The UVA Health Development Office seeks an Assistant or Associate Director for Strategic Events to join our committed, collaborative, and results-driven Donor Relations and Strategic Engagement team in support of the continued success of the University’s Honor the Future Campaign.

The Assistant/Associate Director will play a lead role in conceptualizing, planning and executing a wide range of high-level, targeted, purposeful events designed to engage, cultivate, and steward key stakeholders. The successful candidate will focus on more than just logistics; they will provide leadership and direction on event strategy, content, and evaluation, and we will rely on them to make recommendations and ensure comprehensive follow-up strategies. The Assistant/Associate Director will be highly motivated and organized, creative, detail-oriented, and dedicated to our shared goal of growing meaningful relationships with grateful patients, alumni, and supporters. They will be responsible for planning and executing high-profile in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, and will also partner with University Advancement colleagues and other schools/units on events designed to enhance UVA Health’s relationship with broader University constituencies. The incumbent will report to the Director of Donor Relations & Strategic Engagement.

Responsibilities:

Event Planning and Execution – 65%

Serve as lead planner for all aspects of approved events, to include:

• Prepare and maintain all internal planning documents to include event executive pitches/outlines, planning timelines, run of show, etc.; identify event planning team, coordinate regular planning meetings, assign duties. Identify budget and funding source(s) for event; track expenditure to remain on budget.
• Manage all logistics related to events, serving as point for all vendor relationships and negotiating contracts and bids for services as necessary and in compliance with UVA procurement guidelines. Identify creative, special touches to enhance overall guest experience.
• Play an active role in building curated invitation lists for leadership and milestone events, in collaboration with office leadership and development officers; provide guidance/oversight for creation of targeted invitation lists by individual program teams for all other events. Track guest responses, maintain final response and attendee records and track event data in CRM.
• Collaborate with team to identify event communications needs, partnering with communications colleagues and others as appropriate; duties include drafting initial content as appropriate, designing simple electronic invitations and managing approval process.
• Collaborate with development teams, Communications team, and faculty to produce rich program content to engage guests and deliver key messaging centered on high-priority areas. Develop creative methods to share information about research breakthroughs and advancements in patient care through event programming. For hybrid events, manage multiple event strategies to provide meaningful experiences to both in-person and virtual attendees.
• Prepare executive briefing materials for leadership attendees, coordinate other prep for leadership, speakers as needed.
• Develop/implement follow-up strategy in collaboration with team to ensure timely follow through with attendees/invitees post-event.
• Develop and fully implement an office-wide event evaluation process. Track key metrics and input event data in CRM for future ROI reporting. Compile periodic data-based reports to inform future events strategy.
• Collaborate with volunteer hosts/committees on selected events, identifying and communicating clear roles/expectations for volunteer(s), to include any monetary donations toward event costs.
• Ensure compliance with all University and industry event best practices including UVA risk management, gift processing, and procurement guidelines.

Strategy and Concept Development – 20%

• Conceptualize and develop a comprehensive events strategy in collaboration with Director and key stakeholders to introduce and highlight UVA Health, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and Medical Center leadership, priority funding areas, and differentiating areas of research and care, with the goal of deepening constituent relationships with UVA Health.
• Develop and refine a variety of event models (in-person, virtual, and hybrid) designed to effectively engage, cultivate, and steward core UVA Health core constituencies to maximize development outcomes. Scope of events to include (but not limited to) milestone events, signature events, leadership rollouts events, campaign events, and athletic events.
• Evaluate event proposals to determine feasibility and effectiveness for accomplishing development objectives; refine team event proposals to align with best practices, staff resources, and budget; make recommendations to Director on specific event proposals.
• Ensure that prior to launch, every event has a defined purpose and actionable follow up strategy to maximize development outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to broaden audience for UVA Health events through strategic partnerships with University Advancement Engagement team and other UVA teams on topics of interest to wider UVA community.

