Associate Director of Conference Services

Priority Consideration Date: June 8, 2025

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with nearby mountain ranges and Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is surrounded by outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating and camping. Tacoma, Washington has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the country, due to the increasing career opportunities, cultural diversity and community engagement, just to name a few.

Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at a great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC's mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

Position summary
The Associate Director of Conference Services is the primary college liaison for all non-student internal and external events and conferences held on TCC campus. This role operates in a fast-paced, event-oriented environment and requires strong skills in customer service, community engagement, and logistical coordination.

This position provides leadership in delivering high quality customer service and fostering and building strong relationships with both internal and external customers including vendors and community organizations. A key responsibility is to generate revenue through the rental of campus facilities and services which will be used by businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and community partners for meetings, trainings, and special events. Duties include managing daily operations of the event reservation systems coordinating furniture and room equipment set-ups, handling rental agreements, overseeing on-site event management, and ensuring multimedia and audio-visual (A/V) support and virtual event support in collaboration with campus and community partners. The Associate Director also plays a role in promoting events to enhance campus awareness and engagement.

This is an administrative exempt position that works closely with TCC departments (Facilities, IT, Safety, Environmental Services, Marketing, etc.) and reports directly to the Executive Director of Campus Safety, Emergency Management, and Conference Services.

Development And Policy

• Lead, develop, and implement the Conference Services plan ensuring alignmentwith the TCC Strategic Plan and Annual Strategic Action Plan in WaterMark.
• Compile and maintain an inventory of all existing College sponsored conferences and events including both internal and external activities.
• Analyze Data; identify the underlying patterns, principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into meaningful components.
• Estimate the Quantifiable Characteristics; size, distance, quantity, time, cost, resources, or materials needed to perform an activity.
• Develop and implement effective internal controls and procedures to ensure the safety, availability and reliability of services while maintaining accurate records and documents in compliance with TCC policies and procedures and relevant governing agencies.
• Develop and manage the department budget, including revenue forecasting, to ensure the department remains self-supporting. Prepare and monitor annual budget and revenue projections to ensure effective and responsible use of college resources. .
• Review, revise and design, operational procedures, forms, and rate information. Generate rental contracts and agreements and ensure all events comply with applicable government regulations and college policies and procedures by utilizing tools such as flowcharts, checklists, and other planning resources.

Leadership and Operations

• Plan, direct, and manage reservation, rental, and event operations for internal college events, including equipment reservations, accessibility accommodations, and event set-ups for non-instructional meetings and programs.
• Coordinate scheduling and logistics for both external and internal conferences, workshops, and events.
• Maintain and update scheduling databases utilizing platforms such as 25Live and other college-supported formats to centralize, update, and communicate schedule and facility changes (e.g., date, program type, projected attendance) with appropriate parties in a timely manner.
• Manage the College's public forum request process in accordance with the Facilities Use Policy.
• Prepare periodic progress reports to Executive Director and propose improvements to event planning and implementation process.

Marketing and Promotion

• Develop marketing strategies and materials in collaboration with the Marketing Department to promote TCC facilities as a preferred event venue.
• Create and maintain outward-facing conference services communications and website, social media content, rate schedules, and all promotional content and materials.
• Oversee all marketing, public relations, promotion, and sales activity related to events and rentals

Client Development

• Recruit, build , and maintain strong business relationship with clients, associations, and community partners, ensuring exceptional customer service.
• Consult with clients to determine their objectives and desired outcomes, budgets, and event requirements, and develop tailored programs, agendas, and services according to client needs.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients. Serve as the liaison between the client and Support Services staff (maintenance, IT, environmental services, safety, grounds, marketing), ensuring seamless services. Communicate and resolve problems effectively in a timely manner.
• Provide on-site multimedia and A/V support during meetings and events, for virtual and in person event. Coordinate with IT to ensure proper network connectivity, video production, and event-related tech support.

Supervisory Duties

• Hire, recruit, train, supervise, evaluate, and mentor part-time employees. Effectively manage their workflow and workload to support multiple, simultaneous, and complex events and programs throughout the year.
• Perform special assignments and related duties as assigned. Participate in department training as required.

Key Competencies

• Contribute personally to creating a healthy and positive work environment and ensure that all Conference Services team members are held to the same contribution by addressing situations immediately when they arise and being proactive in preventing them from beginning or evolving further.
• Establish and maintain collegial and cooperative work relationships with internal and external partners and ensure that all Conference Services team members are working toward building and maintaining positive work relations within the department and the entire college community.
• Perform well under pressure, recover quickly and responsively from mistakes, accepting appropriate responsibility.
• Apply clear and explicit ethical principles to personal decision making and use judgment and discretion in sensitive matters and seek guidance when in doubt.
• Respect others in all interactions, contribute to consensus building and actively participate in fostering inclusion.
• Listen to and consider diverse points of view and practice inclusivity, civility, and respect for all and ensure entire Conference Services team does the same; seeking guidance when in doubt.
• Demonstrate an openness to change and pursue personal and departmental professional development.
• Support innovations in collaboration within and beyond departmental continuous improvement initiatives.
• Willingness to learn and run multimedia systems and A/V support for large scale events.

Minimum Qualifications:

• An associate degree from an accredited college in the field of Business, Hospitality, or Marketing
• Two years related experience with emphasis in event management and customer service,-OR- equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and fiscal management of events and programs.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills as well as the ability to supervise student employees and subcontract labor.
• Experience coordinating and scheduling staff or volunteers.
• Computer literacy with a variety of program management software including MS Office Suite software.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the field of Business, Hospitality, or Marketing

• Experience with scheduling software
• Experience in multimedia and A/V operations in an educational environment or a large organization.
• Supervisory experience.

Condition of employment:

• Successful completion of a criminal history background check prior to employment.
• Must have reliable transportation to go to community meetings and events.
• Ability to lift and move 20 lbs. and up to 40 lbs. occasionally for event set up and tear down.
• Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time.

Complete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College online application form.
2. Resume and cover letter - In your cover letter, describe how your background and experience align with the responsibilities for this position.
3. Copies of unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
4. Diversity Statement: Tacoma Community College is committed to eliminating barriers and systems of oppression so we may serve all learners AND support each other as colleagues. We strive to be an anti-racist institution and value compassion, respect, and continuous improvement. A critical component of this is the understanding that the work of establishing, cultivating, and championing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) belongs to all employees. Please share with us, in an attached statement (maximum two pages), how your experiences and understanding of EDI will contribute to, foster, and support this crucial work here at TCC.

Required work schedule and work environment:

This is a full-time exempt administrative position. The annual salary range for this position is $78,000 - $80,000 DOE/DOQ. The salary will be prorated to reflect the actual number of contract days worked for the remainder of the fiscal year.

This position requires a flexible schedule to accommodate event coordination needs, including evenings and weekends. During non-event periods, the position will maintain semi-regular office hours-typically Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM-to support planning, administrative duties, training, and team collaboration. Weekly schedules will be coordinated with the Executive Director to ensure coverage, responsiveness, and work-life balance. Work location is all property owned and operated by Tacoma Community College including Tacoma campus and Gig Harbor Campus. Report on time to work in Building 12 at Tacoma campus at your assigned time.

Life and long-term disability insurance plans; vacation, sick and personal leave; reduced tuition for the employee; and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: https://www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment/. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by the National Clearinghouse.International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency. Successful completion of a criminal history background check is required upon employment. Tacoma Community College provides a generous comprehensive benefits package. Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by National Student Clearinghouse.