Senior Events and Reservations Manager

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, UT

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Events and Reservations Manager serves as the centralized point of intake, review, and decision-making for event and space reservation requests across Texas Student Experience (TSE) units. This position collects reservation requests from all TSE units and reviews them against established policy. The coordinator keeps the Vice President informed of reservation activity and trends, manages follow-through on every decision, and evaluates opportunities to streamline and consolidate reservation management into a single, unified system. In addition, the coordinator maintains visibility into high-profile and politically sensitive events, convenes cross-unit partners as needed, and ensures the Vice President can respond quickly and accurately to leadership inquiries about event status.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
Three years of experience in event management, conference services, facility reservations, student activities, hospitality management, space administration, or a related field.
Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment in reviewing and approving or denying requests within established policies and procedures.
Experience managing intake or approval workflows requiring follow-through across multiple stakeholders.
Experience coordinating multiple projects and managing competing priorities under time pressure.
Experience administering or using reservation, scheduling, or event management systems.
Demonstrated ability to identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements.
Demonstrated ability to interpret policies and procedures and communicate requirements to a variety of audiences, including senior leadership.
Experience preparing concise written or verbal briefings or recommendations for a supervisor or leadership audience.
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including under short timelines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in higher education, student affairs, campus operations, conference services, or venue management.
Experience evaluating, selecting, or implementing reservation, scheduling, or event management software, including system migrations or consolidations.
Experience coordinating with law enforcement, emergency management, or risk management functions for large-scale or high-profile events.
Experience developing training materials, business processes, or operational documentation.
Experience utilizing data and reporting tools to evaluate operations and improve services.
Experience working with student organizations, external clients, elected officials, or other high-profile stakeholders.
Experience building trust with senior leadership while managing delegated decision-making authority.
Project management experience or certification.

Responsibilities

Collect and consolidate event and space reservation requests from all Texas Student Experience units into a single intake process.
Review reservation requests for completeness, policy compliance, and operational feasibility.
Forward all reservation requests to the Vice President for review, providing the information needed for an informed decision; transition over time, as agreed with the Vice President, toward independently approving or denying standard requests under established policies and procedures.
Escalate urgent, high-visibility, or high-touch requests to the Vice President for direct review and approval, based on jointly established criteria, once independent review and approval authority is in place.
Communicate approval, denial, or conditional-approval decisions to the requesting unit in a timely manner.
Complete follow-through on all decisions: confirm details with the requesting unit, finalize the reservation in the applicable system, and notify relevant stakeholders.
Maintain a comprehensive log of all reservation activity: approved, denied, pending, and escalated, and provide regular summaries to the Vice President.
Evaluate current reservation systems and workflows across units (e.g., Mazevo, EMS, and outdoor space reservation processes) to identify opportunities for improvement.
Research options for consolidating reservation management into a single, unified system across Texas Student Experience units, and develop recommendations for the Vice President's consideration.
Support planning and implementation if a system consolidation or migration is approved, including coordinating with affected units and vendors.
Identify and recommend improvements to the reservation, review, and follow-through workflow based on operational experience and unit feedback.
Track and report progress on process improvement initiatives to the Vice President.
Maintain and update policies, procedures, and guidelines related to event registration, reservation review, and space use.
Develop and maintain, in consultation with the Vice President's office, clear criteria for identifying urgent or high-touch requests that require direct Vice Presidential review.
Interpret and communicate university regulations, building policies, and facility use requirements to internal and external clients.
Develop training materials, user guides, and standing briefing templates that support consistent use of the reservation and review process across units.
Provide consultation and customer support to students, university departments, and external event sponsors regarding event planning and reservation requirements.
Serve as the central point of contact for event-related coordination among TSE units and campus partners.
Collaborate with Facilities Services, University Unions, Fire Prevention Services, Risk Management, UTPD, Parking and Transportation Services, Emergency Management, and University Communications.
Convene relevant stakeholders quickly for events flagged as high-visibility, ensuring safety, communications, and operational plans are coordinated across units.
Coordinate resolution of scheduling conflicts, operational concerns, and event logistics issues.
Serve as the Vice President's office's primary point of contact for status updates on any TSE-affiliated event.
Maintain a standing readiness checklist for flagged events confirming that security, communications, and operational plans are documented and complete ahead of the event.
Prepare concise briefing materials for the Vice President, and university leadership as needed, summarizing event status, risks, and open items.
Monitor developments affecting flagged events and proactively alert the Vice President's office to material changes.
Monitor event readiness and ensure compliance with university policies, safety requirements, and operational standards.
Conduct post-event debriefs for high-visibility events, documenting lessons learned and sharing them with the Vice President's office and relevant units.
Assess customer feedback and operational outcomes to identify opportunities for process improvement.
Participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned.