Director of Special Events and Programs

Department

Advancement

Job Family

Administrator

Vassar College is deeply committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees by promoting an environment of transparency and respect for differences. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds who meet the qualifications of a posting. If you need to request an accommodation to fully participate in the search process, please contact careers@vassar.edu.

Job Description

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Engagement and Executive Director of AAVC, the Director of Special Events and Programs (SEP) develops and executes a series of high-impact events and educational programs that engage Vassar College’s alums and other community members in support of institutional goals. The Director oversees a portfolio of on-campus, off-campus, and virtual events, ensuring alignment with the College’s mission and advancement priorities. In collaboration with colleagues across Advancement and campus departments, the Director designs signature “learning for a lifetime” experiences and manages the SEP team to deliver cohesive, mission-driven programming that strengthens constituent engagement and institutional visibility. The SEP team consists of the Director, a Senior Associate Director and an Office Specialist. The ideal candidate will be a strategist, content curator and logistics producer for this small and busy team.

Responsibilities

• Special Events: Work with various Advancement and campus partners to produce special events (on campus and regionally) that feature Vassar’s President, highlight institutional priorities (such as campaigns), and steward constituents (donors, volunteers, etc.).
• Intellectual Programming: Develop and implement a diverse and sustainable series of annual educational programs that are delivered both virtually and in person. While modest funding is available to subsidize these efforts, the majority of these programs must be budget-neutral or revenue-producing and tailored to the varied interests of the alum body. Programming should showcase Vassar’s excellence and experts (faculty, alums and other stakeholders).
• Event Management: Ensure best practices in event planning, implementation, and data management are standardized among and executed by all SEP team members.
• Relationship Building & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build and sustain the trust necessary for enduring and successful relationships with colleagues and constituents. Facilitate collaboration between SEP and other Advancement areas, as well as campus partners. Priority stakeholders include The Vice President’s Office, Advancement Communications, and faculty (including the Dean).
• Budget Development and Oversight: Fine-tune SEP operating budgets based on annual allocations, ensuring all dollars are connected to stated goals and objectives. Develop strategy and targets for programs that must generate revenue to offset and/or reduce the operating budgets.
• Metrics and Analysis: Ensure goals are set and achieved by all SEP team members and conduct ongoing analysis of KPIs for the AVP, as requested.

Required knowledge, skills and abilities

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 5-7 years of professional experience
• Proven leadership and event planning skills
• Strong communication and relationship management abilities
• Ability to engage in collaborative efforts
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and travel as needed
• Competence with CRM databases, Google Suite Applications (or similar), video conferencing, and other standard office technologies
• Ability to interact effectively with a diverse community
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time

Preferred knowledge, skills and abilities

• Master’s degree in a related field
• Experience in higher education or nonprofits
• Knowledge of alum engagement trends and best practices
• Innovative thinking and adaptive leadership skills
• Proficiency in data-driven decision-making
• Familiarity with fundraising strategies

Compensation

The compensation for this position is $71,700 - $93,200 per year.

When extending an offer, Vassar College considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, budget, and other market and organizational considerations. The starting salary range represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate at the time of posting.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To complete your application, you will be required to attach your resume and cover letter.