Special Events Coordinator

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day. Learn more about our recruitment process. Job Requisition ID: 2026-03377 Time Type: Full time Employee Group: Staff Job Category: Event Management Employment Type: Permanent Department: Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association - Community and Events Hiring Range: $56,494.16 - $70,617.70 Posting Information: This posting is for an existing vacancy. The internal posting deadline for this position is October 29, 2026 at 11:59PM Job Description: Primary Purpose The Special Events Coordinator is responsible for developing, coordinating, and delivering diverse programs and large-scale campus wide events aimed at enhancing the student life experience for the undergraduate students on campus. The Special Events Coordinator will function primarily in the area of entertainment involving student engagement, programming and event management, volunteer management and administrative capacities. Key Accountabilities Event Development, Delivery and Evaluation Responsible for delivering successful large scale (5000+ attendees) campus wide events with positive attendee experiences and programs tailored for the students at the University of Waterloo Researches current campus programming options by keeping up with industry trends, collaborating with other institutions/unions and attending conferences/exhibitions Negotiates with agencies to book performers where contract costs stay within budget and positively impact the experience of our students Develops clear Event documentation highlighting objectives, risk, resource requirements, people requirements and timelines and evaluation metrics Ensures diversity in programming efforts to maximize the reach and participation of efforts throughout the year Performs post event evaluation to highlight and review results of programming efforts, overall impact, and identify areas of improvement for future events Leads all corporate events as assigned by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association including (general meetings, grand openings, anniversaries/celebrations etc.) Student Volunteer Management Responsible for the recruitment, onboarding, and retention of 100+ student volunteers to help with planning and delivery of programs & events Ensures student input is gathered during development of events by enabling student volunteer to champion efforts and incorporated into the overall efforts Engages students by empowering them to take on various responsibilities with respect to the execution, marketing, and planning of special events Ensures volunteers are provided with effective training and development programs and equipped with the right tools and resources to meet deliverables Organizes and executes a volunteer appreciation event for students directly involved in the executed events Relationship Management & Outreach Raises $40k+ annually in sponsorship dollars and materials with off campus businesses & partners to enhance programming efforts Works with key stakeholders and partners across campus to (plant ops, bookings, safety office, grounds, athletics etc…) throughout event development and delivery efforts Maintains positive relationships with vendors that we purchase/book good, services or equipment from Works closely with the Marketing Specialist to ensure programming efforts are effectively marketed and developed successfully for the current student market and their needs/wants Budgeting & Procurement Prepares annual programming plan and budget of $100k+ to senior management for review and board/council approval Ensures all submitted expenses are within budget and revenue project…

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