Associate Athletic Director/Director of Convocation Center

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Convocation Center Oversight – 35%

  • Day to day oversight of the Convocation Center to include supervisory oversight of four full-time professional staff positions.

  • Conducts regular meetings with each direct report, assesses and monitor progress, and creates a cohesive team that effectively administers the department’s operations and initiatives. This includes an evaluation of the organization’s efficiencies and effectiveness and making organizational changes for improvement.

  • Conducts regularly scheduled staff meetings.

  • Provides mentorship, training, and annual evaluations accordingly.

  • Directs oversight of all students/extra help employment to ensure training for customer service and risk management at all events.

  • Supervises the coordination of Media Services for video shoots during the sports season.

• Leadership, Representation, & General Administration – 20%

  • Serves as a Department Head within Intercollegiate Athletics attending Department Head meetings, presenting at Athletics Town Hall upon request, and providing recommendations to upper management accordingly.

  • Participates on University committees as requested/required.

  • Provides leadership, developing strategic and operational short and long-term plans to effectively administer the day-to-day oversight of the Convocation Cener. This includes the development and implementation of department and administrative policies and procedures.

  • Ensures safety of all Convocation Center patrons to include policy review/updates, working with Senior Administration to minimize risk management at all events held within the Center.

  • Monitors business procedures for compliance with University and Department policies and procedures; Ensures cash handling operations are consistent with Internal Auditor’s recommendations.

• Budget & Event Responsibilities – 15%

  • Conducts facility tours with clients.

  • Consults with finance department to review billing for events and assists in the collection of final payments.

  • Serves as a liaison between client and director regarding contracts and event services.

  • Regularly reviews fees and conducts market analysis.

  • Obtains or monitors the acquisition of necessary permits, licenses, and insurance to conduct events and meetings.

• Revenue Generation & Strategic Plan – 15%

  • Oversees Convocation Center revenue generation initiatives to include partnership with NIU Athletics Development unit, reviewing and implementing new revenue generation ideas as determined appropriate and in consultation with senior administration.

  • Coordinates and implements NIU Athletics Strategic Plan pillars accordingly and as required/requested by senior administration.

  • Oversees all marketing initiatives within Convocation Center to ensure promotion of events and reviews contracts accordingly to ensure ROI is positive for all events, whether financial or community awareness based.

  • Determines and authorizes costs for event related services.

• Policies & Procedures – 10%

  • Develops, updates, and implements instructions and maintains policies and procedures for handling emergency situations involving the safety of large crowds of people and physical facilities.

  • Serves as liaison for any medical or police needs.

  • Coordinates Emergency plans in all security areas which included physical security surveys as well as lighting surveys.

  • Creates and maintains four athletic team operational facility manuals.

• Other Related Duties – 5%

  • Performs other related duties assigned.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

1. High School graduation or equivalent.

2. Any combination totaling four (4) years (48 months) from the following categories:

   1. Progressively more professional work experience in event coordination.

   2. College course work in any discipline, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:

      • 60 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)

      • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)

      • 120 semester hours equals three (3) years (36 months)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Sports Management, Facility Management, or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of arena entertainment management or athletic management.

• Knowledge of crowd control, food service or ticket control.

• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership techniques, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

• Skill in coordinating assignments and schedules within a large University environment.

• Skill in considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

• Skill in material resources management through obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.

• Ability to work collaboratively and building strategic relations with colleagues, coworkers, constituents, and volunteers.

• Ability to effectively plan, delegate, and supervise the work of others.

• Ability to interact/communicate in a positive matter with a diverse clientele.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Ability to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and implement effective solutions.

• General office requirements.

• Flexible availability including days, nights and weekends as needed.