Assistant Director, Memorial Union - Event Services Management & Production

Salary/Position Classification

• $63,000+ annual, Depending on Experience, Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• This position will work onsite.

Purpose of Position

The Assistant Director, Memorial Union – Event Services Management & Production is a key leader within the Memorial Union, responsible for driving excellence in event scheduling, planning, production, and customer service across all Memorial Union–managed meeting rooms, ballrooms, adjacent outdoor areas, and designated exterior spaces. This role ensures seamless coordination and delivery of events that enrich the campus experience.

The Assistant Director provides direct supervision to the Event Services & Office Manager and the MU Audio-Visual Technology Coordinator, while offering indirect leadership to student staff teams as needed. They oversee event services revenue generation, operational workflows, and budgeting functions, and serve as the department’s purchasing agent within the University procurement system.

A strategic thinker and collaborator, the Assistant Director plays a vital role in policy development, implementation, and enforcement. They act as a key member of the Memorial Union management team, providing backup leadership to the Director and/or Associate Director as required.

Beyond operational leadership, the Assistant Director helps cultivate a high-performing staff culture centered on exceptional service, accountability, and results. Their work supports broader institutional goals around student engagement, learning, retention, and success, ensuring the Memorial Union remains a vibrant, student-focused hub for the campus community.

Duties & Responsibilities

Scheduling and Event Services Planning & Management; Event Production & Customer Service Delivery

• 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.
• 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 
• Serve as the senior department liaison to ensure coordination occurs as needed with University partners
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 
• 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.

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 a 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 a 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

• 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
• Five years of progressively responsible, directly related event planning, event services management or event production experience within a higher education university setting, or other public or private educational, service, or organization-based business or hospitality industry setting.
• Experience with execution of event logistics, event planning process workflows, and coordination with event sponsors, partners, stakeholders, or customers.
• Leadership or management experience within a related or transferable department, program, or industry setting.
• Two years experience supervising staff to include: hiring, evaluating, supervising and training professional and student staff.
• Intermediate skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook.
• 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 years of directly related event planning, event services management or event production experience within a transferable educational or hospitality industry setting.
• Three years of supervisory experience to include: hiring, evaluating, supervising and training professional and student staff.
• Experience using event management system platforms, event venue diagramming platforms or other related software.
• Experience using cloud-based platforms or other transferable computer systems or database systems.
• Experience with crowd control or risk management best practices.

To Apply

Submit a cover letter, resume and three professional references.