Events and Protocol Coordinator

REPORTS TO: Senior Manager Events and Community Relations

SUPERVISES: N/A

AUTHORITIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

Event Planning

• Plan, organize, coordinate, promote, assist in the execution all official events for Austal USA including, but not limited to: Christening Dinners, Christening Ceremonies, Keel Laying Ceremonies, Open House, internal meetings and facility tours and any special event as directed.
• Can support large scale events (over 1,000 attendees) to include invitations, tracking responses, and liaison with US Navy, Congressional and Business leadership during the organization and execution of these events.
• Have excellent working relationships with all vendors.
• Maintain annual calendar of scheduled events.
• Maintain annual events budget and invoice tracking.
• Provide meeting and event management support to include site selection and vendor negotiations; event set-up and design; budget estimating and tracking/reporting registration; coordination with guest speakers and coordination of travel requirements; all necessary on-site meeting administration and logistics. Coordinate any required audio-visual support; creation of any needed information packages; maintenance of vendor, site, contract and attendee databases as well as follow-up surveys after each major event to obtain feedback to enhance and continuously improve service.
• Develop knowledge and working proficiency in MS Office 365, Canva, Swoogo, Smartsheets and other business development programs.
• Support all emergent Business Development activities as required.
• Provide other administrative support as required.
  • Maintain annual calendars for the Growth Team
  • Manage and track community relations requests
  • Support Growth Team efforts including invoice submission and budget tracking
  • Build and edit presentation decks for visits and meetings
  • Manage all visitor request form submission and execution for tours, visits and events
  • Manage and track status of event planning tasks
  • Manage and track RSVP lists
  • Other responsibilities and duties assigned

Protocol

• Serve as an expert on Protocol matters when dealing with Congressional, US Navy and local government leadership.
• Provide protocol guidance and direction to Austal executives, employees and committees.
• Serve as the liaison with US Navy for all protocol issues.
• Provide distinguished visitor support to include scheduling, planning, coordinating activities of international and domestic distinguished/VIP visitors; provide research on customs, culture and courtesies; coordinate with appropriate ministry or government agency counterparts, arrange for all logistics and meeting support requirements, where appropriate identify and coordinate appropriate DoD regulation compliant gifts.
• Support all official tours of Austal USA.
• Provide services necessary to Austal to support management of communications through conferences, executive and programmatic meetings, protocol and distinguished visitor events.

QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Two years of work experience in managing protocol activities, office management, public relations, or managing executive services.
• Knowledge of public policy formulation and implementation processes.
• Knowledge of and skill in research methods and data analysis.
• Ability to exercise judgment in appraising and analyzing situations and making sound decisions.
• Working knowledge of state and local statutes, laws and regulations governing the execution of public events, as well as ethics and lobbying laws and issues.
• Ability to work independently and be a self-starter; excellent oral and written communications skills; demonstrated experience working in a team environment.
• Proficient in MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced dynamic environment and be adaptive to change as required.
• Demonstrated project and time management skills.
• Strong sense of ownership.