Virginia Tech
Associate Director of Special Events
🇺🇸 Blacksburg, VA
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $70K - $80K
💻 Project Management
🗓️ June 27th, 2025
Blackbaud
CRM
Edtech.com's Summary
Virginia Tech is hiring an Associate Director of Special Events to lead and manage a team of event coordinators within the University Advancement division. The role involves supervising staff, overseeing the planning and execution of high-profile events, collaborating with university leadership, managing budgets, and improving internal processes to ensure successful and engaging university events.
Highlights
- Lead and supervise a team of five event coordinators, providing coaching and operational oversight.
- Plan and execute major university and advancement-related events including Commencement, donor and alumni engagement, and campaign celebrations.
- Collaborate with university leadership and planning committees to align event goals with strategic priorities.
- Manage use of project management tools such as Asana and Prism, and oversee event-related operations in Blackbaud database.
- Assist with budgeting, payment processing, and represent the Office of Special Events in the Director’s absence.
- Required qualifications include a Master’s degree or Bachelor's with significant professional experience, proven staff supervisory experience, and strong organizational and communication skills.
- Proficiency with office software, relational databases, and project management platforms is essential.
- Preferred experience includes administrative management, ERP/CRM systems, budget preparation, and working with advancement services and donor engagement.
- Salary range is $70,000 to $80,000 annually with a 40+ hour workweek.
- Position requires flexibility to work nights, weekends, and travel; also mandates a criminal conviction check and a safe driving record.
Associate Director of Special Events Full Description
Job Description
The Associate Director of Special Events, reporting to the Director of Special Events, serves as a key leader and strategic manager within University Advancement’s Special Events team at Virginia Tech. This position is primarily responsible for supervising, coaching, and supporting a team of five event coordinators, ensuring effective project management, team collaboration, and problem-solving across a wide range of university and advancement-related events. While a background in event planning is important, the most critical qualification is demonstrated strength in team management, operational oversight, and process improvement. This position requires a leader who can balance high-level event strategy with hands-on staff management, enabling the team to consistently produce high-quality events that maximize engagement and reflect responsible fiscal stewardship.
The Office of Special Events is responsible for planning and executing an extensive portfolio of Advancement and university-wide events, including Commencement, donor stewardship and alumni engagement events, building dedications, recognition and campaign celebrations, and other high-profile functions involving the university’s major donors, alumni, and friends. The team partners with university leadership, event owners, and planning committees to ensure each event meets the highest standards of excellence, flows smoothly, aligns with strategic priorities, and supports engagement and participation goals.
The Associate Director plays a vital role in maintaining consistent planning practices across the team by leading regular meetings with coordinators, assisting with onboarding and ongoing training, and supporting the use of project management tools like Asana and Prism. This position is also responsible for overseeing the event-related use of the division’s Blackbaud database, including registration forms, tracking, and payment processing.
In addition to team leadership, the Associate Director leads the planning of select high-profile events, collaborates closely with the Director on budget creation and processes, and serves as the primary point of contact for the office in the Director’s absence. This role also represents the Office of Special Events on university-wide committees and works directly with Advancement leadership and campus partners across departments.
The Associate Director must have the ability to:
- Travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation.
- Work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when needed.
- Interact effectively and professionally with all levels of university officials, as well as university donors, volunteers, and supporters.
- Identify and solve problems proactively in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
- Work independently while exercising sound judgement, with a strong commitment to collaboration and contributing to a high-performing, team-oriented environment.
- Manage multiple priorities and deadlines across a team.
- Draft, write, and appropriately edit printed materials, scripts, and other event and business-related communication materials.
- Manage sensitive or confidential information with discretion.
- Remain flexible, responsive, and effective in high-pressure or rapidly changing situations.
Required Qualifications
The Office of Special Events is responsible for planning and executing an extensive portfolio of Advancement and university-wide events, including Commencement, donor stewardship and alumni engagement events, building dedications, recognition and campaign celebrations, and other high-profile functions involving the university’s major donors, alumni, and friends. The team partners with university leadership, event owners, and planning committees to ensure each event meets the highest standards of excellence, flows smoothly, aligns with strategic priorities, and supports engagement and participation goals.
The Associate Director plays a vital role in maintaining consistent planning practices across the team by leading regular meetings with coordinators, assisting with onboarding and ongoing training, and supporting the use of project management tools like Asana and Prism. This position is also responsible for overseeing the event-related use of the division’s Blackbaud database, including registration forms, tracking, and payment processing.
In addition to team leadership, the Associate Director leads the planning of select high-profile events, collaborates closely with the Director on budget creation and processes, and serves as the primary point of contact for the office in the Director’s absence. This role also represents the Office of Special Events on university-wide committees and works directly with Advancement leadership and campus partners across departments.
The Associate Director must have the ability to:
- Travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation.
- Work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when needed.
- Interact effectively and professionally with all levels of university officials, as well as university donors, volunteers, and supporters.
- Identify and solve problems proactively in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
- Work independently while exercising sound judgement, with a strong commitment to collaboration and contributing to a high-performing, team-oriented environment.
- Manage multiple priorities and deadlines across a team.
- Draft, write, and appropriately edit printed materials, scripts, and other event and business-related communication materials.
- Manage sensitive or confidential information with discretion.
- Remain flexible, responsive, and effective in high-pressure or rapidly changing situations.
Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree in related field OR Bachelor's degree with equivalent level of professional training and/or significant relevant professional experience.
- Experience in special event design, programming, planning, delivery, and follow-up to include working with vendors and arranging for contracted services.
- Proven experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with current office computer software such as electronic mail, word processing, spreadsheets, relational database applications and project management tools/platforms in addition to a general comfort with learning new systems and technology.
Preferred Qualifications
- Administrative and/or office management experience.
- Experience with staff interviewing and hiring.
- Experience with ERP/CRM and/or relational databases.
- Experience with budget preparation, payment processing, and reconciliation, including a basic level understanding of general accounting procedures.
- Experience working with professional staff across and/or with advancement services, development fundraisers, alumni directors, and the university community.
- Experience planning or overseeing advancement, donor engagement, or alumni events.
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
$70,000 to $80,000
Hours per week
40+ hours per week
Review Date
August 1, 2025
Additional Information
Unable to sponsor work visas
Safe driving record
Uncommon Work Schedule – (Rotating Shifts, Weekend, Nights)
Safe driving record
Uncommon Work Schedule – (Rotating Shifts, Weekend, Nights)
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Advancement Human Resources at advhr@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
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