Job Description Summary

Organization's Summary Statement:

This position is located in Rockville, MD at the Universities at Shady Grove.

The Universities at Shady Grove, located in Rockville, Maryland, brings together nearly 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine Maryland public universities on one convenient campus in Montgomery County. USG provides students access to high-demand academic programs while fostering a supportive, student-centered environment. USG promotes a positive institutional culture that enriches the educational experience, supports a healthy workplace environment, and encourages personal and professional growth. At USG, we are committed to creating a close-knit community of excellence where students, faculty, and staff work together to make success happen.

The Program Manager, Events Business Operations, is responsible for delivering comprehensive conference and event services for external clients utilizing The Universities at Shady Grove (USG). The Program Manager will serve as the primary client relationship manager throughout the event lifecycle by providing professional consultation, event planning, logistical coordination, and customer service to ensure a high-quality client experience and revenue optimization.

The Program Manager collaborates with the Business Office team, Facilities Management, Information Technology, Public Safety, Catering, and external vendors to coordinate conference and event services that support the University's business objectives while ensuring successful event delivery.

Physical Demands:

Work requires frequent travel throughout campus for meetings, planning sessions, site visits, and event oversight. Requires occasional standing, walking, climbing stairs, and lifting up to 25 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation. Work schedules may be adjusted, with supervisory approval, to support conferences, ceremonies, and special events, including occasional evening, weekend, and holiday assignments. On-site attendance is based on event complexity, client needs, and operational requirements. Position may require evening and weekend work based on events scheduling. This position is not telework eligible.

Licenses/ Certifications: N/A

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Three (3) years of professional event planning experience.

Other: Additional work experience as defined above may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to four (4) years of the required education.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

Knowledge of event and conference planning.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products.
Ability to multitask and prioritize assignments.
Ability to multitask while demonstrating a commitment to customer service.

Additional Job Details

Preferences:

Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in conference services, event planning, conference center operations, hospitality management, or a related field.
Experience managing external client relationships and planning and coordinating complex conferences, meetings, ceremonies, or special events.
Experience developing event budgets or cost estimates and coordinating contracts or agreements, procurement documentation, billing or invoicing, and vendor arrangements.
Experience providing conference and event services in higher education, government, the public sector, a conference center, or a comparable complex institutional environment.
Experience planning and coordinating executive, governmental, legislative, or VIP events.
Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential or a related professional certification.
Proficiency with Event Management System (EMS) or comparable enterprise conference and event-management software.
Knowledge of conference and event-service operations, including pricing, contract administration, procurement, billing, and vendor-management practices.
Ability to interpret client requirements and develop comprehensive conference and event-service solutions.
Ability to communicate contractual and operational requirements effectively to clients, vendors, and campus partners.

Required Application Materials:

-Cover Letter

-Resume

-List of References

Best Consideration Date: September 23, 2026

Posting Close Date: N/A

Open Until Filled: Yes

Job Risks

Not Applicable to This Position

Financial Disclosure Required

Yes

For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.

Department

USG-Operations-Admin & Fin

Worker Sub-Type

Staff Regular

Salary Range

$87,120 – $90,000

Benefits Summary

For more information on Regular Exempt benefits, select this link.

Background Checks

Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.

Employment Eligibility

The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.

EEO Statement

The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.

Title IX Non-Discrimination Notice

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Program Manager, Events Business Operations