Executive Director of Institutional Events and Public Engagement

About the role

• Job Title
• Executive Director of Institutional Events and Public Engagement
• Agency
• Texas A&M University - San Antonio
• Department
• Strategic Communications
• Proposed Minimum Salary
• Commensurate
• Job Location
• San Antonio, Texas
• Job Type
• Staff

About the role

The Executive Director of Institutional Events and Public Engagement is a strategic leadership role responsible for the vision, administration, revenue generation, and operational execution of all institutional, public, and athletic event services across the university. Reporting to the Vice President for institutional Strategy & Communications, the Executive Director centralizes and modernizes campus-wide hospitality, venue reservation systems, external facility rentals, and large-scale attendee experiences.

This role serves as a critical bridge between academic administration, institutional advancement, community partners, and the Intercollegiate Athletics department. The Executive Director ensures that all signature events, external conferences, venue rentals, and athletic fan experience initiatives cultivate strategic relationships, drive institutional revenue, and uphold the highest standards of hospitality and customer service.

Salary

Commensurate, within range of $75,000 - $85,000

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Institutional Events

• Direct and oversee the planning, logistics, and execution of the university's most complex, prestigious, and highly visible ceremonies and signature community events (e.g., Commencement, Convocation, and Lights of Esperanza).
• Convene, lead, and facilitate university-wide event committees, fostering collaborative partnerships across institutional divisions (including Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Advancement, and Athletics).
• Form and maintain high-level partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to enhance institutional reputation and community goodwill.
• Formulate, evaluate, and enforce event-related operational policies, safety protocols, and system compliance measures across all designated university venues.

Athletics Venue Operations & Fan Experience

• Oversee the reservation, rental management, and scheduling of large athletic facilities for both internal institutional use and external revenue-generating clients.
• Collaborate with Intercollegiate Athletics leadership to plan, coordinate, and execute dynamic fan activity initiatives and game-day guest experience programs.
• Coordinate pricing, institutional chargebacks, and complex billing structures for specialized athletic venue needs (e.g., event security, specialized custodial layouts, and facility technicians) in accordance with university procedures.

Hospitality, Conferences & External Rentals

• Drive auxiliary revenue through the entrepreneurial marketing, promotion, and execution of summer camps, external conferences, corporate meetings, and private social rentals.
• Modernize and manage the central reservation schedule for all reservable campus spaces utilizing the university's scheduling software (e.g., Ad Astra).
• Serve as the primary institutional liaison and executive event coordinator for third-party organizations renting university real estate.
• Negotiate high-value vendor contracts, oversee institutional RFP/RFQ processes, and maintain rigorous financial oversight of complex event budgets, invoicing, and contract compliance.

Facility Management & Resource Stewardship

• Partner directly with Campus Operations and Facilities to coordinate routine maintenance, long-term capital improvements, and renovations for primary event and athletic venues.
• Manage the lifecycle, inventory, and replacement of all assigned event furnishings, capital equipment, and technological assets.

Personnel & Volunteer Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate a professional staff team, establishing a culture of premium customer service and accountability.
• Partner with Student Affairs to design comprehensive training frameworks for student ambassadors (e.g., Jaguar Ambassadors) supporting high-profile events.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or higher in related field.
• Ten (10) years of related experience in management.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Public Relations, Communications, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
• Seven (7)+ years of progressive, professional experience in large-scale event management, venue operations, or hospitality administration.
• Three (3)+ years of direct supervisory experience managing professional staff, cross-functional committees, and large volunteer teams.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, negotiating high-value vendor contracts, and meeting revenue generation targets.
• Technical Proficiency: Hands-on experience working with centralized venue reservation systems or professional event management software.
• Industry Certifications: Active professional credentials such as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), or Certified Venue Executive (CVE).
• Sector Experience: Prior leadership experience within a higher education institution.
• Community Engagement: Proven track record of building successful public-private partnerships or working closely with municipal/community stakeholders.

Desirable Knowledge

• Higher Education Ecosystem: Deep understanding of university governance, protocol, and academic traditions required for prestigious ceremonies like Commencement and Convocation.
• Athletic & Fan Experience Trends: Strong familiarity with modern gameday operations, fan engagement strategies, and athletic venue safety protocols.
• Risk Management & Safety: Comprehensive knowledge of crowd management, emergency preparedness, liability insurance requirements, and local/national event safety regulations.
• Commercial Revenue Streams: Understanding of event monetization models, including external venue rentals, corporate sponsorships, summer conference housing, and premium hospitality hosting.

Essential Skills

• Strategic Planning & Execution: Ability to transform institutional goals into high-impact public experiences and streamlined operational systems.
• Effective Negotiation: Skilled at reviewing, structuring, and negotiating complex vendor, rental, and service-level agreements.
• Stakeholder Diplomacy: Exceptional communication skills to successfully navigate and bridge different institutional cultures (e.g., Academic Affairs, Advancement, and Athletics).
• Project & Resource Management: Highly organized project management skills capable of overseeing high volume of concurrent venue reservations and multi-layered event timelines.

Core Abilities

• Thrive Under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure, exercise sound judgment, and lead teams through high-stress, real-time crisis situations during major public events.
• Collaborative Leadership: Ability to cultivate trust and foster collaboration among a multicultural, university-wide committees without relying purely on direct authority.

Applicant Requirement Instructions

Please make sure to provide the following documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume / CV
• Professional References

For detailed instructions on how to apply for any position on our website, please use the following link:

Summary of Employee Benefits

Texas A&M University-San Antonio values community engagement and encourages applicants who are committed to advancing the well-being and prosperity of our communities.

• Please ensure that all required documents are uploaded prior to submitting the application.
• Once the application is submitted, no changes or revisions can be made.
• If you have issues with adding documents to your application, please contact HR at.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.