Department Summary:

The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University is pleased to announce that we are hiring a Director of Events to join our team. The Ray Center maintains a strong organizational culture, consistently scoring as the highest-rated culture department at Drake University. Our small, dedicated team is excited to welcome someone who wants to utilize their positive attitude, initiative, energy, and expertise to positively impact the lives of others.

The Ray Center is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities by improving civility through character development and ethical leadership. To that end, we work in early childhood education, K-12 education, post-secondary education, athletics and activities, workplaces, and the community to help shape the culture of organizations and develop the character of individuals within those groups. The Ray Center is the global home to CHARACTER COUNTS!, the world’s foremost character development organization, impacting over 8 million youth worldwide.

Job Summary:

The Ray Center seeks a dynamic individual with extensive event experience who will focus specifically on The Ray Center’s events and recognition efforts as well as related administrative management functions.

The successful applicant will work collaboratively with The Ray Center administrative team to ensure a culture of excellence is developed in the workplace and with external partners. The individual will strategically plan, direct, facilitate, secure partnerships, and implement all elements of event initiatives, recognition, and administrative management functions in coordination with the executive director and leadership team to ensure excellence, meet and exceed strategic objectives, and stakeholder expectations.

Events include, and are not limited to, The Ray Center’s annual fundraising event - An All-Star Evening, the Iowa Character Awards, the Donna and Darnell Pettengill Civic Leadership Academy, CHARACTER COUNTS! Week, National Civility Summit for Local Governments, and the Pursuing Victory With Honor Summit. Partner collaboration events include Exercising Your Character, CHARACTER COUNTS! with Drake Women’s Basketball, and CHARACTER COUNTS! Day with the I-Cubs. The individual will also work to strategically grow our recognition efforts and recognition projects with our partner organizations.

This position will require periodic travel, including day trips and overnight stays. While this will fluctuate, this could account for approximately 5% of the time.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree, required.
7-10 years experience in large event planning with successful impact
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain positive relationships
Exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
Demonstrated commitment to exceptional organizational culture
Prior leadership with, and management of, direct reports
Exceptional proficiency in Microsoft Office programs

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree

Job Duties:

• 70% - Strategically plan, direct, facilitate, secure partnerships, and implement all elements of event initiatives, recognition, and administrative management functions in coordination with the executive director and leadership team to ensure excellence. Meet and exceed strategic objectives and stakeholder expectations. - (Essential)
  
  
• 15% - Assist the executive director in developing the strategic plan, individual work plans, and budget to achieve the organization's mission. Provide strategic and financial analysis to the director. Support program efforts with board advisory committee(s). General management and administrative duties as assigned by the executive director. - (Essential)
  
  
• 10% - Manage the selection, termination, development, measurement, motivation, and cooperation of direct reports. Mentor, guide, and coach direct reports to expand their capabilities and build excellence in the organization. Performs other duties as assigned. - (Essential)
  
  
• 5% - Provide liaison relationship among non-academic departments, functions, or groups within Drake University. - (Essential)

Salary & Benefits

The salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications of the selected candidate. This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt (salaried) position.

At Drake, we are proud to offer our employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents a comprehensive benefits package, which includes a wide range of core benefits, perks, and discounts. If you are exploring a job with Drake University, we invite you to spend a little time with our digital benefits guide: Drake Benefits Guide (Plan Year 2024).

One of our very popular policies provides a tuition waiver for Drake employees, their spouses, and eligible dependents. Drake also participates in not one, but two tuition exchange programs available to dependent children. You can learn about both the tuition waiver policy and tuition exchange programs here: Tuition Benefits.