Assistant Vice President-Exec Mgt

MSU - Michigan State University; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Michigan State University seeks an Assistant Vice President for Facilities, Operations and Events within the Division of Student Affairs. This senior leader will oversee Recreational Sports and Fitness Services, the MSU Union, and the Alumni Memorial Chapel, guiding capital projects, facilities stewardship, and event strategy.

As a member of SALT, the AVP will bring operational and student-success focus to divisional planning, manage complex organizational structures, and represent the division

Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education administration, student affairs, sports management, facilities management, public administration, or a closely related field.
• 8–10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in student affairs, campus recreation, facilities and operations, or a closely related area in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience in complex organizational leadership, including multi-unit supervision and senior staff development.
• Proven track record in capital project oversight, facilities planning, or major renovation project management in a higher education or comparable institutional context.
• Strong budget management skills, including experience with auxiliary fund operations, revenue-generating units, and capital budget planning.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience navigating large, complex institutional environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of RSFS, the MSU Union, and Alumni Memorial Chapel.
• Lead division-wide capital projects, facilities stewardship, and event management strategy.
• Collaborate with campus and external partners to ensure spaces are safe, welcoming, and aligned with strategic goals.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Multi-unit supervision

Stakeholder engagement

Capital project oversight

Facilities planning

Budget management

Communication

Education

Master's degree

Job description

Position Summary

The Assistant Vice President for Facilities, Operations and Events in Student Affairs is a senior leader within the Division of Student Affairs at Michigan State University.Reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs, the AVP is responsible for the strategic oversight of Recreational Sports and Fitness Services (RSFS), the MSU Union, and the Alumni Memorial Chapel as well as division-wide leadership on capital projects, facilities stewardship, and event management strategy.

As a member of the Student Affairs Leadership Team (SALT), the AVP brings a facilities, operational and event management-informed perspective to divisional planning and helps ensure that Student Affairs spaces are safe, welcoming, and aligned with divisional and university strategic goals.

This role requires a leader who can manage complexity across diverse operational units while maintaining a clear through-line to student success, a collaborative orientation with campus and external partners, and the credibility to represent the division in capital and facilities processes.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters -Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Sports Management, Facilities Management, Public Administration, or a closely related field.

Minimum Requirements

• Master's degree in higher education administration, student affairs, sports management, facilities management, public administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of eight (8) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in student affairs, campus recreation, facilities and operations, or a closely related area in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience in complex organizational leadership, including multi-unit supervision and senior staff development.
• Proven track record in capital project oversight, facilities planning, or major renovation project management in a higher education or comparable institutional context.
• Strong budget management skills, including experience with auxiliary fund operations, revenue-generating units, and capital budget planning.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience navigating large, complex institutional environments.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in or oversight of campus recreation or recreational sports administration at a large research university.
• Familiarity with student union management, including programming and various revenue operations.
• Experience with historic facility stewardship, preservation planning, or ceremonial/memorial space management.
• Knowledge of event management best practices in a large university setting, including risk management and ADA accessibility compliance.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.