Director of Institute Relations

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Director of Institute Relations

Turners Falls, MA | Full-Time, In-Office | Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Reporting to the CEO, this position is responsible for ensuring all Responsive Classroom Advertised Institutes are expertly planned to meet their stated goals and business objectives. They oversee all aspects of planning and are responsible for analyzing the results of each Institute season or institutes within a season to determine what factors contributed to the effectiveness of the Institute and present the data in an accurate, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand format that informs decisions about where resources should go next.

The Director works across departments to ensure customers have a friction-free, optimized experience from registration to course completion.

This position is also responsible for an ongoing 18-month events calendar, including identifying city-state and venue locations aligned to CRS's strategic growth plan.

They must be must be an excellent planner and organizer, must be prompt in responding to customers and to internal communications and have keen attention to details.

This position is responsible for creating long-term value for CRS advertised institutes by identifying and pursuing new growth opportunities through school partnerships and and relations.

Leads a team of 2-4 planners.

Works in the Turners Falls, MA office; there is no remote or hybrid option for this position. A relocation package will be considered for the right candidate.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
18-month Advertised Institute Planning
• Adheres to the established timelines for planning Responsive Classroom Advertised Institutes.
• Collects, manages, and reports on data to inform the Advertised Institute Location Plan.
• Researches draft recommendations for Advertised Institutes locations to City, State, and venue options as required.
• Finalize the Advertised Institutes calendar for dissemination; updates on a regular basis as needed.
• Meets planning timelines and successfully balances all the tasks required to plan the institutes.
• Provides regular and periodic reports on the progress of event planning, ensuring the planning stays on timeline.

Project Management
• Updates and follows a detailed work plan and schedule that identifies and sequences the phases and correlating activities needed to successfully complete annual advertised institute planning.
• Monitors the progress of each phase and adjusts the schedule as necessary to ensure the successful, on-time completion of the plan.
• Follows and updates as needed an established communication schedule to update appropriate staff on the progress of the planning and to proactively resolve any issues that may hinder the on-time completion of the annual plan.
• Reviews the quality of the work plan with the project team on a regular basis to ensure continuous improvement.
• Develops forms and records to document project activities.
• Evaluates the outcomes of the project as established during the planning phase.
• Conducts surveys.

Venue Site Selection
• Follows established best practices and event standards for assessing and choosing a venue for each Advertised Institute.
• Oversees and directs booking of host-sites and event venues.
• Communicates in a clear and professional manner with potential and existing school host-site and event venue personnel.
• Specify venue requirements to ensure the venue site meets the needs of the Advertised Institute and the participants.
• Manages school host-site and venue relations in order to sustain long-term positive relations.
• Maintains and regularly updates a database of current and potential school host-sites and event venues.
• Oversees the completion of host-site and venue agreements.
• Conducts pre- and post-venue evaluations and reports on outcomes.
• Organizes all venue files in an orderly manner, consistently reviews and updates SOPs and expectations.
• Maintains a clear understanding of the broad and specific marketing plans for each Advertised Institute to ensure the venue can accommodate those plans.

Plan and manage technical and logistical services to ensure the seamless execution of each Advertised Institute
• Oversees all aspects of working with logistics, venues, and vendors to provide these services.
• Ensures technology is available for each Advertised Institute.
• Liaise s with the school host-site, venue representative, and CRS staff to ensure a well-coordinated and successful event.
• Manages event expenses to budget and provide proactive logistical support to resolve and prevent issues as they arise as the events occur.
• Prepares and updates an annual training and communications plan for logistics coordinators and host sites.

Prospecting and Site and Venue Expansion
• Researches and identifies new business opportunities through interaction with host site leaders and school and district leaders attending advertised institutes.
• Engages with stakeholders to qualify them based on business needs and readiness for further discussions, ensuring alignment with the organizational goals.
• Works closely with the marketing team to execute outreach strategies and coordinate follow-up activities.
• Utilizes CRM to effectively manage and track leads throughout the lead and sales funnels as school/district leaders engage and partner with Advertised Institutes.

Excellent Customer Relations
• Oversees and manages host site relations.
• Responds to customers with respect and empathy and provides speedy solutions to meet their needs and concerns.
• Provides realistic, thoughtful responses that make customers feel heard and valued.
• Accurately conveys registration and other information to customers.
• Strives for continuous improvement in providing quality customer service and care.

Shipping, Packing, Receiving, and Inventory Management
• Ensures excellent execution of shipping from warehouses or headquarters for institutes and trade shows.
• Maintains an orderly, organized, and systematic management of trade-show materials.
• Ensures all accompanying documentation is present with packed items.

Qualifications
• Required: Prior leadership with supervision. Experienced educator with at least 6 years of experience preferred.
• Four-year degree in Event Management, Hospitality Management or similar discipline with at least two years of progressive leadership experience in planning major events and/or working with schools.
• Exceptional planning, organizational, and time management skills
• Excellent communication skills, including effective writing, speaking, and listening.
• Knowledge of common software applications and web services (i.e., Microsoft Office, G-Suite, Zoom)
• Demonstrated knowledge of or able to become skilled at using CRM software applications, such as Salesforce.
• Able to prioritize tasks and keep up with multiple projects simultaneously.
• Autonomous, self-starter, high degree of professionalism
• Able to receive and apply feedback.
• Regular and reliable attendance
• Disposition is consistently professional, cooperative, and collegial as evidenced by workplace maturity, composure, perspective, transparency, reliability, integrity, and trustworthiness.
• Caring for and commitment to the vision, mission, and welfare of CRS

Physical Requirements
• Able to use a computer, phone, or video conference for up to 8 hours/day with breaks and lunch.
• Able to travel by airplane and automobile, sometimes extensively.
• Able to lift up to 30 pounds

This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Responsibilities, tasks, and duties of individual jobholders may vary from the above description. Other duties, as assigned by the jobholder's supervisor, may also be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.