Senior Director of University Events

msudenver; Denver (CO); Vor Ort; USD 120.000 - 180.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

MSU Denver invites applications for Senior Director of University Events to lead the Office of University Events, shaping the strategy and day-to-day operations of event planning, communications, AV support, and facilities coordination.

You will work with the President's Office and University Communications to translate priorities into polished, audience-centered experiences, guiding a team through complex high-profile events and budgets.

Aufgaben

• Provide strategic leadership and direct management for six full-time employees and student staff.
• Set office vision, annual priorities, service expectations and performance measures.
• Provide individualized supervision, coaching and development for staff at different career stages.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that values service, creativity, operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Align staffing, workflows and resources across functions and ensure coordinated delivery during high volume periods.
• Oversee the OUE budget, revenue/expense accounts, vendor relationships, contracts, and equipment.
• Assess office performance and communicate results and priorities to university leadership.
• Serve as liaison to President's Office and University Communications and Marketing for presidential-level events.
• Translate leadership goals into cohesive event strategy, guest experience and production plans.
• Advise senior leaders to protect event objectives and institutional reputation.
• Lead coordination for high-profile events including Commencement, donor events and leadership summits.
• Provide oversight of run of show, production, staging, logistics, accessibility and post-event evaluation.

Jobbeschreibung

Department Yearly unrestricted fundraising

Position Summary

The Senior Director of University Events provides strategic and operational leadership for the Office of University Events (OUE), leading a multidisciplinary team responsible for event planning and management, communications, audiovisual support and MSU Denver-owned facilities coordination. The position sets the vision for the office, develops staff at varying stages of their careers and ensures the team delivers consistent, high-quality service across its portfolio.Serving as the senior events liaison to the President's Office and University Communications and Marketing, the Senior Director translates institutional priorities into polished, audience-centered event experiences. The role requires sound judgment, executive presence and the ability to navigate complex expectations, advise senior leaders, reconcile competing priorities and maintain trusted relationships while protecting operational feasibility and institutional standards.The Senior Director establishes university-wide event protocols and a comprehensive support infrastructure for campus partners, positioning OUE as the institution's central resource for event strategy, standards, consultation and professional development. The position retains strategic oversight of CAVEA and other assigned university event venues while delegating routine deployment and day-to-day execution to designated staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

30% Office Leadership, Staff Development and Operations

• Provide strategic leadership and direct management for six full-time employees and student employees whose responsibilities span event planning and management, communications, audiovisual services, facilities coordination and financial operations.
• Establish a clear office vision, annual priorities, service expectations, decision-making practices and performance measures aligned with university and University Advancement goals.
• Provide individualized supervision, coaching and professional development appropriate to employees at different career stages, while building leadership capacity and succession readiness across the team.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and accountable culture that values service, creativity, operational excellence, communication and continuous improvement.
• Align staffing, workflows and resources across functional areas; clarify roles and escalation paths; and ensure coordinated delivery during periods of high volume or complexity.
• Oversee the OUE budget, revenue and expense accounts, vendor relationships, contracts, acquisitions, equipment and other operational resources.
• Assess office performance and service delivery using relevant feedback, operational data and event outcomes; communicate results and improvement priorities to university leadership.

25% Presidential and University-Wide Event Leadership

• Serve as the primary events liaison to the President's Office and University Communications and Marketing for presidential-level, university-wide and other high-visibility events.
• Translate leadership goals into cohesive event strategy, guest experience, messaging, production plans and operational requirements.
• Advise senior leaders with discretion and diplomacy, anticipate needs, surface tradeoffs, resolve competing expectations and recommend practical solutions that protect the event objective, audience experience and institutional reputation.
• Lead the strategy and executive-level coordination for high-profile events and ceremonies, including Commencement, presidential engagements, signature speaker programs, campaign and donor events, university updates and selected leadership summits.
• Provide senior-level oversight of event concepts, run of show, production, staging, logistics, accessibility, hospitality, communications, contingency planning and post-event evaluation, while assigning execution responsibilities to the appropriate staff.
• Coordinate with campus departments and external partners to ensure roles, approvals, timelines and decisions are clear and aligned.

20% University Event Protocols, Standards and Experience

• Develop, document, implement and continuously improve university-wide event protocols, standards and decision frameworks that create a consistent and welcoming attendee experience.
• Establish clear expectations for event intake, planning, approvals, accessibility, brand alignment, safety, security, dignitary and VIP engagement, communications, production, hospitality, risk management and post-event assessment.
• Partner with the President's Office, University Communications and Marketing, Facilities, Information Technology, Athletics, Auraria Campus and other stakeholders to align protocols with university policies, brand standards and operational requirements.
• Serve as the university's senior subject-matter resource for event protocol, etiquette, precedent and complex or sensitive event decisions.
• Create tools and quality-control practices that reinforce consist