Associate Director of Student Experience and Events

Illinois Institute of Technology • Chicago, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Student Experience and Events leads the planning, coordination, execution, and assessment of Illinois Tech’s undergraduate and graduate admission events in in-person and virtual formats. Reporting to the Director of Admission Events, Student Experience and Visit Operations, the Associate Director is the primary operational lead for the admission event portfolio and translates enrollment priorities into recruitment and yield experiences for prospective and admitted students and their families. The role manages events from planning through post-event assessment, including campus partner coordination, logistics, communications, staffing, budget administration, and event-day execution. The position works with admission and recruitment teams, Enrollment Marketing, academic leadership, faculty, staff, student employees, and campus partners.

The position is full-time, exempt, and fully on-site at Illinois Tech in Chicago. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening and weekend work is required for pre-scheduled major admission events, student programs, and other recruitment and engagement initiatives; these needs are generally planned in advance. Occasional travel within the Chicagoland area, elsewhere in Illinois, or to other domestic locations may be required. Compensation is $52,000–$60,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for the duration of employment.

The position does not currently have direct professional staff reports, although supervisory responsibilities may be assigned in the future. It requires moving around campus and standing or walking for extended periods during events, and occasionally lifting, carrying, and moving event materials, supplies, signage, or equipment weighing up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made consistent with applicable law.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in higher education, business administration, communications, marketing, hospitality, event management, student affairs, or a related field.
• Four or more years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, admissions, event management, student engagement, hospitality, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience planning and managing complex, high-visibility events or programs involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Equivalent combinations of education and relevant professional experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated leadership and project management skills, including setting priorities, coordinating resources, assigning responsibilities, and maintaining accountability for results.
• Ability to translate enrollment and event priorities into coordinated programs, operational plans, and consistent service standards.
• Strong judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in fast-paced and highly visible event environments.
• Strong communication and relationship-management skills and ability to collaborate with university leadership, faculty, staff, students, vendors, and campus partners.
• Ability to manage multiple complex priorities while maintaining organization, accuracy, operational readiness, and a high level of service.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use event results, participant feedback, and relevant enrollment data to evaluate outcomes and support continuous improvement.
• Ability to use standard office technology and equipment in a primarily in-person campus environment.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States presently and for the duration of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in higher education, business administration, communications, marketing, hospitality, event management, student affairs, or a related field.
• Supervisory, team leadership, or significant project leadership experience.
• Experience supporting recruitment, enrollment, prospective or admitted student engagement, or campus visit programs in a higher education environment.
• Experience with Slate or comparable CRM, event management, scheduling, or reporting systems.
• Experience with Square POS.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and execution of undergraduate and graduate admission events in in-person and virtual formats.
• Develop event plans, timelines, staffing assignments, operating procedures, contingency plans, and measures of success.
• Manage event logistics, including registration, space planning, guest services, technology, dining, transportation, signage, supplies, and related operational needs.
• Serve as a visible event leader and primary operational resource for issues affecting schedules, staffing, facilities, technology, and guest experience.
• Coordinate participation by academic units, faculty, staff, students, and campus partners in admission events and recruitment programs.
• Partner with Enrollment Marketing, Facilities, Public Safety, Dining, technology, space management, and other campus stakeholders to support event delivery.
• Coordinate student engagement, campus visit activity, staffing, and shared resources with the Assistant Director and Visitors Center Operations Coordinator.
• Provide functional leadership to professional staff, student employees, university partners, and others assigned to events, establishing roles, expectations, and accountability.
• Assess events using attendance, participant feedback, satisfaction, conversion, yield, and other relevant measures.
• Prepare event recaps and identify outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving future programs and operations.
• Reconcile event expenditures, purchasing, vendor commitments, and other resources in partnership with the Director.
• Evaluate vendor performance and resource use to identify efficiencies and inform future planning.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Lifelidays.
• Applicable paid and job-protected leave benefits.
• Long-term disability insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with university contributions and matching for eligible employees.
• Tuition assistance programs.
• Flexible spending and commuter benefits.
• Employee assistance program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior