Pepperdine University’s College of Health Science (PCHS) is seeking a qualified and motivated individual to serve as the inaugural Manager of Strategic Engagement & Events. The position has responsibilities in three primary areas.

• Philanthropic Board & Council Facilitation. Supports PCHS leadership in supporting and managing philanthropic councils and boards to advance fund-raising efforts.
• Corporate & Strategic Partnerships Management. Operationalizes new and established PCHS partnerships with corporate entities, community leaders, and alumni to enhance college initiatives, experiential learning, and community engagement.
• Strategic Event Planning, Production, & Execution. Leads the end-to-end lifecycle of critical PCHS events, maintaining standards of excellence across recruitment programs, academic ceremonies, co-curricular events, and orientations.

The position directly advances the University's strategic plan by enhancing the ability of PCHS to foster relationships that advance partnership opportunities, fund-raising, and strategic engagement with a broad range of individuals and companies. Through event planning, the manager will advance the ability of the college to enroll students, engage students in activities that support their success, and encourage students to maintain a strong relationship with the University and PCHS as alumni.

The manager reports to the Dean of the College of Health Science and is expected to work collaboratively with deans, faculty, and staff across the PCHS and University.

The manager will need to be adaptable to working some evening and weekend hours, as required, to perform the responsibilities of the position.

Duties

• Strategic Event Planning, Production, & Execution
  • Event Lifecycle Management: Oversee the conceptualization, vendor selection, venue logistics, staffing, contract negotiation, budgeting, and post-event analysis for all signature college events, including:
    • Recruitment & Admissions: Open houses, prospective student showcases, new student orientations, and admitted-student welcome programs.
    • Student Ceremonies & Milestones: Dedication and commencement ceremonies, award banquets, and similar events.
    • Board & Council Meetings: On-campus and virtual high-profile meetings, lunches/dinners, and receptions.
    • Co-curricular and Community: Student services programs, guest lectures, conferences, and community engagement events.
    • Advancement: Donor events and receptions.
  • Marketing, Communications, & Registration: Partner with University marketing and event teams to coordinate digital invitation workflows, registration portals, program agendas, printed materials, and multi-channel promotion strategies.
  • Vendor & Budget Oversight: Reconcile event budgets, negotiate contracts with external vendors, and ensure full compliance with university risk management, accessibility (ADA), and procurement policies.
  • Data Analytics & Continuous Improvement: Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for event success, oversee attendee survey distribution and data synthesis, and present post-event evaluation briefings to drive continuous operational improvement. 
• Philanthropic Board & Council Facilitation
  • Governance and Meeting Management: Coordinate the logistical, operational, and strategic planning for PCHS philanthropic council, board and subcommittee meetings. Support the preparation of meeting agendas, briefing materials, talking points, and presentation collateral for the Dean and senior leadership.
  • Member Onboarding and Stewardship: In partnership with Advancement, execute comprehensive onboarding, cultivation, relationship-building frameworks and materials for current and prospective board members.
  • Executive Communication: Working in collaboration with Integrated Marketing and Communications, synthesize complex college, school, and program updates, academic priorities, and development reports into compelling executive summaries, quarterly progress reports, newsletters, and personalized communications from the Dean and PCHS leadership to board members.
  • Advancement Coordination: Coordinate with University Advancement staff to align board activities with campaign priorities and major-gift programs. Gather and share information with Advancement to maintain records of member interests and committee contributions. Provide information to support the ability of Advancement to ensure board members fulfill advisory and development commitments, and assess member engagement metrics annually. 
• Corporate and Strategic Partnerships Management
  • Partnership Activation and Account Management: Act as the central administrative contact for existing corporate, industry, and organizational partners.
  • Program Implementation: Coordinate with partner personnel to execute collaborative ventures, such as research symposia, guest lecture series, career pathway events, and community engagement opportunities.
  • Relationship Stewardship and Retention: Track partnership milestones, evaluate outcomes against strategic objectives, and draft reports for internal leadership to ensure long-term engagement, ROI, and partnership renewal.
  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Serve as an internal liaison between corporate partners and institutional stakeholders- including career services, IMC's corporate partnership team, faculty leads, and alumni relations- to maximize University/partner integration, represent PCHS's strategic goals, and amplify impact with all partners.
• Partner with Pepperdine Advancement event team on large scale PCHS events that involve University stakeholders.
• Recruit, hire, and manage student workers to assist in the performance of duties. 
• Other duties as assigned. 
• Uphold University mission through work performed. Corporate & Strategic Partnerships Management 

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Exceptional organizational skills, with a proven ability to multitask and manage several projects simultaneously.
• Outstanding oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule to include nights and weekends.
• Understanding of higher education organizational structures, academic culture, and administrative workflows.
• Proficient computing skills, including knowledge of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; fluency in digital work environments.

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree in a related discipline;
• Three or more years of progressively responsible experience in event management, donor relations, board facilitation, corporate relations, or strategic engagement—ideally within a higher education, non-profit, or complex corporate environment.
• Prior experience with event platforms, registration systems, and digital invitation tools (e.g., Cvent, Eventbrite, Qualtrics);
• Familiarity with CRM/database systems (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, or PeopleSoft).

This is a Regular, Nonexempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $28.50 - $32.50 per hour 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.