Events & Administrative Coordinator (Finance)

Special Instructions to Applicants : In PDF form, applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Events & Administrative Coordinator will support the Rice Business Executive Education department by carrying out skilled administrative and event management functions. The person in this role must be able to work independently and collaboratively with a team. Exceptional customer service, attention to detail, clear and concise communication, and the ability to be a self-starter are essential to being successful in this role. The role will focus on managing the planning and execution of events, serving as an administrative assistant to the Executive Director of Executive Education, and supporting the entire department with administrative functions under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager. These functions support the development and delivery of educational programs and events for professionals and executives. They will engage with a variety of stakeholders including Rice faculty and staff, Executive Education participants, suppliers, business partners, and clients. The job includes a variety of routine tasks (i.e., data entry, scheduling, and inventory) but also complex tasks (i.e., responding to customer concerns and identifying and solving problems). We look forward to welcoming a motivated candidate who is eager to learn and grow with us.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional administrative and problem-solving skills. They will be proficient in the MS Office suite, particularly Outlook. Their detail orientation and curiosity will enable them to provide highly efficient and effective administrative and event management support. Their work style should be proactive, service-oriented, and collaborative.

Rice Business primarily delivers residential classes and activities occurring almost daily between 7 am and 10 pm. We value a highly collaborative and community-based culture, with expectations to provide in-person support and services to all members of our community. Remote work options are limited. Most employment activities are required to be performed in person and on campus. This in-person approach is central to the successful achievement of our research and academic missions.

Workplace Requirements

This position may be offered as a hybrid role and may combine both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Remote work opportunities are possibly extended to the candidate following the successful conclusion of the probationary period. They will be issued a laptop that can be taken off-campus for remote work and will have a desk in an open cubicle area when working on campus. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.

This is a benefits-eligible, full-time, 1-year term-limited position with an employment start timeline of July 2025. The hiring salary range is $50,000 - $52,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• 1+ year of professional work experience

Skills:

• Great organizational and time management skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Microsoft Office experience
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal communication skills
• Collaborative and negotiating skills
• Ability to learn new strategies
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
• Ability to lead, manage, and report on projects and initiatives

Preferences

• Experience in hospitality, event coordination, program logistics, or related roles
• Familiarity with LMS platforms, scheduling software, and collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Box)

Essential Functions

Event Management & Program Logistics Support:

• Serve as Executive Education's primary event coordinator for non-program related events. Events may be related to marketing, business development, alumni engagement, networking, partnerships, school-wide initiatives, or other one-off events
• Support Program Managers with event coordination for program-related events such as closing dinners, networking events, happy hours, receptions, team development activities, special guests, speaker/panel presentations, and other one-off events
• Oversee space/venue/facility bookings in collaboration with Rice, JGSB, the Ion team, and other applicable personnel or vendors. Book program spaces, confirm reservations, and audit schedules and systems
• Maintain the organization of classroom spaces, including AV/IT equipment, furniture configuration, and other educational equipment
• Facilitate classroom and event space set-up, re-set, tear-down, and clean-up procedures.
• Oversee catering arrangements for programs, events, and internal meetings, including special orders and adjusting for dietary restrictions
• Liaise with transportation and parking suppliers on behalf of faculty, participants, and guests
• Schedule and coordinate loading dock access and delivery services
• Liaise with security and building management to support security issues and ensure access for guests and staff
• Collaborate with Business Operations to manage program supply inventory and support with the ordering and restocking
• Complete and organize event-related documentation such as agendas, runs-of-show, profit & loss statements, evaluations, and after-action reports
• Evaluate and monitor vendor services and supplies for quality control. Provide timely feedback to suppliers as needed. Act as the main point of contact for vendors and escalate issues as needed to Program Manager & Executive Education team
• Manage financial transactions, collect and review quotes and invoices, and confirm vendor orders for event and office supplies, catering, and classroom materials
• Assist Program Managers and Department Directors on program and event-related needs and other duties as assigned
• Support and collaborate with Student Associates on assigned tasks and projects as needed

General Administrative & Executive Support:

• Support the Executive Director of Executive Education with administrative tasks such as managing expense reports, travel arrangements, calendaring, meeting arrangements, note-taking, drafting communications, documentation, and special projects as assigned
• Manage inventory of office supplies and collaborate with Business Operations to order and restock supplies
• Schedule and resolve calendar conflicts for departmental meetings and events
• Responsible for taking, organizing, saving, and distributing meeting minutes for All Teams and the Operation Team meetings
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Supports the department with records management and education verifications

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.