Remote-Eligible Director, Annual Meeting & Events Strategy

AACU; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) seeks a Director to lead the planning and execution of its Annual Meeting and related convenings. You will shape strategy, operations, budgeting, communications, and attendee experience to advance AACU’s mission.

In partnership with senior leadership, you will manage cross‑department teams, vendor contracts, registration, program scheduling, and on‑site delivery, ensuring quality, accessibility, and fiscal stewardship across all

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; CMP or comparable professional credential preferred.
• Experience managing complex conferences, budgets, vendors, and on-site execution.
• Strong strategic thinking, judgment, and ability to translate priorities into plans.
• Understanding of higher education and member organizations.
• Ability to anticipate trends in member engagement and event design.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic vision and leadership for the Annual Meeting.
• Lead non-content planning, scheduling, vendor partnerships, and on-site readiness.
• Manage relationships with facilities, speakers, and partners.
• Oversee attendee communications, branding, and materials.
• Coordinate cross‑department staff, risk readiness, and on-site execution.
• Oversee Call for Proposals, registration strategy, and program scheduling.
• Develop, monitor, and reconcile the Annual Meeting budget.
• Lead contract and partner agreements in line with objectives.
• Provide leadership for other GC4-hosted meetings and initiatives.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Event planning

Budget management

Vendor management

Cross‑functional collaboration

Communication

Project management

Stakeholder management

On-site execution

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CMP or comparable credential

Tools

Event management systems

Registration platforms

Spreadsheets

Databases

Digital collaboration tools

Web platforms

Job description

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) seeks a Director to lead the planning and execution of its Annual Meeting and related convenings. You will shape strategy, operations, budgeting, communications, and attendee experience to advance AACU’s mission.

In partnership with senior leadership, you will manage cross‑department teams, vendor contracts, registration, program scheduling, and on‑site delivery, ensuring quality, accessibility, and fiscal stewardship across all