Target Date of Employment: January 1, 2026
Primary Focus
The Special Events Director is responsible for planning, organizing, and executing a wide range of alumni and university promotion events to enhance stakeholder engagement, foster community spirit, and promote the university’s mission and values. This role involves collaborating with various departments, managing logistics, overseeing event budgets, and ensuring successful delivery of events that meet the university’s standards.
Description of Duties
Manage the work of the Alumni Association, coordinate their semi-annual Alumni Association Board meetings and maintain board membership.
Preserve the tradition of the Golden Cords by researching candidates and updating the Advancement database to keep the electronic Missions Display current.
Plan, coordinate, and execute university events such as campus and regional alumni gatherings, parent-focused events, community recognitions, and various fundraising activities.
Collaborate with university departments, vendors, and external partners to ensure seamless event operations.
Develop event concepts, themes, and budgets; manage procurement and contracts with vendors, caterers, entertainment, and other service providers.
Handle all logistical aspects including venue selection, setup, registration, transportation, accommodations, and technical requirements.
Promote events through various channels, including mail, social media, email campaigns, community announcements, and campus outreach.
Oversee event registration and attendee management, ensuring a positive experience for all participants. Track individual attendance in advancement database.
Monitor event progress, troubleshoot issues, and provide on-site supervision during events.
Conduct post-event evaluations and compile reports to assess success and identify areas for improvement.
Ensure compliance with university policies, safety regulations, and legal requirements.
Physical Demands
• This job primarily operates in typical office setting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
• This job secondarily functions in venues across campus and requires extensive walking, lifting and transporting materials up to 50 pounds, bending, standing, stooping and reaching.
• The employee is regularly required to listen and to talk.
• Requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office machines listed above and other office equipment. Work area is well lighted and ventilated.
• Ability to speak clearly to communicate instructions and clarify understanding.
Work Location and Office Hours
This full-time position includes supervisory responsibilities for student assistants. Work is conducted on- and off-campus and the work hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon. Hours are flexible when work is required on evenings and weekends, or to attend meetings, alumni events or university events. Additional hours may be needed to take opportunity for timely achievement of deadlines. Up to 10% domestic travel time out of office is possible which will involve weekend travel.
Application Consideration of submitted materials will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should complete an application and upload cover letter, resume and references. Submission of materials as a PDF is preferable. All applicants will receive a phone call or email informing them of the likelihood for an interview. Preference is to begin interviews no later than the beginning of November. Finalists for the position will be asked to grant permission for a background check.
Additional Contact Information
LuAnn Davis, CFRE
Vice President for Advancement
Union Adventist University, 3800 S 48th St, Lincoln, NE 68506
P: 402-486-2503 Office; 402-314-0063 Mobile
E: luann.davis@uau.edu
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required, with predilection given to an alumnus of Union College or Union Adventist University.
• Knowledge of, or demonstrated capacity and desire to learn about:
o best practices in alumni relations and parent relations.
o systems to track alumni and parent engagement.
o legal and other issues at federal, state and local levels that have an impact on this role.
o new and emerging methods of connecting with alumni and parents.
• Proven experience in coordinating large-scale events, preferably within a university or educational setting.
• Capacity to work with a team of people to strategically integrate plans and ideas and to achieve measurable results.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and multitasking skills.
• Excellent writing and public speaking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to comfortably meet new people and easily build a good rapport.
• Sound understanding of financial reports and budgeting in order to efficiently operate program within the financial resources allotted to the function.
• Computer proficiency in database management, Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and Google Workspace are required. Past experience with Raiser’s Edge will be beneficial
Special Requirement
• An expressed commitment to Jesus Christ, the teachings and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; a Seventh-day Adventist church member in good and regular standing.
• Must be currently authorized to work lawfully in the United States.