Special Events Project Lead

Location: Lemont

The Strategic Transportation Education and Partnerships Department (STEP) at Argonne National Laboratory is seeking a Special Events Manager to provide event planning and communications support for the DOE Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC) Program and other projects across STEP's portfolio. This position is primarily responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing special events, including large-scale competitions, conferences, workshops, and related meetings, while also supporting select communications, sponsor engagement, and talent development activities that enhance participant engagement and program delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

* Lead the logistical planning and execution of small to large multi-day events, including collaboration with internal staff and external sponsors to coordinate activities at both sponsor and on-site facilities, from venue research and initial planning stages through final execution and post-event evaluation and follow-up.

* Manage all aspects of event logistics for competitions, conferences, workshops, retreats, dinners, networking and recruiting events and training webinars.

* Coordinate vendors for all aspects of events, including food and beverage, audiovisual, hotels, photography, transportation, video production, security, social media, venue staff, catering, and servers; negotiate and coordinate hotel and catering contracts; and act as the primary lead for event setup, execution and tear down.

* Oversee the purchasing, design and execution of all special event materials including invitations, registration badges, swag, trophies, signage and other promotional items for events.

* Oversee vendors for event production, including photography, videography, trade show displays, communications, etc.

* Develop and monitor event timelines and support event communications and outreach associated with events.

* Support sponsor marketing and sponsor relations activities, including communications, materials, and event experiences that help increase sponsor retention and satisfaction.

* Contribute to talent development, training, and recruiting efforts that help prepare students for internships and full-time positions and support the department's workforce development priorities.

* Partner with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure events and related activities align with program goals and participant experience objectives.

This position description documents the general nature and level of work but is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all activities, duties, and responsibilities required of the job incumbent. Consequently, the job incumbent may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

* Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, Event Planning, Marketing, Hospitality, Education, or a related field preferred.

* Minimum of 4+ years of event planning experience.

* Demonstrated understanding of event planning processes, deadlines, lead times, and budget management.

* Experience supporting large-scale events and coordinating logistics for groups of up to 350 people.

* Skill in project management, time management and working as a team member.

* Ability to prioritize and execute tasks amid changing demands and timelines and coordinate several projects simultaneously.

* Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to secure cooperation from a wide variety of groups.

* Must be results-oriented, have strong time management skills, and possess the ability to work quickly and efficiently in an ever-changing environment.

* The position entails considerable interaction with students, faculty, program sponsors, vendors, and other external partners.

* Will be required to support a minimum of 3-5 events annually, including 3 major annual events ranging from 6-14 days, as well as smaller conference, workshop, and webinar events.

* Events may include early mornings, late evenings, and work outside normal business hours as needed to ensure successful execution.

* Approximately 25% travel will be required.

* The ideal candidate is hospitality-focused, enjoys assisting others, and is…