Senior Director, Donor Events & Experiences

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Senior Director for Development Events in University Events & Experience. This senior role leads strategy, planning, and execution of high-impact donor events, reporting to the CXO and collaborating with Texas Development to translate donor strategy into meaningful experiences.

Responsibilities span concept to follow-up, managing a complex portfolio, ensuring alignment with fundraising goals, and delivering donor-centered programs that move relationships

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least eight years of progressively responsible experience in complex event planning and production, including higher education fundraising.
• Proven success leading high-touch cultivation, stewardship, and donor events for VIP audiences.
• Working knowledge of fundraising principles, donor lifecycle, moves management, and donor segmentation.
• Ability to translate fundraising goals into audience strategy, program design, and personalized engagement.
• Creative and experiential judgment from concept through design, production and execution.
• Strong event operations, budgeting, contracts, risk mitigation, and live event delivery.
• Experience partnering with fundraisers, donor relations, and executive offices in a matrixed org.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, service orientation, and communications skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex events, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities.
• Willingness to travel and work evenings/weekends as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and annual planning for a portfolio of fundraising and donor engagement events.
• Define event audiences, objectives, and success measures with stakeholders.
• Design board/council meetings and donor experiences that advance fundraising goals.
• Apply moves management to support donor journey from identification to renewal or increased giving.
• Supervise 1–2 staff, set priorities, and ensure timely, budgeted event delivery.
• Coordinate end-to-end planning: venues, contracts, catering, travel, production, and risk management.
• Develop donor-centered guest journeys from invitation to post-event follow-up.

Skills

Event planning

Fundraising

Donor relations

Leadership

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree + 8+ years in complex event planning & fundraising

Job description

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Senior Director for Development Events in University Events & Experience. This senior role leads strategy, planning, and execution of high-impact donor events, reporting to the CXO and collaborating with Texas Development to translate donor strategy into meaningful experiences.

Responsibilities span concept to follow-up, managing a complex portfolio, ensuring alignment with fundraising goals, and delivering donor-centered programs that move relationships