Associate/Assistant Director, Advancement Events

The Assistant Director, Advancement Events is responsible for coordinating and supporting Alumni and Family Engagement (AFE) events at Denison University. This position assists with the planning and execution of events ranging from smaller-scale to large signature engagements, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for attendees and stakeholders.  

The Assistant Director manages and supports AFE’s event registration and guest management systems including building event sites, maintaining registration data, processing updates and RSVPs, and supporting payment tracking where applicable. and collaborates across departments to maintain data accuracy, consistency, and compliance. This role also coordinates event logistics materials such as name badges, escort cards, seating lists, tickets, and attendee reports, ensuring accuracy and organization throughout the event lifecycle. 

Working collaboratively across departments, the Assistant Director supports vendor coordination, maintains event-related data and documentation, and contributes to efficient event operations and strong customer service for alumni, families, donors, and campus partners.

Department/Division Overview: 

Institutional Advancement plays a vital role in furthering Denison University’s mission by inspiring meaningful engagement and philanthropic support among alums, families, and friends. Our work is centered on building lasting relationships that strengthen the Denison community and create opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and alums to thrive. We connect Denisonians to one another and to the university, helping ensure that a Denison education — with all of its lifelong impacts — remains accessible to talented students regardless of their financial circumstances.

As a member of Institutional Advancement, you will join a collaborative, mission-driven team that values partnership, creativity, and shared success. Colleagues across the division work together to deepen constituent engagement and secure the resources that advance the university’s priorities. This is an especially exciting time to join the team as Denison continues the momentum of What We Can Be: The Denison Campaign, a bold effort to strengthen opportunities for students and fortify Denison’s position as a leading innovator among liberal arts colleges. Every role in the division contributes to building a stronger, more connected Denison community and a brighter future for generations of students and alums. 

Responsibilities:

• Manage and support event registration platforms including AlmaBase, Whova, and Qualtrics, including back-end event builds, attendee workflows, registration maintenance, payment processing systems (including iPads and credit card processing), troubleshooting, and overall user experience to ensure a seamless registration and event experience for attendees. 

• Support large-scale signature Alumni & Family Engagement (AFE) programs and events, while managing small-scale events and engagements from planning through execution. 

• Build and maintain event registration sites, process RSVP updates and attendee changes, and ensure accurate guest tracking, reporting, accounting, and data management throughout the event lifecycle. Prepare and maintain RSVP, attendance, and registration reporting to ensure accurate and timely information for internal stakeholders 

• Provide onsite event coordination and guest support during Alumni & Family Engagement (AFE) programs and events, including registration management, attendee assistance, vendor coordination, student reunion crew support and management of assigned tasks, and troubleshooting day-of event logistics 

• Coordinate event logistics materials including name badges, escort cards, seating lists, tickets, attendee materials, and onsite registration support 

• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to gather feedback, assess event success, and identify opportunities for improvement in event systems and attendee engagement.

• Coordinate rooming lists and lodging logistics for signature programs and weekends, including partnership management with the Granville Inn.

• Document, maintain, and update standards, procedures, and best practices for AFE event systems and processes to ensure operational consistency across the team.

• Assist with other Advancement and AFE Events team projects as needed.

Minimum Requirements: 

Bachelor’s Degree in event management, hospitality management, or related field.

Relevant experience can be substituted for education. Proven experience in event planning and operations, preferably in an educational or similar institution.

1-3 years of professional experience planning events
 

Preferred Requirements:

Demonstrated event planning experience in a higher education or advancement/non-profit environment working with alumni, donor and volunteer audiences.

Why Choose Denison? 

Denison University is a leading, fully residential liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio, located  just outside the Columbus metro area. Established in 1831, Denison blends a rigorous academic foundation with an award-winning approach to student mentorship and career readiness. With a vibrant campus community of 2,400 students and around 2,000 employees, Denison offers employees a supportive, forward-thinking environment dedicated to educational excellence and professional growth. 

Denison provides a number of staff-focused benefits, with some highlights:

• 10% contribution to your retirement

• 22 vacation days

• 3 floating holidays

• Paid campus closure from Christmas to New Years

• Free parking and gym membership

• Free classes for employees

• Full tuition coverage for dependents

Want to learn more about us? Visit Denison.edu for more information. 

Salary: Up to 73,644.58