Senior Director, Special Events

Job Title:

Senior Director, Special Events

Job Summary:

The University of San Francisco values diversity of perspectives, experiences, and traditions as essential components of a quality education in our global context.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for External Relations and Engagement, you are a senior member of the Alumni and External Engagement teams. You are responsible for building unique engagement and experiences for USF’s alumni, donors, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends of the university. The Sr. Director spearheads strategic planning, implementation, and management of these functions for the office of Development and supports their and the President’s vision of engagement for the entire USF community.

The Sr. Director leads a team of full-time event staff and helps ensure University’s Vision, Mission and strategic initiatives are aligned with programming and communication. Direct reports include Associate and Assistant Directors.

Full Job Description:

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the conceptualization, planning and execution of high-touch point and Presidential events for Development in collaboration with Major and Principal Gifts and the Office of the President with a goal of engagement and philanthropy. Organize a year in advance calendar of activities.
• Develop new and creative events to engage current donors, cultivate alumni and stewardship.
• Ensure all USF community engagement delivers an excellent guest experience and furthers the fundraising goals of the university on local, domestic and international levels.
• With the Alumni Engagement staff, co-manage CelebrateUSF, USF’s alumni and family weekend, including online registration, volunteer management and training, and leadership briefings.
• In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President, enhance the role of Engagement initiatives by providing strategic updates, opportunities for engagement collaboration, and logistical support.
• Build alumni and external relationships with a goal of bringing unique speakers to USF for community engagement.
• Collaborate with partner officers such as Office of Marketing and Communications, partner schools/colleges and Athletics, and Development Communications toward achieving event and marketing goals.
• Manage the special events and CelebrateUSF budgets for the development division and ensure cost-effective measures are in place while keeping a high standard for event execution.
• Partner with Stewardship, Major and Principal Gifts, Gift Planning, and Annual Giving & Corporate Partnerships to engage and thank USF’s donors through educational events that promote USF.
• Oversee the Silk Speaker Series– A speaker series for USF and the greater community that includes key thought leaders in the arts, business, and sports industry. Identify and develop strategies for campus wide collaborations to leverage series impact.
• Assess event success and make strategic changes to events strategy through data driven event and attendance information.
• Develop process for scaling events to meet the increased demands that will arise with the launch of the new USF Comprehensive Campaign.
• Coordinate with university departments and external speakers to schedule and manage event programs, ensuring a cohesive and impactful experience for attendees.
• Manage on-site logistical aspects of events, including packing event supplies, setting up event spaces, and ensuring all necessary materials are prepared and distributed efficiently.
• Execute strategic outreach initiatives to enhance event attendance and participation, leveraging both traditional and digital marketing channels to maximize visibility and engagement.
• Maintain meticulous event documentation and post-event evaluations to assess effectiveness, gather feedback, and inform future event planning and marketing strategies.
• Manage conflicting priorities and last-minute changes, while working across multiple departments, juggling event needs, faculty demands, and university processes without losing focus or momentum.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. 
• Minimum of 8-10 years professional work experience. Minimum of 5 – 7 years with progressive responsibility and proven track record in alumni engagement and event planning, preferably in an academic or non-profit environment.
• Team oriented with a capacity to manage and motivate a team.
• Cross - Functional collaboration but can also be a self-starter who can work independently.
• Exceptional negotiation, verbal and written communication skills .
• Advanced interpersonal skills with the ability to tactfully and effectively interface with university leadership,