Assistant Director, Major Events & Ticketing

Leadership Opportunities In Major Events And TicketingThe Center for Campus Involvement (CCI) is a dynamic, student-focused department that serves all undergraduate and graduate students through programs, student organization administration, and learning and development. Through meaningful involvement, CCI creates transformative experiences, a vibrant community, and lifelong memories for University of Michigan students. CCI recognizes and supports over 1,700 student organizations through education, advising, advocacy and services. CCI also implements hundreds of social, educational, and cultural programs each year, focused on building community within and beyond University Unions' facilities.You will provide leadership for major events and ticketing within the Center for Campus Involvement (CCI) in University Unions, ensuring high-quality production services for student organizations, university departments, and non-University clients. Reporting to the CCI Associate Director, you will set direction for business processes, service delivery, and financial performance; supervise key functional full-time and temporary student employees; and serve as CCI's primary representative with clients and campus partners to ensure successful service levels, address issues, mitigate risk, and ensure timely, successful outcomes. You will oversee major event and ticketing operations across major campus venues as well as reservations and policies for the Central Campus Diag and North Campus Gerstacker Grove, while upholding university standards related to safety, freedom of expression, and community-building.Responsibilities include:Providing strategic guidance for Major Events and the Michigan Union Ticket Office, ensuring effective service, production, student advising, and community-building experiences for campus.Assessing and enhancing current workflows to identify opportunities for increased operational efficiency.Hiring, training, and supervising three full-time staff: the Michigan Union Ticket Office Manager, Major Events Manager, and Community & Belonging Specialist, along with around 20 temporary student employees and temporary venue production staff (i.e., IATSE stagehands), to collaboratively serve students and customers.Ensuring the staff team assesses event impacts and risks, ensuring de-escalation and communication practices, and upholds university policies, including freedom of expression and safety.Overseeing training for student employee supervisors to implement learning and development initiatives and maintain accountability for student employees job responsibilities.Leading strategic partnerships with University Productions, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, University Musical Society, University and Development Events, Facilities & Operations, Michigan Athletics, Student Life Budget & Finance, The Ark in Ann Arbor, the Arts Initiative, and other partners.Developing and implementing annual operational plans for major events, MUTO ticketing services, and Central Campus Diag/North Campus Grove policies and reservations.Making informed decisions on space usage and event contracts, and providing university oversight for events and vendor selection.Working collaboratively with CCI and UU staff to develop a well-considered plan to build an inclusive community through organizations and programs across campus.Evaluating student and staff needs and providing guidance or training to ensure alignment with organizational goals and initiatives.Serving as a leader on the CCI Leadership Team, integrating functional areas across the department to execute strategy and ensure mission alignment.Other duties include:Overseeing the management of major events in campus performance venues, including Hill Auditorium (3500 seats), the Power Center for the Performing Arts (1300 seats), Rackham Auditorium (1000 seats), and Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (620 seats), hosted by student organizations, U-M departments, and non-University clients.Managing the CCI Major Events Scheduling System, working in partnership with University Productions.Managing event reservations and activities on the Central Campus Diag and North Campus Gerstacker Grove, the two primary outdoor community spaces at the University of Michigan, working in partnership with Facilities & Operations Outdoor Events, DPSS, and other essential campus partners for outdoor space use.Evaluating the scope, scale, and complexity of events permitted in campus spaces and venues, using professional judgment.Overseeing risk management for event spaces, ensuring university policies and standards are upheld.Planning and overseeing all technical and production aspects of major events, including production schedules, safety compliance, and effective use of resources such as Tessitura ticketing software.Advising on and negotiating the physical layout of production; supervising IATSE stagehands and exercising judgment in implementing safety laws (e.g., OSEH procedure) and building and public safety codes, while maintaining responsibility for the facility.Leading Michigan Union Ticket Office operations, negotiating ticketing agreements, ensuring effective client and staff communication, and enhancing the use of the Tessitura ticketing software.Financial management responsibilities include:Developing and maintaining budgets, preparing financial reports and budget projections, meeting financial expectations, and identifying cost efficiencies for short- and long-term success.Pursuing and ensuring revenue-generating opportunities with external and department clients to meet annual budget requirements while maintaining a student organization-centered focus.Serving as Student Life's authority for professional speaker and performer contracts and as signature authority for agreements up to $1,000.Coordinating the review and negotiation of performance contracts with booking agencies and promoters, including contract riders, about all technical aspects of the show, and ensuring all contracts comply with all laws, University policy, and music industry standards.Overseeing departmental purchasing, procurement policies, and procedures.Other duties include:As an integral part of CCI/UU and Student Life, serve on committees and work teams, such as the UU Management Team.Serve on the Student Life Activism Planning and Response Team.Serve on the Hart-Wright Major Venue Scheduling Committee.Participate in staff training and professional development opportunities.Required qualifications include:Bachelor's degree in higher education, student affairs, event management, arts administration, business, or a related field.3-5 years of progressive professional experience in major event production, venue and client management, ticketing operations, OR student activities/programming.Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience, including full-time staff and/or student employees.Experience with budget management and financial oversight.Desired qualifications include:6 or more years of major event production experience.Master's degree in arts administration, business, or a related field.Previous experience with ticketing software (i.e., Tessitura, Ticketmaster, etc.)Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.