Publicity and Event Coordinator

The University of Michigan is a globally recognized public research university known for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the university boasts a diverse campus community and offers a wide range of programs across various disciplines. Within this esteemed institution, the Departments of Statistics and Astronomy play a vital role in advancing knowledge and fostering a dynamic scholarly environment through cutting-edge research, collaborative academic programs, and vibrant student engagement. These departments are committed to promoting their disciplines both within the university and to the broader community through various outreach initiatives and educational events.

As a Publicity and Event Coordinator within the Departments of Statistics and Astronomy, you will occupy a central role in advancing the outreach and educational mission of these departments. This position requires a blend of creative communication skills, organizational excellence, and project management abilities to support the departments’ efforts in engaging diverse audiences including students, faculty, alumni, and the wider community. You will be responsible for developing and maintaining a vibrant and effective digital media presence that highlights departmental achievements, events, and opportunities. Your work will include close collaboration with faculty and staff to design and disseminate high-quality branding materials across multiple media platforms, thereby ensuring consistent and professional department representation.

Your responsibility will extend to managing publicity and event budgets carefully to achieve cost efficiency while maximizing impact. You will lead the creation and circulation of newsletters, donor reports, and other outreach communications that keep stakeholders informed and engaged with department activities. Your role will also involve planning and coordinating an active calendar of academic and social events that foster community and scholarly interaction. Events you may handle include weekly seminars, award receptions, distinguished lectures, seasonal and recruiting events, orientation activities, and graduation receptions.

Further, you will provide comprehensive event coordination support, which includes making travel arrangements, booking venues, managing catering services, and overseeing technological needs to ensure seamless event execution. Serving as the "super-user" for departmental space reservations, you will maintain efficient scheduling and use of facilities to support the departments’ wide array of functions.

In addition to publicity and events, you will play a vital role in supporting departmental projects and special initiatives by partnering with leadership and staff to define project scopes, establish milestones and timelines, and coordinate necessary resources such as personnel, funding, and space. Your organizational acumen and ability to work collaboratively within a team will contribute to fostering a culture of respect and continuous improvement.

This role demands flexibility to accommodate occasional evening and weekend events, a professional commitment to respectful communication, and physical ability to handle materials up to 25 pounds in weight. The successful candidate will bring at least three years of progressively responsible administrative experience, proficiency with digital media platforms and graphic design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, and excellent communication skills suited for academic and public outreach contexts.

The University of Michigan is dedicated to diversity and equal opportunity in employment and undertakes rigorous background checks to ensure a safe and inclusive environment. The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $80,000 per year, reflecting the importance and responsibilities of this role within the university community.