Managing an event, especially a big one, can be hair-raising for anyone. Imagine tapping into that creative brain to develop an event concept, putting the puzzle pieces of caterers, food and beverage teams, and guest happiness together! Could be quite a dog’s breakfast if not done right.
Luckily there are event magicians out there who know exactly what magic is needed to create and execute a smashing event: event coordinators. They juggle the needs of clients, vendors, and guests like child’s play. Here’s what you need to know about the event coordinator job description to see what superpowers they bring to the table.
What Is an Event Coordinator?
An event co-ordinator is your go-to for everything related to an event taking place at your venue. He or she will look after all aspects from conceptualizing and event planning, to reaching out to, booking, and managing vendors. They will work directly with the clients to make sure the event meets client expectations, as well as manage the event on the day and offer feedback post-event.
An event coordinator’s skill set tends to be broad – a jack of all trades related to eventing. They are highly organized individuals, who often have marketing experience to drive the promotion of an event. And they are skilled in managing people, from staff working at the event on the day to negotiating with vendors.
Event management software is invaluable in keeping all the moving parts well-oiled and working together – like the super-functional system from Perfect Venue – and makes managing events a breeze. The dream teammate, they integrate with a whole host of all your favourite tools.
Primary Responsibilities
Strategy Development and Execution
Hosting a successful event requires a good strategy upfront. Planning the building blocks of an event, from getting quotes from suppliers to crisis management should something go wrong, is right up the alley of an event coordinator. A good strategy maps out the phases of an event, including timing and deadlines for tasks, as well as actionables and the individuals responsible for them.
Managing Event Logistics
In the words of the Cambridge Dictionary, logistics is “the careful organization of a complicated activity so that it happens successfully and effectively”. In the case of our events coordinator, this could include aspects of delivery and organization of decor. They also coordinate timing and movement of guests into and through the venue.
It could even extend to security, managing online check-in platforms if used, working with marketing and public relations teams where applicable, and even creating SWAG bags.
This would also include working with suppliers, and ensuring both client and your venue are getting the best bang for their buck.
Full Guest Management
This goes from finalizing the guest list with the client to creating and sending out invitations, aide memoirs, and final reminders.Event co-ordinators will also help with registration of guests, and often, ensure that guests are taken care of on-site on the day of the event.
Manage Event Budgets and Spend
Budgets are always tricky to work with. The client has x dollars available but y expectations. You, as an event or venue manager, also have a business to run. You must ensure that you’re getting fair compensation for the services you’re providing. It’s the job of the event coordinator to make sure that x, y, and z align, and keep the financial management under tight rein.
Risk Assessment and Management
Every kind of event that has moving parts will come with some kind of risk. A vendor may fail to deliver, or an act of God could rain the heavens down on event day. Your venue springs a leak in the roof right onto the dancefloor (your clients won’t be singin’ in the rain if this happens!).
A professional event coordinator takes all kinds of risks into account and makes contingency plans for them. Ensure that you approach several vendors to provide for each service you are offering so that you are not solely relying on one. Double check for leaks in your venue and never ever forget to organise a separate space close by in the event of rain!
Compliance
Compliance is another thing that an event coordinator (EC)would look after. If a venue needs a temporary liquor license to serve booze at an event, for example, your EC will work with the relevant authorities to make it happen.
Marketing and Event Collateral
You will have noticed by now why we called an event coordinator a magician. There are all kinds of rabbits that this certified meeting professional needs to pull out of a hat. And for big public events that often includes developing marketing collateral to promote your event.
From posters and flyers to email marketing campaigns, your EC will either design them or work with marketing and design professionals to get them done.
Then there’s managing the rollout according to marketing strategies, to support making your event a success. They might set up a series of scheduled social media posts or organise adverts to be played on television.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Because you get ECs that specialize in different areas, some skills and qualifications may differ. This is great if you’re specifically looking for a sports event coordinator to manage that massive football fans event. Or maybe it’s a wedding that’s being hosted, so a wedding coordinator would fit the bill best here.
However, some skills form the foundational skill set of any event coordinator. These include:
- Excellent time and management skills
- A good strategic mind with detailed planning skills
- Great with people and a good communicator (imagine having an introvert trying to manage diverse teams of 100s of staff and crew for a big event!)
- A level of creativity, which is especially important if your EC is helping to develop a theme and its execution for your event
- Knowing the industry, having the best resources at their disposal, and being up to scratch with the latest event trends. This is especially important if you’re hosting a national convention-type event, and need it to be cutting-edge. Your EC will know event trends are bringing guests to the door and paying entrance fees to attend.
- Knowing the ins and outs of permits and certifications that may be needed. If you’re hosting a pet expo, for example, certain hygiene certifications will need to be obtained.
Educational Background
Event coordinators will generally have a solid schooling and post-graduate education under their belt, with the relevant certifications, and good, solid experience.
There are various degrees and diplomas that an EC can achieve to build the necessary knowledge to work in this field. These are also dependent on which event industry they may want to work in.
