Director of Special Events and Programs

Department Advancement Job Family Administrator Vassar College is deeply committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees by promoting an environment of transparency and respect for differences. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds who meet the qualifications of a posting. If you need to request an accommodation to fully participate in the search process, please contact careers@vassar.edu . Job Description Position Summary Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Engagement and Executive Director of AAVC, the Director of Special Events and Programs (SEP) develops and executes a series of high-impact events and educational programs that engage Vassar College’s alums and other community members in support of institutional goals. The Director oversees a portfolio of on-campus, off-campus, and virtual events, ensuring alignment with the College’s mission and advancement priorities. In collaboration with colleagues across Advancement and campus departments, the Director designs signature “learning for a lifetime” experiences and manages the SEP team to deliver cohesive, mission-driven programming that strengthens constituent engagement and institutional visibility. The SEP team consists of the Director, a Senior Associate Director and an Office Specialist. The ideal candidate will be a strategist, content curator and logistics producer for this small and busy team. Responsibilities Special Events: Work with various Advancement and campus partners to produce special events (on campus and regionally) that feature Vassar’s President, highlight institutional priorities (such as campaigns), and steward constituents (donors, volunteers, etc.). Intellectual Programming: Develop and implement a diverse and sustainable series of annual educational programs that are delivered both virtually and in person. While modest funding is available to subsidize these efforts, the majority of these programs must be budget-neutral or revenue-producing and tailored to the varied interests of the alum body. Programming should showcase Vassar’s excellence and experts (faculty, alums and other stakeholders). Event Management: Ensure best practices in event planning, implementation, and data management are standardized among and executed by all SEP team members. Relationship Building & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build and sustain the trust necessary for enduring and successful relationships with colleagues and constituents. Facilitate collaboration between SEP and other Advancement areas, as well as campus partners. Priority stakeholders include The Vice President’s Office, Advancement Communications, and faculty (including the Dean). Budget Development and Oversight: Fine-tune SEP operating budgets based on annual allocations, ensuring all dollars are connected to stated goals and objectives. Develop strategy and targets for programs that must generate revenue to offset and/or…