Assistant Director- Event Services

Major Accountabilities

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for the Event Services Department and oversee the successful planning and execution of assigned conventions, trade shows, meetings, consumer shows, and special events.
• Monitor planning milestones, event timelines, and departmental deliverables to ensure consistent execution and high-quality service.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for operational challenges, client concerns, and event-related issues, implementing timely and effective solutions.
• Lead cross-functional planning meetings for assigned events, ensuring operational issues, resource needs, and logistical requirements are identified and addressed proactively.
• Monitor event operations throughout move-in, event days, and move-out to ensure contractual obligations and client expectations are met.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness and the client experience.

Client Experience & Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with event organizers, meeting planners, exhibitors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned clients throughout the event planning and execution process.
• Facilitate planning meetings and coordinate operational requirements to ensure seamless event execution.
• Partner with clients to resolve operational concerns while maintaining exceptional service standards.
• Ensure consistent delivery of MCCNO's service standards and proactively identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner with internal operating departments—including Operations, Engineering, Public Safety, Technology Services, Facility Operations, Food & Beverage, Campus Logistics, Finance, and Sales—to ensure seamless planning and execution of assigned events.
• Facilitate communication between Event Services and internal stakeholders to ensure operational requirements, timelines, and service expectations are clearly understood and executed.
• Partner with the Sales Department to support a seamless transition from event booking through execution, ensuring contractual commitments and client expectations are effectively communicated.
• Promote collaboration and continuous communication to ensure a consistent, high-quality client experience throughout the event lifecycle.

Financial & Administrative Compliance

• Review event estimates, service orders, and final invoices to ensure accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
• Monitor assigned event revenue and expenses, identifying potential variances and recommending corrective action when necessary.
• Coincide billing reconciliation with Financial Operations and support timely event closeout.
• Prepare operational reports, departmental metrics, and financial summaries for the Director.
• Ensure accurate documentation within the Event Management System and maintain compliance with departmental policies and procedures.

Process Improvement & Department Initiatives

• Lead implementation of departmental standard operating procedures and operational best practices.
• Monitor compliance with Event Management System standards and departmental workflows.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, communication, and service delivery.
• Support implementation of new technologies, processes, and organizational initiatives impacting Event Services.

Strategic Support

• Partner with the Director of Event Management on departmental planning, resource allocation, and operational priorities.
• Represent the department during leadership meetings and cross-functional initiatives as assigned.
• Serve as Acting Director during the Director's absence.
• Support special projects and strategic initiatives that advance organizational goals.

Supervision

• Participate in decisions related to the selection, promotion, transfer, pay and discipline of assigned personnel.
• Orient employees to MCCNO policies and procedures, clearly communicate job duties and responsibilities so individuals may proceed with certainty in the performance of their positions.
• Aid or personally conduct or oversee in training for new employees to ensure established procedures are clearly understood and followed.
• Monitor the work performance of assigned personnel on a continual basis, conduct effective performance appraisals, and take corrective action whenever necessary.
• Create a working climate in which assigned personnel are motivated to develop their skills and abilities and demonstrate by personal example the desired standards of conduct and work performance.
• Administer MCCNO policies in a fair and equitable manner with regard to discipline, tardiness, absenteeism or insubordination and fully document all incidents and actions taken.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays based on business needs.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing event operations and professional staff.
• Strong knowledge of convention center operations and event planning best practices.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex events simultaneously while maintaining exceptional customer service.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across multiple departments.
• Strong financial acumen, including event budgeting, billing review, and operational reporting.