Job Description

Title: Exhibition Hall Director of Event Services

Reports to: Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales

Location: Charleston, South Carolina

Type: Full-time, salary, exempt. Evening and weekend hours will be required.

Organization Background

A leader in the performing arts in the Southeast, the Charleston Gaillard Center commissions, supports, and presents ambitious, multidisciplinary cultural programming and provides access to the best local, national, and global artists and companies on its stage. Through programming on its public campus and extensive arts education initiatives, the Gaillard Center serves as a platform to participate in community building and essential dialogue.

The Gaillard Center was established as a non-profit in 2015. Its campus includes the world-class 1,818-seat Martha and John M. Rivers Performance Hall, a 26,000 square-foot Exhibition Hall that includes the Grand Ballroom and Salons, and a Terrace Lawn. 

For more information about the Charleston Gaillard Center, please visit https://www.gaillardcenter.org.

Position Summary

The Exhibition Hall Director of Event Services (EXDES) is responsible for the supervision, scheduling and training of full-time event management and administrative staff, part-time venue managers, event setup teams, and contract staff. This position is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, control, and evaluation of events in the Gaillard Center Exhibition Hall, Terrace Lawn, and full-facility rental events. The EXDES works closely with the executive team, senior management teams and the City of Charleston to enhance and support the overall mission of the organization, to provide an exceptional experience for our clients, and to ensure high quality event execution while maintaining the safety and maintenance of the facility. 

Responsibilities

• Work with the Performance Hall Director of Event Services and the Technical Directors to manage the annual department budgets.
• Meet weekly with the Performance Hall Director of Event Services to review the overall workflow of the teams, calendar of events, and upcoming projects to ensure operational efficiency and balanced work schedules.  
• Manage full-time Exhibition Hall event services staff for successful event support and execution. Communicate and resolve problems in an effective and timely manner. 
• Demonstrate an experienced knowledge of event cycles, venue management, production coordination, third party vendor management, site inspections, and creative design and implementation.
• Communicate with all levels of staff, vendors, industry partners, and clients in a cooperative and professional manner.
• Maintain and update the Facility User Guide in partnership with the Director of Sales, Exhibition Hall Technical Director, the catering partner General Manager, and Director of Facilities.
• Manage City of Charleston Event requests. Work with the Sales team to confirm dates, prepare estimates for contract, and provide all information in a timely manner for contract signatures.
• Supervise financial reports, deposit and final invoicing and event P&Ls for rental events. 
• Attend BEO, pre-conference client meetings, and internal team meetings.
• Schedule and conduct post-conference calls with clients to get clear feedback on team performance and conduct regular team meetings to review client feedback. Provide team with reports on individual and team excellence and suggestions and ideas for improvement to processes. 
• Ensure schedules are properly balanced teamwide.
• Create accurate estimates for future events. Ensure estimates are reviewed and approved by clients and provide solutions for any potential issues.
• Work with the sales team, Exhibition Hall event services team, and Exhibition Hall Technical Director to ensure client satisfaction and revenue maximization. 
• Serve as a liaison to the City of Charleston in acquiring necessary permits and additional support for events.
• Ensure the Senior Leadership team is informed of any incidents or potential issues arising from users or vendor interactions in a timely and professional manner.
• Continue to refine processes and policies that improve the client experience by utilizing team feedback, client feedback, and best practices from similar organizations and competitors.  
• Coordinate with the sales, catering, and technical team to ensure Gaillard Center events are properly supported and executed.
• Regularly participate in weekly production meetings to ensure user and vendor needs are being met, events are being implemented according to venue specifications, and contracts are being fulfilled and implemented in compliance with the Gaillard Center’s policies and procedures.
• Manage Exhibition Hall third-party service vendors and properly execute service contracts. Work with the Performance Hall Event Services Director on contracts for parking, security, and other full-facility services. 
• Supervise and lead the execution of full-facility rental events. Work in partnership with the Technical Team, Performance Hall team, and the Catering partner General Manager to execute full-facility events. 
• Review and approve all event staff time sheets.
• Promote and drive professional development and training efforts to improve overall business acumen, professional skills and knowledge, and client services.
• Manage human resource related issues including performance management, salary administration, and training and development.
• Effectively utilizes applicable computer systems and software programs and ensure team members are properly trained.
• Provides outstanding customer service by establishing excellent working relationships with internal and external clients and cross-department team members.
• Work with other Directors to assist with special-project events as needed. 
• Serve as Director on duty in rotation as needed. 

Required Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a proven and measurable track record of at least 10-years’ experience planning, executing, and managing exhibitions and events in ballroom and conference environments. This position requires strong knowledge of customer and client support, administrative processes, business communication, and facility policy creation and structure. Candidates should have experience in budget administration, especially with respect to event execution and settlement. 

Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Office suite, Adobe PDF, and Google Workspace, have superior organizational skills, and written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated leadership of full-time, part-time, and volunteer teams, as well as the ability to think strategically, work well under pressure, and manage details of several concurrent projects is required. The successful candidate will have a professional business demeanor and the ability to work a flexible, event driven schedule. Good communication and relationship building skills with internal staff and external partners is a priority. 

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of the Charleston area is a plus. Experience with specific facility management software, event execution software and task management software are desirable, including but not limited to Momentus Elite, Social Tables, and Vector Works. 

Physical Requirements

• Ability to move, transport and/or position up to 35 lbs of various equipment and materials.
• Using tools of the trade and accessing remote locations of the building.

• Activities may require sustained periods of movement, traversing, and positioning to meet facility and event demands.
• Work may include prolonged periods of sitting, typing, or looking at a computer screen.

Benefits

The Gaillard Center provides a competitive benefit package that includes:

• Fully paid medical insurance, at the employee level
• Optional vision, dental, life, and disability insurance
• 4 weeks of paid time off, accrued annually
• 6 weeks of paid family and medical leave
• 403(b) with up to a 4% company match
• Free and/or discounted tickets to performances
• Employer paid parking

The Charleston Gaillard Center is an equal opportunity employer. Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Gaillard is critical to our mission. To be a leading performing arts center in the Southeast, we need to have a highly diverse staff, a workplace where individuals are encouraged to retain their uniqueness and can feel a sense of belonging. For us, equity means that our staff members, our patrons, and our clients can experience the transformative power of the arts, no matter their starting place.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: Convention, event, Event Services, Exhibition Hall, and Weddings. Salaries: Not Disclosed.

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