Publicity and Event Coordinator

The Departments of Statistics and Astronomy at the University of Michigan are distinguished academic units committed to advancing knowledge through research, education, and public engagement. As part of a leading research university, these departments foster a vibrant scholarly community that supports students, faculty, alumni, and broader audiences in understanding and appreciating the scientific discoveries and statistical insights that drive innovation in their fields. The University of Michigan is renowned for its dedication to excellence, diversity, and inclusion, and it offers a dynamic work environment that encourages professional growth and collaborative achievements across disciplines. The Publicity and Event Coordinator role is a critical position within these departments, playing an essential part in advancing their outreach and educational missions through strategic communication and event management.

As a Publicity and Event Coordinator, you will be responsible for building and maintaining a vibrant presence across multiple media platforms aimed at engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including students, faculty, alumni, and the general public. This role requires close collaboration with faculty and staff to design, produce, and distribute high-quality branding materials that effectively communicate the departments' initiatives and achievements. You will oversee the publicity efforts, ensuring the creation and dissemination of newsletters, donor reports, and other outreach materials that highlight important news and updates. Additionally, you will manage marketing and event budgets with a focus on cost-effectiveness and high impact, ensuring that resources are used efficiently to maximize visibility and engagement.

Event planning and coordination are central to this role as well. You will organize a dynamic calendar of academic and departmental events, including weekly seminars, distinguished lectures, award receptions, orientation activities, graduation receptions, recruiting events, seasonal celebrations, and other special functions. This entails managing logistics such as venue booking, catering arrangements, travel plans for guests, and technological requirements to guarantee seamless event execution. You will also serve as the department's "super-user" for space reservation systems, ensuring effective scheduling and use of facilities.

Beyond publicity and event management, your role includes providing project and administrative support for departmental centers and special initiatives, partnering with leadership and faculty to support project planning from defining scopes to monitoring milestones and resource allocation. You will contribute to operational process improvements and professional development activities, serving on departmental, college, or university committees. This is a collaborative role requiring excellent organizational skills, the ability to work well in team settings that promote respect and cooperation, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

The position requires a candidate with a flexible schedule who can accommodate occasional evening and weekend events. Physical aspects of the job include the ability to handle materials weighing up to 25 pounds, maneuvering them to heights of 3-4 feet and placing them on various surfaces. This role reports directly to the Chief Administrators of the Statistics and Astronomy departments and offers a competitive salary range of USD 60,000 to 80,000 per year. The University of Michigan values diversity and inclusivity and is an equal employment opportunity employer, conducting background checks in compliance with applicable laws.