Associate Director University Center

About the role

Functional responsibilities are divided across three areas:

• Reservations and Information Desk (40% effort) – Provide leadership for reservation functions, interpret and enforce policies, oversee complex scheduling, resolve client issues, coordinate with service partners, lead the Event Services Planning Network, ensure safety/security and cleanliness, and serve as campus lead for Mazevo.
• Marketing and Public Relations (40% effort) – Lead staff training, update handbooks, participate in management team and strategic planning, manage budgets and revenue targets, oversee billing accuracy, monitor compliance, develop reports, hire and mentor student employees, and support emergency preparedness.
• Marketing and Public Relations (20% effort) – Cultivate the department’s online identity, advise student employees on event calendars, and promote UC resources and activities.

Responsibilities

• Interpret, apply, and enforce reservation policies and procedures.
• Provide event planning support and training to internal clients.
• Oversee complex scheduling using a tiered system; prioritize client needs and recommend alternatives; contribute to long-range event planning for high-profile and traditional campus events.
• Communicate with clients to ensure smooth-running events and resolve problems tactfully and promptly.
• Coordinate with health and safety, IT, custodial, facilities, parking, and other partners to align services and staffing.
• Lead the Event Services Planning Network to support campus event planners.
• Ensure quality service, participant safety, facility security, and cleanliness; report safety/security concerns per protocol.
• Serve as campus lead for Mazevo, supporting other facility managers and collaborating with IT on updates.
• Develop and implement student staff training; update the UC student employee handbook and Reservations/Scheduling handbook.
• Provide leadership for the department alongside the Director, serve on the management team, and represent the department on committees.
• Participate in strategic planning, budgeting, revenue target setting, and billing accuracy reviews.
• Monitor compliance with unit, department, university, and government standards and policies.
• Develop reports, analyses, and surveys; investigate and correct errors; handle special projects.
• Interview, hire, train, and evaluate approximately 10–16 student employees; set performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provide ongoing feedback and mentoring.
• Articulate the UC mission and goals to clients regarding building usage.
• Cultivate the department’s online identity via website and social media; promote UC resources and activities.
• Advise University Center Programs student employees on a strategic calendar of promotional, passive, and traditional events to foster student belonging.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Eight years of progressively responsible experience in a student union/center.
• Substitution options:
  • Master’s degree in higher education, communication, leadership, or related field and six years of relevant experience.
  • Doctoral degree in higher education, communication, leadership, or related field and four years of relevant experience.
• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Advanced skills as an administrator in Mazevo or EMS and room diagramming software (e.g., Prismm, Allseated, Social Tables).
• Capacity to multitask complex assignments in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Skilled in conflict resolution and navigating challenging conversations.
• Experience supervising and training student employees.
• Demonstrated experience providing excellent customer service to diverse clients.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings/weekends scheduled in advance and on short notice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, communication, leadership, or related field.
• Experience supervising full-time professional employees.
• Experience designing and implementing leadership training for professional staff, student leaders, or student employees.
• Experience coordinating or managing events for facilities hosting high-visibility, high-impact, and high-risk events.

Pay

Salary: up to $65,000 annually (approximately up to $5,416.67 monthly).

Benefits

• Insurance – Medical: $0–$30 per month for Employee Only coverage after university contribution ($920 value); up to 83% of premium covered by the university for Employee and Spouse, Employee and Children, and Employee and Family coverage.
• Dental & Vision
• Life Insurance, Accidental D&D, Long Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account and Day Care Spending Account
• Work Life Solutions: Counseling, Work Life Assistance, Financial Resources, and Legal Resources
• Tuition Benefits: Public Loan Forgiveness, book scholarships, 100% tuition coverage for up to 18 credit hours per fiscal year (other rules may apply)
• Retirement: Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or Optional Retirement Plan (ORP); Voluntary Tax Deferred Account/Deferred Compensation Plan
• Time Off: 8+ hours of vacation paid time off every month; 8 hours of sick leave every month; 8 hours of paid time off for Birthday leave; 12–15 paid holidays each year