NACE Career Center

About Us:

Girard College is a place that speaks to Philadelphia’s historic past as well as the promise of its future.  Located on a sprawling 43-acre campus in North Philadelphia, Girard is home to a full-scholarship, grades 1-12 residential boarding school for children from single-parent families with limited financial resources.

More than 20,000 students have passed through the gates of Girard College since its founding, all of whom have been beneficiaries of fully-funded scholarships that today are valued at approximately $65,000 a year.  Girard’s intentional racial segregation was successfully challenged and overturned in 1968, due to the work of the legendary local attorney Cecil B. Moore the College became the focal point of Philadelphia’s civil rights movement in the 1960s. Girard College’s desegregation led to other schools and city-wide agencies in Philadelphia desegregating. The Girard protests featured national civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and scores of local “Freedom Fighters” who marched around the 10-foot wall that marks the College’s perimeter.  Gender restrictions were dropped in 1984 when the school first admitted female students.

Today, Girard chooses to acknowledge its lived history and is simultaneously focused on leveraging resources and seizing opportunities to meet the moment and lead, as it continues to deliver on its promise to educate children from limited financial circumstances.  With a student enrollment of approximately 300 children, Girard features a 100% college acceptance rate and continues to provide guidance and support for its students during and even after graduation with a range of scholarship opportunities that help them become lifelong learners and productive public citizens.

Position Overview

The Founding Special Events Director position at Girard College is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned candidate to establish a campus-wide events program, with a focus on Girard’s high-end property, Founders Hall. This person will work to establish Girard College as a highly desirable rental location in Philadelphia. They will develop and achieve revenue and rental goals, directly and laterally manage rental staff, build both external relationships and internal systems, and deliver an excellent end-to-end customer service experience. 

Key Responsibilities

The Special Events Director will be responsible for all duties related to the development and management of the campus-wide rentals program at Girard College. This role will interface regularly with leadership at Girard College and the Girard Estate, as well as external stakeholders. This person must develop positive working relationships and a deep understanding of the needs and goals of all entities. Responsibilities for this role fall into three key categories:

Establish and lead the rentals program at Girard College, including Founders Hall and other campus locations. 

• Coordinate and develop contracts with other key vendors (e.g., rentals, florists, and entertainment) with an intentional focus on Black and Latinx-owned vendors
• Create rental policies and priorities based on market research, internal research, and personal experience
• Develop Business Office goals for revenue and utilization 
• Establish external pricing information and internal revenue goals
• Develop response protocol for all incoming facility rental inquiries, including coordination to ensure that Girard’s internal events and usage needs are met
• Hire and supervise necessary rental staff
• Prepare and monitor expense and revenue budget for facility rental 

Lead external sales, marketing, and client management efforts

• Develop an annual marketing plan for facility rental in conjunction with internal Girard College staff and the caterer(s); monitor the effectiveness of initiatives and update as required
• Develop and execute policies and initiatives that will increase Facility Rentals
• Serve in a sales capacity to develop new facility rental business; attend industry events, outreach to potential corporate clients, and interface with the convention and visitors bureau
• Implement all marketing and communication activities
• Conduct outreach to current and potential clients to ensure a positive experience and secure new business
• Adopt a new CRM system and build a database; ensure maintenance of up-to-date information on corporate and facilities rental prospects 

Oversee day-to-day logistics of the rentals program

• Analyze business inquiries, sales, availability, and close rates to determine potential policy updates
• Maintain Special Events and Facility Rental files
• Maintain event calendar
• Serve as liaison with Girard College caterer(s)
• Attend key catered events 

Key Competencies

• A demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism (DEIA) evidenced by a willingness and dedication to examining personal identity and biases and comfort in engaging in conversations and work around race, class, power, and privilege
• Relationship building
• Project management and organization
• Entrepreneurialism 
• People management 
• Sales orientation
• Customer service orientation

Qualifications

• Minimum of an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s preferred
• Five or more years event/catering management experience
• Proven track record in event sales 
• Rental policy and RFP process knowledge
• Ability to work with trustees and major donors and the community at large 
• Museum or cultural institution experience preferred but not required

Salary:

$70,000 - $85,000

 COVID-19 Vaccination Policy:

Girard College is an equal-opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. We offer a complete benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

UPDATE AS OF MAY 2022 - Please review Girard College’s Health and Safety Plans here to learn about our approach to vaccination and testing and our response to COVID-19 for the 2022-23 school year. For ongoing positions, Girard College’s roles are designated as in-person, with regular on-site responsibilities, unless otherwise noted.  As such, Employees must be able to support Girard College’s academic plan and business strategies on-site. Exceptions to this requirement will be considered on an individualized basis. All Girard College employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

• Minimum of an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s preferred
• Five or more years event/catering management experience
• Proven track record in event sales 
• Rental policy and RFP process knowledge
• Ability to work with trustees and major donors and the community at large 
• Museum or cultural institution experience preferred but not required

About Girard College

Girard College is a place that speaks to Philadelphia’s historic past as well as the promise of its future. Located on a sprawling 43-acre campus in North Philadelphia, Girard is home to a full-scholarship, grades 1-12 residential boarding school for children from single-parent families with limited financial resources. More than 20,000 students have passed through the gates of Girard College since its founding, all of whom have been beneficiaries of fully-funded scholarships that today are valued at approximately $65,000 a year. Girard’s intentional racial segregation was successfully challenged and overturned in 1968, due to the work of the legendary local attorney Cecil B. Moore the College became the focal point of Philadelphia’s civil rights movement in the 1960s. Girard College’s desegregation led to other schools and city-wide agencies in Philadelphia desegregating. The Girard protests featured national civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and scores of local “Freedom Fighters” who marched around the 10-foot wall that marks the College’s perimeter. Gender restrictions were dropped in 1984 when the school first admitted female students. Today,... Girard chooses to acknowledge its lived history and is simultaneously focused on leveraging resources and seizing opportunities to meet the moment and lead, as it continues to deliver on its promise to educate children from limited financial circumstances. With a student enrollment of approximately 300 children, Girard features a 100% college acceptance rate and continues to provide guidance and support for its students during and even after graduation with a range of scholarship opportunities that help them become lifelong learners and productive public citizens.

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