Director of Events

As the Director of Events at St. Thomas University, the incumbent will report directly to Associate Vice President of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations, and collaborate across STU leadership to provide strategic event conceptualization, institutional advice, leadership, budget management, and execution for STU events as well as constituency-based programs as needed. The Director of Events will oversee planning and execution of major university events including but not limited to: Football Tailgates, Homecoming Weekend, Commencement, Orientation, Reunion Weekend, annual Stone Crab Dinner/Fundraiser, Havana Nights, Convocation, General Assemblies, Christmas Parties (University wide and President’s home), Faculty Welcome Back Reception, New Building Dedications and Blessings, and the University’s 2022 60^th Anniversary Gala. Further, the Director of Events will support stewardship and donor relations initiatives, etc., as well as Presidential and Trustee off-campus events and regional programming—both on and off-campus. Focused on donor-centric and large-scale signature events, the Director of Events is responsible for logistics, budget, setup, site selection, vendors, catering, audiovisual needs, guest outreach, attendance tracking, ticket sales, security, production, and other related needs. In addition, the Director of Events will serve as the point of contact for departmental event development and planning assistance to ensure a standard of excellence is maintained across University activities.

St. Thomas University (STU) is a private, non-profit university that offers 39 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees at its 144-acre campus in Miami Gardens, Florida and through distance learning. Its academic offerings include one of the oldest (and highly ranked) undergraduate programs in Sports Administration in the country. STU has been ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report in Social Mobility for regional universities in the South, which means it takes students from the lowest financial strata and catapults them to much higher financial strata in only ten years. In the last year, STU also recruited the largest incoming undergraduate class and raised the most money in the university’s history. St. Thomas University is the only Catholic Archdiocesan-sponsored university in Florida, and one of the only eight Archdiocesan universities nationwide.

The Director of Events will join our university at an exciting moment. As a member of the campus-wide fundraising community, you will serve an essential role on our Philanthropy team. As we embark on a multi-year commemoration of our 60^th Anniversary, we are setting our sights on the future while also honoring our Cuban heritage and celebrating our Catholic Identity. Numerous on-campus and nationwide alumni events are planned as part of our 60^th Anniversary celebration. The Director of Events will help us chart the course for the University’s sixth decade of impact, as we work together to secure the resources necessary to build the programs, facilities, and the endowment all in an effort to better serve our diverse community of students who are being prepared to become ethical leaders in our global community.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of university events—both on and off-campus—including annual event strategy, special events strategy, budget establishment and monitoring, physical setup, site selection, vendors, guest outreach, attendance tracking, ticket sales, security, catering, audiovisual needs, production, and other related needs.
• Responsible for direct supervision of event vendors and student employees.
• Engage, train, and supervise volunteers and support staff required for events.
• Serve as direct contact for all events related to the Office of the President and the Office of Philanthropy including, but not limited to, Alumni Receptions, President’s Tailgates, Founders Day, Homecoming, President’s Christmas Party, Biennial Scholarship Luncheon, and 60^th Anniversary celebrations.
• Support and advise departments across campus, including Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, in event planning logistics, vendor selection, and quality control.
• Help develop and enforce event-related policies relating to facility/classroom reservations, parking, security, and general event logistics.
• Create and ensure appropriate event decor as related to florals, linens, color scheme, lighting, and production.
• Utilizing our Course Dog software, coordinate with Facilities for on-campus event space needs and development of room layouts for all events.
• Organize reports, data, and post-event analysis.
• Liaise with the Office of Marketing and Communications to develop event marketing plans, promote registration details, and other communication needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years’ experience.
• Highly organized and needing minimal direction to complete complex tasks and multiple projects simultaneously, working both independently and as a member of a team.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Experience developing and formalizing processes and procedures.
• Highly developed project management skills.
• Strong organizational abilities.
• Superior customer service skills.
• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent strategic thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to draw informed conclusions from data.
• High comfort level using technology to communicate and share information.
• Experience in volunteer management and coordination.
• Knowledge of professional event planning and appropriate regional contacts.
• Experience working with leadership and high-profile guests.
• Ability to work evening and weekend activities, and to travel as needed to support events.
• Confidentiality, professionalism, and discretion.
• Ability to balance competing priorities, adapt to changing circumstances and pivot, as well as comfort with ambiguity.
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the mission of St. Thomas University.

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, St. Thomas University offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• •     Vacation and Holidays
  •     A retirement plan
  •     Choices for comprehensive health insurance
  •     Life insurance
  •     Long-term disability coverage
  •     Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
  •     Tuition waivers for self, spouses and dependents

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing events in a higher education and/or university Advancement unit is highly desirable
• Experience managing donor recognition or donor engagement teams in a higher education and/or university Advancement setting is highly desirable.
• Ability to establish positive, productive working relationships with donors.
• Proficiency with working in Raiser’s Edge or a similar CRM software and donor databases.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Apply on Indeed.com

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St. Thomas University is an E-Verify® Equal Opportunity Employer.

All employees are required to pass a criminal background screening and official degree transcripts will be required upon hire.