Director of Special Events, VPSA Office

at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Job Opening Id: 49971

Department: Vice Pres Student Affairs
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

About Student Affairs: Student Affairs at Northwestern University envisions building a just, health, and meaningful student learning experiences by pursuing equity, justice, and belonging. This work happens with all of us as people holding multiple identities. Through the frame of collective impact, we strive to center the voices, experiences, and needs of our most marginalized communities. This calls for both individual and collective responsibility and work that supports universally designed solutions that benefit not just individuals, but the full community. Learn more about the Division of Student Affairs here: https://www.northwestern.edu/studentaffairs/about/strategic-plan/objectives.html 

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) & Chief of Staff, the Director of Special Events, VPSA serves as the functional expert responsible for developing and managing programs and/or events for students, staff, faculty, trustees, alumni, parents, sponsors, etc. The Director of Special Events is responsible for yielding high-impact results through the creation, implementation, management and execution of innovative programs and events for the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Director focuses on both short and long-term goals and planning for these events and programs in alignment to the strategic direction of the division.  The Director of Special Events collaborates with the VPSA, AVP and Chief of Staff, President’s Office, Alumni Relations and Development, the Office of the Board of Trustees, staff, divisional leadership, external consultants, and vendors to plan and execute events related to Vice Presidential dedications, staff development, staff, student, alumni and parent engagement programs and other events that support the mission of the Division of Student Affairs.

The Director of Special Events, VPSA works closely with the Office of the President to facilitate student engagement opportunities for the President and the VPSA and collaborates with the Alumni Relations and Development Special Events team on certain large-scale events for Student Affairs. This role manages activities of larger groups of staff and volunteers, supervises these groups, and collaborates with support staff and others to ensure event goals are achieved. This role will assess and review the programs and events, analyze responses and outcomes, and recommend changes to increase goals and objectives involving attendance, participation, student and staff engagement, etc. 

The Director of Special Events is a member of the Office of the VPSA and works closely with the Program Coordinator and the Executive Assistant in supporting the needs of the office and the division at large.