Department Code
31301-0097
Department
D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF)
Job Title
Program Manager, Events & Hospitality
Commitment to On-Campus Experience
Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities. This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in-person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment. Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus. Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.
Pay Range
$62,400 - $80,000
Pay Determination
Pay rates at Syracuse University are based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, the job responsibilities; the candidate’s education, training, work experience and key competencies; the university’s strategic priorities; internal peer equity; applicable federal, state, local laws, grant funding and contractual requisites; and external market analyses.
Hours
Standard University business hours
8:30am – 5:00pm (academic year)
8:00am – 4:30pm (summer)
Hours may vary based on operational needs.
Unionized Position Code
Not Applicable
Job Description
The Program Manager, Events & Hospitality is a key operational leader within the IVMF Entrepreneurship Team’s Shared Services vertical, responsible for end-to-end planning and execution of in-person, hybrid, and hospitality-intensive events across the entrepreneurship portfolio. The position serves as a central operational partner to program leads, Shared Services staff, and institute partners to ensure events are well planned, cost effective, participant-centered, and aligned with university and institute policies.
This role supports entrepreneurship programming that serves veterans, military spouses, military-connected entrepreneurs, and their supporters across start-up, growth-stage, executive, and community-based experiences. The position requires strategic planning capability and hands-on execution across venue sourcing, hotel and rooming management, catering and banquet planning, vendor coordination, onsite logistics, transportation, and participant hospitality operations.
The role demands strong judgment, exceptional organizational ability, polished stakeholder communication, and the ability to manage multiple event workstreams simultaneously while maintaining a high standard of service and mission alignment. Preference will be given to candidates with substantial hospitality-industry experience, particularly in hotel sales, conference services, catering, convention services, or venue-based event management.
This position may be filled on a fully remote basis if the identified candidate is not currently located in Syracuse, NY (within 50 miles). Not all geographical areas within the United States are eligible. Employment offers at Syracuse University are based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to, the job responsibilities; the candidate’s education, training, work experience and key competencies; the university’s strategic priorities; internal peer equity; applicable federal, state, local laws, grant funding and contractual requisites; and external market analyses.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Event Management, Hospitality, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s preferred. Equivalent professional experience may be considered in lieu of a directly aligned degree.
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in event planning, hospitality operations, conference services, venue management, or large-scale program logistics required; 7 years preferred.
- Demonstrated experience planning and executing small- to large-scale events, including multi-day convenings, executive-level gatherings, and participant-facing experiences requiring high attention to service, detail, and logistics.
- Strong preference for candidates with direct hotel, resort, conference center, catering, or venue-based experience, including room blocks, banquet event orders, catering packages, and client-facing event coordination.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines while maintaining high standards for communication, accuracy, and participant experience.
- Experience with procurement, vendor coordination, contract management, invoicing, and event budget tracking preferred.
- Preference given to candidates with experience serving veteran, military-connected, university, nonprofit, or mission-driven communities; familiarity with the military-connected ecosystem is a plus.
- Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or similar certification preferred.
Skills and Knowledge
- Demonstrated ability to manage venue relationships, rooming lists, food and beverage planning, audio-visual coordination, transportation, vendor logistics, and onsite event operations.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple complex timelines simultaneously.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including vendor-facing and stakeholder-facing communication.
- Experience with budgeting, procurement, contract coordination, and financial tracking for events preferred.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, spreadsheets, event management systems, registration tools, and shared planning/project management platforms such as Monday.com.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain composure in high-pressure event environments, and proactively solve problems in real time.
Responsibilities
Event Strategy, Planning & Execution:
- Lead end-to-end planning and execution of entrepreneurship portfolio events ranging from small meetings and convenings to large multi-day programs, summits, and hospitality-intensive experiences.
- Develop and manage detailed event plans, timelines, production schedules, run-of-show documents, planning checklists, and execution frameworks.
- Partner with program leads to translate program objectives into operational event plans that support participant engagement, learning outcomes, stakeholder experience, and smooth onsite delivery.
- Travel to events as required to provide onsite coordination and support, conduct post-event debriefs, and document lessons learned and recommendations for continuous improvement.
- This role is expected to manage multiple event workstreams simultaneously and shift comfortably between strategic planning and real-time execution.
- The position may support programs with distinct formats, locations, and audiences across the entrepreneurship portfolio, including start-up training experiences, growth-stage peer forums, networking events, executive gatherings, and special convenings.
Hospitality, Hotel & Catering Management:
- Lead hotel sourcing, venue research, request for proposals (RFPs), contract coordination, room block management, banquet event order coordination, catering planning, food and beverage execution, meeting space setup, guest arrival experience, and lodging-related communications.
- Collect and track dietary restrictions and accommodation requests; manage rooming lists, pickup, attrition, and special requests; and ensure participant-facing hospitality details are accurate, timely, inclusive, and aligned with budget and program expectations.
- Serve as the primary point of coordination with hotels, conference venues, caterers, and related hospitality vendors.
- The Program Manager, Events & Hospitality will work closely with Program Managers, the Associate Director of Shared Services, the Program Coordinator, Logistics, MarComms, Budget Team, Data Solutions, and other institute partners to ensure seamless delivery and a professional, mission-aligned participant experience.
- The incumbent will represent IVMF values in all vendor, venue, and stakeholder interactions and will embed accessibility, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity into planning decisions and participant communications.
Vendor, Budget & Procurement Coordination:
- Coordinate event-related procurement, quotes, purchase requests, contracts, invoices, transportation vendors, audio-visual vendors, and other external service providers in alignment with IVMF and university policies.
- Track event budgets, reconcile projected versus actual expenses, maintain vendor and venue records, flag variances, and identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising participant experience or program quality.
- Support final invoice review, post-event reconciliation, and documentation needed for budget review and grant-related reporting.
Shared Services Coordination & Operational Standards:
- Build and maintain repeatable systems, templates, SOPs, trackers, and hospitality planning tools that improve consistency and quality across the entrepreneurship portfolio.
- Collaborate with Shared Services and program staff to create standardized workflows for venue selection, registration coordination, lodging logistics, catering approvals, shipping and supply management, onsite staffing, post-event follow-up, and shared documentation practices.
- Maintain organized, accessible files in team systems such as Monday.com and contribute to continuous improvement across entrepreneurship operations.
- Perform additional duties in support of the Entrepreneurship Team, Shared Services vertical, and institute-wide priorities as assigned.
Physical Requirements
Not Applicable
Tools/Equipment
Not Applicable
Application Instructions
In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.
The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.syracuse.edu.
About the Syracuse area
Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.
EEO Statement
Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.
Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans
Syracuse University has a long history of engaging veterans and the military-connected community through its educational programs, community outreach, and employment programs. After World War II, Syracuse University welcomed more than 10,000 returning veterans to our campus, and those veterans literally transformed Syracuse University into the national research institution it is today. The University’s contemporary commitment to veterans builds on this historical legacy, and extends to both class-leading initiatives focused on making an SU degree accessible and affordable to the post-9/11 generation of veterans, and also programs designed to position Syracuse University as the employer of choice for military veterans, members of the Guard and Reserve, and military family members.
Commitment to a Respectful and Welcoming Community
Syracuse University fosters a welcoming learning environment where students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all aspects of campus life reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences. The University community values the many similarities and differences among individuals and groups. At Syracuse, we are committed to preparing students to engage with and appreciate the richness of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences that shape our society. To achieve this, we strive to cultivate a community that respects and encourages open dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.
