Asst Director Memorial Union - Event Services Management & Production at University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota

Job Description:

Salary/Position Classification

• $63,000+ Annual, Dependent on Experience Exempt


• 40 hours per week


• 100% Remote Work Availability: No


• Hybrid Work Availability (requires some time on campus): No

Purpose of Position

The Assistant Director Memorial Union - Event Services Management & Production serves as an essential member of the Memorial Union leadership team in overseeing scheduling and event services planning and management, event production functions, and customer service delivery in the execution of events that occur within Memorial Union-managed meeting and ballroom venue reservable spaces, adjacent outdoor spaces and other exterior space as designated. The Assistant Director directly supervises the Event Services & Office Manager, the MU Audio-Visual Technology Coordinator, and provides indirect supervision to student teams as needed. This role oversees scheduling and event services revenue generation, business operations, and related functional area budget tracking and monitoring. This role serves as the purchasing agent/requestor for the MU department via the University procurement system. This role contributes to policy development, management and enforcement. The Assistant Director serves as an additional management team leader for backup responsibility to the Director and/or the Associate Director as requested or required. The Assistant Director also contributes to overall leadership, guidance, and support in creating a staff team environment focused on providing high quality services, accountability in meeting expectations, and achieving goals and strategic initiatives that contribute to increased student engagement, student learning and retention, and student success.

Duties & ResponsibilitiesScheduling and Event Services Planning & Management; Event Production & Customer Service Delivery

• The Assistant Director Memorial Union - Event Services Management & Production serves as a senior level member of the Memorial Union leadership team in overseeing scheduling & event services planning/management functions, logistics coordination, business operations, event production functions, and customer service delivery to ensure successful, high-quality execution of events within Memorial Union-managed meeting and ballroom venue reservable spaces, adjacent outdoor spaces and other exterior space as designated.


• Serve as a Global administrator to oversee configuration functions and management of a cloud-native event management software system (Mazevo) utilized for event services management and coordination of reservable event spaces.


• Serve as the lead liaison on behalf of the MU with the contracted event management system vendor team.


• Schedule and facilitate weekly MU Event Management Coordination Meetings.


• Serve as the department's lead consultant in meeting with recognized student organizations/groups, university administrative or academic department representatives or off-campus/external individuals, groups, or organizations.


• Coordinate with the Event Services & Office Manager, MU Audio-Visual Technology Coordinator, Associate Director, other MU operations staff members, and MU-based Facilities Management Building Services Technicians to ensure all daily scheduled event venue/meeting room setups & turnovers, AV technology support, and room cleaning is arranged to ensure successful event execution.


• Serve as the senior department liaison to ensure coordination occurs as needed with University partners: University Catering, University Information Technology, Office of Safety, University Police Department, administrative or academic department event planners, and external vendors as applicable to support the successful production and execution of scheduled events.


• Ensure space reservation confirmations/agreements, contracts, special forms and/or permits are completed in compliance with University and departmental policies.


• Work in tandem with the Event Services & Office Manager in utilizing event venue/room diagramming software to design event setup layouts.


• Provide supplemental support for daily or peak-period scheduling of event reservations in coordination with the Event Services & Office Manager.


• Participate in or contribute to ongoing audio-visual technology or other event production-related training to provide supplemental backup event support.


• Serve as the lead of the Event Services staff team in troubleshooting or managing late requests or day-of-event logistical challenges.


• Oversee or collaborate with other University partners in the execution of high-profile, large-scale or complex events.


• Serve as an onsite building host as needed for major North Dakota University System, University, Departmental, or annual, traditional, campus-wide events.


• Possess a commitment to work a flexible schedule when necessary to oversee and provide onsite support for large, complex, or high-profile events during evenings and weekends.


• Works in partnership with other University departments or units that utilize the contracted cloud-native event management system (Mazevo) and other related software platforms to support event production and execution.


• Coordinate and collaborate with other University scheduling entities in support of campus programs and special events.


• Handle escalated customer service, policy interpretation or enforcement concerns, crowd control or other event-related risk management issues. Further escalate concerns or issues to the Associate Director, Director or other University partners as needed.


• Ensure post-event customer service delivery components, event follow-up meetings/debriefs, surveys, or assessment responsibilities are implemented, administered, reviewed, and reported as designated or requested.


• Contribute as a departmental reviewer of UND's University Activity/Special Events Approval Forms for reserved events held within indoor or outdoor MU-managed space or on grounds adjacent to the MU that may include complex needs, additional logistical coordination or have perceived safety, liability and/or risk management elements.

Event Services Revenue Generation Management; Memorial Union Business & Purchasing Operations

• Oversee financial records, contracts, budgets, appropriation control records, and revolving fund accounts managed by the MU to support daily scheduling & event services management core functions.


• Oversee (Mazevo) event management system assigned and generated billing letters, invoices, and collections; includes tracking system generated revenues, and billable, co-sponsored or special discounted rates utilized by University departments/entities.


• Provides guidance and support to department staff on financial-related processes, procedures, or requirements for PCI compliance, internal risk management or security sensitive policies, auditing practices, or other financial recordkeeping or retention functions related to department business operations.


• Serve as the department lead in overseeing, reviewing, benchmarking, modifying and/or compiling recommendations for rate schedules/pricing plan adjustments for building space, equipment usage, and personnel services by customer category to support revenue generation and obtain cost recovery.


