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SalaryOccupational summary
Reporting to the Director of AED Special Events, the Senior Assistant Director is responsible for designing, managing, and implementing events and special programs to engage, cultivate and steward alumni, parents, and friends of the University.
Job Responsibilities
Management Duties – Supervisor
- Representative Duties - Appropriately represent Duke University as “employer” to direct reports and direct reports as “employees” to Duke University
- Programmatic Duties - Ensure alignment of given programmatic, departmental, and/or organization-wide activities with AED strategic goals, priorities, and expectations
- Financial Duties - Exercise fiduciary responsibility for given individual, programmatic, departmental, and/or organization-wide activities in accordance with Duke’s financial policies, procedures, and standards, and AED expectations
- Personnel Duties: Supervise direct reports in accordance with Duke’s human resource policies, procedures, and standards, and AED expectations
- Personnel Duties: Hire & Onboard new employees (and offboard separating employees) in accordance with programmatic, departmental, and organization-wide priorities, Duke’s human resource policies, procedures, and standards, and AED expectations
Manage the work of the Assistant Director of Special Events, Program Coordinator or Staff Associate, assigned to the event.
Support team standards for event processes, communications, and documentation by example and by holding direct reports accountable to standards.
Event Management
Manage and direct complex and high-profile live and virtual events and programs as assigned by the Director, and in consultation with senior University leadership, the leadership of Alumni Engagement & Development, and other administrators. These include events around campaign and initiatives, donor recognition, advisory board, and committee meetings, as well as university-wide, regional and affinity group alumni events and lifelong learning programs. Specific tasks include:
Coordinate the management of events held around the world.
Liaise with other alumni and development offices across campus to plan select events.
Direct the planning process to ensure events align with university priorities and development strategies.
Develop and manage planning timelines for assigned events that facilitate efficient and timely collaboration with other staff
Work with Director and AED colleagues to evaluate, refine, and enhance annual events.
Delegate to the Assistant Director of Special Events, Program Coordinator or Staff Associate, logistical details involved with more complex events.
Evaluate and provide input on event program content for live and virtual events enlist and choose faculty speakers as needed. Facilitate program rehearsals and coach presenters to optimize performance.
Select, arrange, and support event technology needed for live, virtual and hybrid events, whether staffing event execution internally or in partnership with audiovisual production vendors.
Select and collaborate with caterers, entertainment, and event décor vendors to create event experiences that reflect the university and departmental standards and the event goals.
Evaluate, select, and arrange venues and guest accommodations. Arrange individual travel plans for guests and/or speakers and group transportation and parking.
Travel to off-campus venues to conduct site visits as appropriate and coordinate events.
Determine and coordinate staffing needs for event execution.
Liaise with leadership, speakers, staff partners, guests, and vendors at events.
Develop and execute, if necessary, contingency plans for emergency or severe weather situations.
Trouble-shoot operational issues related to events and exercise independent judgment to accommodate and/or resolve constituent concerns.
Communications
Connect internal and external constituents with events.
Design, write, and coordinate print and digital event communications, including online registration sites, formal and informal invitations and follow up correspondence.
Design, write and coordinate production of event programs and brochures. Oversee design and production of menus, place cards and nametags.
Oversee the coordination of event mailings including reviewing mailing lists for accuracy and providing updated information to the data team.
Oversee management and tracking of invitations and responses.
Research and prepare background information, introductory remarks and talking points for special events as appropriate.
Organize and facilitate meetings throughout the event planning process to discover, develop and communicate event logistics.
Communicate all logistics and background in written form with event plans and briefings for participating AED staff, speakers, event partners, vendors, and hosts.
Review and approve event plans and briefings for direct reports.
Establish and maintain contact with alumni, parents, friends, and donors through the process of coordinating logistical details with hosts, providing event related information to attendees, and responding to all inquiries and phone calls.
Budget/Contract Summary
Manage the budget and expenses for each event assigned. Make recommendations, process payments, and negotiate agreements in accordance with university procedures.
Breakdown event budget to line-item expense projections.
Represent the Development Office in negotiations regarding arrangements for such events.
Determine fiscal requirements for assigned events; monitor, verify and reconcile expenditure of budgeted funds.
Ensure all expenses are paid in a timely manner.
Review and verify final expense reports for assigned events.
Prepare reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and appropriate recommendations or conclusions; participate in short- and long-range planning for programs.
Data Management
Ensure that data is accurately collected, recorded and that appropriate data analytics are utilized in determining event strategies and priorities.
Report, record and analyze historical data for assigned events, including attendance, post-event feedback and evaluation.
Behavioral competencies
1. Decisiveness & Judgement
2. Promotes innovation and creativity
3. Attention to detail
4. Delegation
5. Planning, prioritizing and multitasking
6. Provides excellent customer service
7. Collaborating with others
8. Self-management
9. Mentoring
Desired Skills
MS Office suite: MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint proficient,
Prior experience with event platform software.
Working knowledge of virtual event platforms such as zoom, database systems and web-based project management tools.
Additional skills
General knowledge of Duke campus and facilities
General knowledge of area vendors such as caterers, florists, rental companies, etc.
Ability to travel and work evenings and weekends.
Ability to lift and move boxes up to 30 lbs.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.
Experience
Work requires three years experience in alumni affairs, public relations, fund raising, sales and promotions, marketing, student activities or a related field. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.