There are various Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) in Event Management degrees available, as well as Business Management certifications. An EC could also hold a diploma in Hospitality Management; a higher certificate in Events Management. They might also look at shorter courses to build up their knowledge and skills.
Online courses are great for talented event coordinators who can build theoretical knowledge while working in the field and gaining real-time experience.
Technical Skills
Technical skills are the harder skills that your EC would have. They encompass budget management, being able to work with event management software, a bit of digital marketing, and exceptional time and deadline management.
Some marketing and design skills also go a long way, especially if your EC needs to quickly design a social media post to promote your event. Canva is a great tool to use here!
Soft Skills
Then there are the softer skills. These can include being a good communicator, which is valuable when working with multiple vendors and dealing with very particular clients. People management is also important, being super organized, and great at networking. The latter is how your EC manages to get the best band to play at your event and keep it within budget.
Then there are problem-solving skills. Very few events go forth without a hitch, and an EC with a sharp mind and a bit of innovation under the belt can turn a hassle into a solution.
Work Environment
Event coordinators are like chameleons. They’ve got to change “color” to fit into their current environment. And so they get comfortable operating efficiently across different work environments. They could be gently guiding small corporate events, or managing a massive international rock concert for a client, and they need to have the right attitude and energy for each.
There will, however, be instances where your EC is specialized. So if they work solely on legal conventions, the work environment surrounding organizing and managing this type of event would be similar for each.
Career Path and Growth
For aspiring event coordinators, the world is their oyster in terms of opportunities for growth and interesting career paths.
Areas of events coordination could include PR and related events, travel events, community and non-profit events, and conferences and trade shows (across multiple industries, from mining to childcare). There are also automotive events, property events, education and learning events, government events, corporate events, media and publishing events, and so much more.
The trick is to find the field that resonates with the EC and that they’re passionate about, and then grow into it from there.
Essential Tools and Resources
Because event coordinators need to be so organized, they salivate over useful tools and resources that can streamline their jobs and make keeping track of things easier.
Technology
Tools to use right in the beginning when planning an event include Perfect Venue, Miro, CVent, and Sweap; while project management tools include Asana, Monday.com, and Trello. Customer relationship management (CRM) tools include Hubspot (which is also great for marketing), Salesforce, and Zoho. Marketing and ticketing tools include Eventbrite, Iterable, and Marketo.
Industry Resources
And of course, building up a bank of industry resources is the golden ticket to becoming a sought-after, successful event coordinator. This requires knowing who’s who in the zoo of suppliers and vendors, and building relationships with the good ones. That way you’ll know when pricing is the best across the market, and staying on top of trends.
It’s also useful to see what other ECs are doing – how they manage their events and work within events circles. Do they go to expos and shows to meet and network with contacts? What types of software do they use to ensure their events are managed like Liquid Velvet?
How to Become an Event Coordinator
There are five general steps in the process of becoming a professional at organizing events and concluding successful events that gain more business.
- Education. Get a degree, diploma, or certification, and ensure that the EC continually upskills him/herself in the events coordination field.
- Learn on the job. This means getting good work experience so the EC can see in “real life” the day-to-day of an EC.
- Build up – and maintain – a resumé. This will come from education and work experience, so make sure it is updated.
- Continually build and maintain a professional network. Attend events aimed event management, reach out to work with other venues on a joint event, and do your best to celebrate the victories of others in your industry.
- Create and expand your portfolio. This is so important for venues or event hosts looking to employ an EC. They want to see what work an EC has done before, who they’ve worked with, and how the event unfolded.
Sample Job Description Template
Here’s a simple job template for a venue searching for an event coordinator. Use this template to wade through the masses and find the ideal candidate:
Seeking a qualified and professional Events Coordinator to assist our venue and clients in planning, managing, and executing unforgettable events.
The candidate will ideally have a Bachelor’s degree in Event Management, or a similar diploma or certification. X years of experience will be a bonus.
Responsibilities include:
- Being well organized
- Planning events through to execution
- Working with other departments such as marketing, sales, and PR
- Manage timelines through strict scheduling processes and execution itineraries
- Working closely with clients and venues, and assisting in choosing venues
- Managing event staff
- Ensuring all details of an event are closely monitored
- Guest management including email communication with attendees
- Organizing catering
- Working with all necessary vendors and third-party suppliers
- Be able to deal with unexpected challenges and work well under pressure
The ideal person for the job should also possess the following skills:
- Active listening
- Interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Stay informed of trends in the events space
Conclusion
A professional event coordinator is absolute gold when it comes to planning and executing a successful event. Their knowledge of the intricacies of building a solid event, working with the right people, and managing everything effectively within budget, can be the make or break of any event.
Having a system that helps keep track of things is a vital component of this process, from vendor management to overseeing catering, budgets, and logistics – all the details. Perfect Venue is a great system that offers you both basic and more advanced features to ensure any events run at your establishment are always streamlined. Try the free 14-day trial, and check out this demo to get more info!
