Executive Director for Event Management

Job Posting Title: Executive Director for Event Management ---- Hiring Department: University Development Office ---- Position Open To: All Applicants ---- Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 ---- FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA ---- Earliest Start Date: Immediately ---- Position Duration: Expected to Continue ---- Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS ---- Job Details: General Notes About The University of Texas at Austin What starts here changes the world. The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883, ranks among the best universities in the world. With 76 programs ranked in the top 10, UT Austin is the #1 public university in Texas and the #7 public university in the nation. Like the state it calls home, The University of Texas at Austin is a bold, ambitious leader supporting more than 55,000 students, 4,750 faculty, 15,000 staff and top national programs across 18 colleges and schools. Amid the backdrop of Austin, Texas, a city recognized for its creative and entrepreneurial spirit, the University provides a place to explore countless opportunities for tomorrow’s artists, scientists, athletes, doctors, entrepreneurs and engineers. Learn more about UT’s mission and values and leadership . Why Join Texas Development? The University of Texas at Austin is a thriving hub of learning and discovery that anchors our city and enables excellence and innovation on the highest level. And it’s only possible because generous supporters believe in the power and promise of our state’s flagship university to change the world. With more than $6 billion raised in the What Starts Here campaign, Texas Development is quickly becoming one of the best fundraising programs in public higher education. Texas Development is a dynamic community of 500+ fundraising professionals across the Forty Acres. We strive to reach the highest levels of achievement and success in all that we do by creating meaningful and powerful experiences for our donors. Follow your passion, grow your career and help us change the world . Benefits The University provides a competitive benefits package that includes insurance and retirement benefits in addition to other programs and services. Texas Development supports growth by offering professional development opportunities that help every team member accomplish their goals, enrich their skillset and deepen their engagement with UT. Purpose The Executive Director for Event Management leads the team responsible for planning and executing the university’s most visible events, including presidential, ceremonial, development, student experience, and campus-wide programs. This position oversees project management, production staff, and event operations and is responsible for ensuring work moves forward, priorities remain clear, deadlines are met, and events are delivered at a high level. The Executive Director is expected to identify issues early, remove obstacles, balance workloads, and ensure staff are working proactively rather than reactively. This role is equal parts people leadership and event leadership. Success requires strong judgment, accountability, decisiveness, follow-through, and the ability to lead through others. The Executive Director works closely with the Chief Experience Officer and university leadership to turn strategy into action and ensure the department consistently delivers exceptional work. Responsibilities Lead and oversee a portfolio of high-profile university events, ensuring projects are well planned, well executed, and aligned with institutional priorities. Provide direct leadership for project managers, coordinators, production staff, and event operations personnel. Set expectations, monitor progress, provide feedback, and address performance issues when necessary. Ensure projects remain on schedule, decisions are made in a timely manner, risks are identified early, and teams are consistently working ahead, rather than reacting to deadlines. Review project progress regularly and challenge assumptions, timelines, and recommendations to ensure work is advancing at the pace and quality expected by the department. Balance workloads, staffing assignments, and departmental resources to support successful execution across the event portfolio. Remove barriers, solve problems, and make decisions that keep projects moving forward. Oversee event planning, logistics, production, staffing, inventory, safety and security coordination, and on-site execution. Develop and maintain planning processes, operational standards, tools, and procedures that improve consistency, efficiency, and quality. Work closely with university partners, vendors, and stakeholders to coordinate planning, communication, approvals, and execution. Oversee budgets, vendor relationships, contracts, purchasing activity, and resource decisions with a focus on responsible stewardship of university resources. Evaluate event outcomes, team performance, and stakeholder feedback to identify improvements and strengthen future planning efforts. Represent University Events & Experience with professionalism, sound judgment, and composure during planning meetings, executive briefings, rehearsals, and live events. Additional duties as assigned. Salary OPEN Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Ten years of progressively responsible experience in event management, event operations, hospitality, advancement events, project management, or a related field. Five years of supervisory experience leading professional staff, including coaching, performance management, accountability, workload planning, and employee development. Experience leading complex, high-visibility events involving executive leadership, multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant operational complexity. Demonstrated ability to lead teams, establish expectations, hold people accountable, and achieve results thro