Assistant Destination Event Planning Jobs in Florida

Description

PenBay Technology Group is seeking an Events Manager to support the Davis Conference Center at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. This position serves as the on-site contractor team lead and events manager responsible for supporting daily conference center operations, coordinating event planning and execution, and leading a small multidisciplinary contract team in a high-visibility military environment.

This position will be responsible for supervising contractor personnel, assigning and monitoring daily work, maintaining event timelines and priorities, coordinating with government Project Officers, and ensuring conference center events are planned, prepared, and executed professionally. This role requires a highly organized, customer-focused leader who can manage competing priorities, communicate effectively with military and civilian stakeholders, and ensure the team consistently delivers event-ready spaces and exceptional customer support.

The successful candidate must be comfortable working in a fast-paced Department of Defense environment supporting senior leaders, distinguished visitors, military organizations, and federal customers. This position requires professionalism, discretion, strong attention to detail, and the ability to maintain composure while coordinating complex events, facility requirements, protocol needs, access control considerations, and customer expectations.

This position is performed on-site at the Davis Conference Center, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. The role operates in a professional military conference center environment supporting high-visibility events, senior leaders, distinguished visitors, and mission partners. The position requires daily interaction with government personnel, contractor staff, project officers, and customers, and requires a high degree of professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail.

• Serve as the on-site Team Lead and Events Manager for the Davis Conference Center contract team. 
• Supervise and monitor contractor personnel work assignments, workload priorities, and daily task completion.
• Lead, motivate, and coordinate a small multidisciplinary team supporting conference center operations.
• Plan, coordinate, and support events from initial request through completion, including pre-event planning, day-of-event execution, and post-event reset.
• Work directly with government Project Officers to identify event requirements, timelines, room setup needs, audiovisual support, communications requirements, distinguished visitor needs, and other logistical considerations.
• Lead event planning meetings, production discussions, and coordination activities to ensure events are properly prepared and executed.
• Maintain long-range event schedules, calendars, room setup documentation, and event coordination records.
• Ensure meeting rooms and event spaces are prepared, tested, and event-ready in accordance with customer requirements.
• Coordinate with audiovisual, information technology, security, custodial, catering, transportation, protocol, and facility stakeholders as required.
• Maintain and develop professional customer relationships with military, federal, and contractor personnel.
• Support distinguished visitor events, executive-level conferences, and high-visibility military functions with appropriate professionalism and protocol awareness.
• Assist with operational and administrative functions required for efficient conference center support.
• Prepare, update, and maintain checklists, reports, scheduling documentation, and other event-related records.
• Use EventPro or similar event management software to support scheduling, reporting, and conference center coordination.
• Use Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, for communication, scheduling, reporting, and briefings.
• Help ensure compliance with applicable facility, safety, security, access control, and operational procedures.
• Identify and resolve event, customer service, logistical, or operational issues quickly and professionally.
• Maintain accountability for assigned responsibilities and communicate issues, risks, and recommended solutions to appropriate leadership.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must possess or be able to obtain a DoD Secret security clearance.
• Must be able to meet installation access and background screening requirements.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible management experience, preferably supporting DoD, military installation, federal government, conference center, hospitality, or event operations.
• Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, and executing events, meetings, conferences, or projects involving senior leaders, executives, distinguished visitors, or government customers.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and coordinate a multidisciplinary team, preferably including audiovisual, information technology, facilities, custodial, customer service, or administrative personnel.
• Strong customer-service mindset with the ability to anticipate customer needs, resolve concerns, and maintain professional relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, briefings, and event documentation.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple events, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure while resolving operational, technical, or logistical challenges.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with EventPro or similar event scheduling/event management software is preferred.
• Familiarity with military protocol, customs, courtesies, organizational structure, distinguished visitor support, and secure facility operations is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with force protection, access control, facility management, and secure event coordination is preferred.

• Bachelor's degree or three plus years of equivalent relevant experience in hospitality management, Event Management, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field is preferred.
• Professional certification in event or conference management, such as CMP, CEM, or equivalent, is preferred.
• Training or certification in DoD, federal, or military protocol procedures is highly desirable.
• Must complete all required installation access, safety, security, and job-specific training prior to or upon assuming duties.
• Must complete required initial, refresher, or continuing training in applicable systems, customer service procedures, event operations, security procedures, and local conference center requirements.
• Must maintain currency in assigned areas through contractor-provided and government-directed training programs.