shared dedication to equity and access that is essential to providing a transformative education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Wheaton’s core belief is that valuing diversity is pivotal to personal development, intellectual expansion, and societal equity. Our community is united by a shared dedication to equity and access that is essential to providing a transformative education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Posting Date:
10/09/2025
Closing Date:
Open Until Filled
Yes
Contact(s):
Office of Human Resources
Contact Phone/Extension:
508-286-8206
Contact Email:
careers@wheatoncollege.edu
Contact Fax
Special Instructions to Candidates:
The federal government and the state of Massachusetts have made the decision to end the COVID-19 public health emergency. Effective June 1, 2023, the college will no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for members of our community. Rather, we strongly recommend that everyone stay up to date on their vaccinations, including boosters, as recommended by their health care provider.
While we will no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations, we strongly encourage members of our campus community to adhere to public health recommendations for vaccination to protect against COVID-19, as well as influenza and other diseases.
While we will no longer require COVID-19 vaccinations, we strongly encourage members of our campus community to adhere to public health recommendations for vaccination to protect against COVID-19, as well as influenza and other diseases.
Salary : $80,000 - $95,000