Other Events – 15%

• Collaborate with University Advancement and other UVA colleagues on planning and execution of select events (virtual and in-person) designed to introduce broader UVA audiences to philanthropic opportunities at UVA Health. Serve as point for UVA Health and liaison to UVA Health faculty and teams.
• Manage all opportunities for leadership to host donor constituents for athletic events throughout year.
• Provide event support for semi-annual Health Foundation Board meetings.
• Coordinate planning of internal team events such as annual holiday party and annual staff retreat.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience planning and executing high-level events, with some exposure to building events strategy
• Proven track record of leading, planning, and executing successful in-person events, and optionally, virtual and hybrid events
• Strong attention to detail and high standard of excellence
• Superior project management skills and results-oriented organization skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while adhering to tight deadlines
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to communicate confidently, professionally and effectively with executive leadership, donors, volunteers, and colleagues
• High level of initiative and ownership; ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Ability to prioritize work and pivot quickly in response to shifting priorities
• Ability to perform well under pressure individually and collaboratively as a part of a team
• Highest ethical standards and attention to confidentiality when dealing with donor and patient information
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a strong orientation to collaboration and teamwork
• Ability to work effectively in a complex environment
• Possess a command of cultural sensitivity and value and embrace cultural, political, and social differences. The incumbent will contribute to an environment that encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior event planning experience in non-profit, higher education, or healthcare philanthropy environment; robust understanding of principles of philanthropy
• Demonstrated experience developing events strategy around strategic engagement for broader philanthropic objectives
• Prior experience working in a complex organizational environment and/or familiarity with an academic medical center or healthcare environment
• Experience with/proficiency in use of digital event invitation/registration tools such as Marketing Cloud, Cvent, Paperless Post, Green Envelope, EventBrite, etc.
• Experience with/proficiency in graphic design software, such as InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
• Experience with/proficiency in use of project management software

Some evening and weekend hours are required with this position. Position also requires access to personal vehicle that can be used to transport event supplies from storage facility to event venues, etc.

This job will be filled at either the Assistant or Associate level, depending on the successful candidate’s experience, knowledge, and competencies. The ideal candidate for the Assistant Director will have at least three years of previous event planning experience focused on strategic engagement in the nonprofit sector, and have experience and/or exposure developing a strategic framework for events. The ideal candidate for the Associate Director will have five or more years of event planning experience focused on strategic engagement in the nonprofit sector, with demonstrated experience setting events strategy in support of philanthropic objectives.

Anticipated Hiring Range: $52,000-$58,000 (for Assistant Director); $58,000-$65,000 (for Associate Director).

Location: The UVA Health Development Office operates within a distributed teams model for work, offering a flexible and hybrid work space. While this position is based in Charlottesville, VA, qualified candidates will be considered who live within a reasonable driving distance of Charlottesville with the expectation that they would travel to Charlottesville periodically and as needed for meetings and events. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and work collaboratively with others using a variety of technologies and tools. Shared office space is available to staff in Charlottesville, VA. Depending on the type of position and work performed, or as deemed by manager, some positions may be required to work intermittently in a shared office space.

Required Application Materials: Please submit a resume and a cover letter to include your interest, knowledge, skills, abilities or experience related to the position as well as your interest, knowledge, skills, abilities, or experience that support excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion (Inclusive Excellence - Statement Guidance for applicants can be found here, https://eocr.virginia.edu/Contribution-IE-Applicants)

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, University Advancement honors your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, we strive to create and maintain working environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming so we can best achieve our mission of supporting our broadly diverse partners, schools, and networks of engaged alumni, parents, and friends of the University.

This position will remain open until filled. This is an Exempt level, benefited position. This position is a restricted position and is dependent upon project need, availability of funding and performance. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. For questions about the position or the application process, please contact Daniel Strong, Senior Recruiter at das6zb@virginia.edu

How to Apply:

Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration, please note that multiple documents can be uploaded in the box.

Process for External Applicants: Please apply through Workday, and search for ‘R0036061'. Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).

Process for Internal UVA Applicants: Please apply through your Workday Home page, search “Find Jobs,” and search for ‘R0036061.’ Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.