Commencement Event Coordinator

Grand Canyon University (GCU) is one of Arizona's leading institutions of higher learning. Located prominently in the Valley of the Sun in the heart of Phoenix, Arizona, GCU stands as a regionally accredited, private, nondenominational Christian university. Since its founding, GCU has cultivated an inclusive and vibrant academic community designed to provide exceptional education and spiritual growth opportunities to a diverse population of students. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs aimed at preparing students for professional success across various fields. With a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement, GCU continues to grow and evolve as a reputable center for higher education in the Southwest and beyond.

The role of the Commencement Event Coordinator is an essential position within GCU's Event Services team, tasked with supporting the university's commencement operations. The primary focus of this role centers on managing high-volume communication with students and guests regarding commencement activities, overseeing the registration process, and providing exemplary participant support. As a central point of contact, the coordinator handles commencement inquiries through multiple communication channels including phone and email, ensuring timely and accurate responses to a variety of questions about registration procedures and ceremony logistics. The position requires a customer-service-oriented mindset, maintaining professionalism and poise when dealing with sensitive or urgent participant concerns.

In addition to direct participant interaction, the Commencement Event Coordinator is responsible for data entry, maintaining participant records, and assisting with reporting tasks related to commencement registration platforms. The coordinator plays a key supporting role in the logistical preparation and execution of commencement ceremonies, working closely under the supervision of the Commencement Event Manager. Duties also include event setup and breakdown, on-site operational support, and monitoring event activities to ensure smooth ceremony operations. This role demands adaptability to shifting priorities, especially during peak commencement periods, and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires working varying schedules including evenings, weekends, and event dates as needed to support commencement cycles effectively. Equipment commonly used includes the Microsoft Office Suite along with specialized commencement and registration-related platforms. This position does not entail supervisory responsibilities but demands a high degree of coordination and collaboration within the events team. Grand Canyon University seeks candidates with a bachelor's degree preferred in communications, marketing, hospitality, business administration, or related fields, and at least one year of relevant experience in event support, customer service, administrative coordination, or student services. Candidates should demonstrate strong self-motivation, effective communication skills, and the ability to thrive in deadline- and event-driven environments. Passing a pre-employment background check is mandatory for this role. Physically, the position requires frequent sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, bending, and squatting, with occasional walking, pushing, kneeling, climbing, reaching, and driving. Working conditions are primarily inside an office building with standard variances in temperature, equipment noise, and dust.