As a senior director of events, you will oversee global events and activations, collaborating with all departments to promote them and ensure audience engagement, positive publicity, and sponsorships that amplify SCAD degree programs. You will plan and implement large-scale events; lead a high-performing team of staff, contractors, and student workers; and manage team workloads within the annual events calendar. As a leader, you will offer mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.

When planning events such as commencements, ceremonies, donor engagements, and academic conferences, you will work with various departments to ensure an accurate representation of SCAD’s mission, vision, and goals, especially those related to SCAD museums. Similarly, you will oversee the production and brand consistency of complex events that target current and prospective students, alumni, donors, elected officials, faculty, staff, and the broader community. Additionally, you will ensure that all guest touchpoints are optimized and align with the desired outcomes of the event. You will also help establish goals and KPIs for team performance and event success, as well as track and evaluate event metrics to assess impact, drive improvements, and support strategic decision-making.

In this role, you will coordinate calendars with the president’s office weekly and partner with various departments to align events with institutional goals and academic calendars. You will manage all aspects of event execution, oversee multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and pitch concepts and decorations to the executive director for approval. Responsibilities include the development of detailed timelines, run-of-shows, and contingency plans; compliance with city ordinances, park policies, and university standards; and the direction of all logistical components (e.g., venue and vendor selection, production schedules, catering, security, A/V, and transportation). Additionally, you will maintain vendor and supplier relationships, oversee bidding and rental management, approve contracts, and manage vendor agreements in collaboration with the SCAD legal team.

In this role, your responsibilities also include collaborating with stakeholders and representing SCAD as an ambassador at all events with the highest level of professionalism. You will develop and oversee budgets for each event, identify and mitigate risks to ensure safety and operational compliance, and ensure financial accountability by processing invoices promptly and adhering to approval protocols. Among other duties, you will work with internal and external media teams to promote events and increase audience engagement, overseeing all marketing and communications strategies. Additional responsibilities include coordinating guest list development, tracking invitations and RSVPs, collaborating with executive writers to ensure accurate scripts, and supervising schedules and rehearsals for speakers, production, and technical teams.  

Minimum qualifications:      

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 10 years of related experience and/or training
• Ability to travel internationally
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

Certificates, licenses, and registrations:  

• Valid driver’s license
• Valid passport

Travel required:  

•  20–40% 

Work hours: The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings.    

ADA tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.