What Is an Area Coordinator?

An area coordinator oversees various groups and organizations that, typically, make up a nonprofit organization or a school department. He or she ensures success of projects that require the cooperation of several groups by keeping a meticulous schedule and using communications skills. No two coordinators perform the same job, but all must have a goal of success to be effective.

One of the primary duties that an area coordinator must perform is that of events coordinator, or in some cases, he or she works directly with an events coordinator. Either way, it requires a full understanding of an event coordinator's responsibilities. If, for example, he or she were planning a fundraising party, the coordinator would have to work with vendors to provide food, tables and entertainment. The coordinator also would utilize staff members or volunteers to create a guest list and invitations to send out. The coordinator also is in charge of managing the event's budget and seeing that there is enough money to fund the entire operation.

An area coordinator is often more of a center coordinator than an event planner. One example would be a coordinator for resident life on a college campus. Responsibilities here include overseeing one or more dormitories and ensuring that staff, cleaning, maintenance and cafeteria needs are all being met, and if not, troubleshooting the problem. Also, he or she must oversee or delegate tasks for special on-site events such as blood drives.

Area coordinators also function as volunteer coordinators at many nonprofit organizations. Depending on what service the group provides, he or she must ensure there are people there to do the work. A home building charity such as Habitat for Humanity could have several homes being constructed on a single day. The coordinator researches which volunteers are available and what their skill sets are and dispatches them to various sites in order to successfully have a home built.

Area coordinators have a variety of educational and experience backgrounds. There is no one program of study to handle the job, unlike accountants or doctors. Strong talents for managing people, meeting deadlines and effectively handling stress are essential elements to the duties of a coordinator.

Whenever several groups or people come together for a common goal, there probably is an area coordinator ensuring everything goes smoothly. From overseeing college dorms to event planning and volunteer coordination and more, there are a variety of jobs that this type of coordinator might do. Every coordinator's life is different, but strong interpersonal and organizational skills get the job done.