Communications and Events Manager

Job Summary

The Communications and Events Manager for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM) oversees the full lifecycle of in-person and digital events, alongside a broad communications and marketing portfolio that is developed and executed in partnership with the University of Utah Health Marketing and Communications team.

Responsibilities

• Orchestrates and executes all aspects of on-site and virtual sponsored and hosted events, including meetings, seminars, conferences, symposiums, etc.; responsible for event planning, marketing, communications, and logistics to ensure event success.
• Develops and implements a strategic communications framework that supports SFESOM goals, aligns with institutional messaging, and advances the school’s reputation internally and externally.
• Pairs with the University of Utah Health Marketing and Communications team to manage strategic communication between event organizers, leadership, staff, faculty, students, media, and the public, ensuring key messages are effectively and accurately delivered.
• Manages relationships with vendors, organizers, and attendees.
• Leverages marketing skills to design promotional materials for various SFESOM events; drafts talking points, run of show, announcements, newsletters, social media posts, and blogs to support and advertise events across multiple channels and audiences.
• Applies public relations skills to build, protect, and elevate the SFESOM brand; manages communication between event organizers, leadership, staff, faculty, students, and the public to ensure key messages are effectively and accurately communicated.
• Develops and maintains a proactive communications calendar that coordinates event promotion, institutional announcements, and public-facing content.
• Identifies new event opportunities for the SFESOM based on strategic goals.
• Promotes off-site tradition events and ceremonies through partnerships with the Dean's Office.
• Develops and implements policies, procedures, and cost models related to event operations, customer service, staffing, and budget in alignment with University of Utah policy.
• Assesses current software and tools; recommends enhancements to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Develops processes for repeatability and scalability across events and communications workflows.
• Negotiates contracts and budgets with vendors, customers, speakers, and other stakeholders.
• Conducts post-event evaluations, budget recaps, communications audits, and feedback analysis to inform future event plans.
• Leads event operations, including set-up, on-site management, and takedown.
• Supervises staff, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure successful event delivery.
• Recruits, trains, and manages event staff and volunteers.

Qualifications

• EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
• Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels: Senior Supervisor, Event Planning Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
• Working knowledge of team function within the organization.