• Monitor, analyze, forecast/project event services revenue generation targets to inform budget planning with the Director.


• Serve as the purchasing agent/system requestor role for the Memorial Union department via the University procurement and marketplace system.


• Utilize the University procurement and marketplace system to prepare, process, track, and receipt all department equipment, supplies, and contracted services purchases to ensure timely vendor payment.


• Coordinates with vendors and University procurement team staff for new vendor setup.


• Serve as a MU department Purchasing Card holder.


• Contribute to and assist with the development of unit or department budget reports, proposals for annual Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) and Model for Incentive-Based Resource Allocation (MIRA) budgeting processes as requested by the Director.

Staffing Supervision

• Serve as the hiring authority for direct-reporting full-time staff and directly supervise the full-time Event Services & Office Manager and the MU Audio-Visual Technology Coordinator.


• Provide support to other MU department-level full-time staff recruitment, hiring, and selections.


• Responsible for ongoing coaching, performance management, and professional development of direct reporting staff.


• Ensure compliance with human resource policies and procedures for reporting staff.


• Contribute to the facilitation of the Memorial Union Student Employment Program and department-wide work teams/committees, in-services, training and recognition programs in collaboration with other department supervisors.


• Ensure all indirectly reporting student staff position descriptions incorporate student learning outcomes and plans for student goal progress or attainment in coordination with direct student staff supervisors.


• Provide department backup support or supervisory direction for other MU student staff as needed by exception (indirect supervisory support).


• Contribute to the leadership, guidance and support for the overall management and supervision of the Memorial Union and serve as an additional management team backup in the absence of the Director or Associate Director.

Memorial Union Management & General Department Functions; Policy Development, Management, and Enforcement

• Serve as a member of the MU leadership team available for on-call or after-hours duties or on-site supervision support for building-specific, or University-wide emergencies, or high-profile special events as may be required by the Director Memorial Union or other University and/or divisional leadership.


• Collaborates with Associate Director, Director or other MU staff to review, recommend, or draft proposed language modifications or proposed enhancements for MU General Facilities Use or Scheduling & Event Services policies and procedures, furniture, fixtures, specialized building or event services equipment, or other building service amenities.


• Interprets and enforces University, Code of Student Life and/or Memorial Union policies.


• Maintains awareness and familiarity of UND campus partner, general campus, or NDUS system-level policies that relate to daily work within event services.


• Ensures that direct reporting staff are familiar with MU department-level policies and procedures to support their daily work with customers.


• Contribute to the development, implementation, and progress/achievement of Memorial Union strategic initiatives, goals and action steps.


• Participate in and contribute to all MU staff management meetings.


• Serve as a member of the Memorial Union's building emergency action plan (BSSR) team.


• Participate in specialized training to include NIMS, Fire, Severe Weather and General emergency preparation response procedures and evacuation, shelter-in-place, active shooter, bloodborne pathogens, hazard communication, trauma, and AED training for potential response to building events/occupants/customers.


• Contribute content to department-level, divisional or institutional annual reporting, publications or accreditation processes as requested.


• Contribute to the coordination of Memorial Union events/programs designed to promote and support the mission of the MU in collaboration with the Director, Associate Director, and MU Marketing Communications Coordinator to drive traffic to support building partners and users.


• Coordinate/lead special projects for the department as designated and performs other duties as required.


• Participate in cross-departmental, divisional, or University-wide committees.

Required Competencies

• Intermediate skills using Microsoft Office Suite computer programs (Word, Excel, Outlook).


• Experience with online meeting platforms (Zoom, Teams etc.)


• Experience using standard office equipment to include multi-line phone systems, copiers, etc.


• Demonstrated experience with critical thinking, problem-solving, and organizational skills.


• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with a diverse range of customers and stakeholders.


• Ability to prioritize, delegate and supervise staff and student personnel workload and hours as necessary to meet operational responsibilities.


• Demonstrated experience with planning logistics, managing deadlines and priorities with a focus on high quality execution and customer delivery of services.


• Possess the ability to give strong attention to details and multi-task successfully in a fast-paced, high-energy, customer service setting.


• Demonstrated experience with building cross-departmental or program unit relationships, collaborations, or partnerships.


• Experience with performance evaluation and ability to handle behavioral or disciplinary issues. Ability to recognize concerns or behavioral problems with employees and help connect them to appropriate resources.


• Possess a student-centered philosophy committed to supporting a work and campus environment focused on inclusion and diversity and the building of campus community.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree with five years of progressively responsible, related or transferable experience in hospitality event planning, management, event production or technology oversight, execution of event logistics, process workflows, and coordination with event sponsors, partners, stakeholders, or customers.


• Demonstrated experience within a related University department or program setting or transferable external public or private organization, business, service or hospitality industry.


• Minimum two years of staff supervisory experience to include: hiring, evaluating, supervising and training of professional and student staff.


• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in a related field.


• Six or more years of related experience working within a University setting or transferable hospitality event management, or event production area in an external public or private organization, business, service or industry.


• Three or more years of staff supervisory experience to include: hiring, evaluating, supervising and training of professional and student staff.


• Experience using cloud-based platforms or computer systems or transferable experience using other database systems.


• Experience using event venue diagramming or other related software.


• Experience with crowd control or risk management best practices.

To Apply

Submit a resume, cover letter and three professional references.

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