Associate Director, Business Development & Conference Services

Associate Director, Business Development & Conference Services​

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced

Associate Director, Business Development & Conference Services​at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Job Purpose

The Associate Director, Business Development & Conference Services provides strategic leadership for revenue-generating events, conferences, and guest‑housing operations across Summer Housing & Conference programs and spaces managed by the Student Center and Campus Reservations. This role drives business development, oversees sales and marketing initiatives, manages large‑scale conference operations, and ensures exceptional client experiences for internal and external partners.

The Associate Director leads professional and student staff, cultivates campus and community partnerships, and develops systems, processes, and strategies that maximize utilization, operational efficiency, and net revenue. This position plays a key role in advancing the university's auxiliary enterprise goals through innovative programming, strong client relationships, and high‑quality service delivery. This position reports to the Associate Vice President & Chief Housing Officer.

Essential Functions

(Essential functions are the primary duties/major job responsibilities that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The essential functions are listed in order of importance.)  

Business Development, Sales & Marketing - 40%

Lead business development strategy for Student Center and Campus Reservations as well as Summer Housing Conferences to expand market share and generate year‑over‑year revenue growth.

Manage the full sales cycle: prospecting, lead qualification, proposals, pricing, contracting, and client retention.

Develop and maintain a portfolio of internal and external clients, initiate outreach to faculty, staff, professional organizations, and community partners.

Conduct site tours, sales presentations, and client meetings; represent the university at trade shows and industry events.

In concert with the Senior Director, implement yield‑management strategies to maximize space utilization and optimize revenue across meeting, event, and housing facilities.

In concert with SAS Marketing, oversee creation of annual marketing campaigns, including print, web, social media, and promotional materials.

Track sales metrics, ROI, conversion rates, and lost‑business data; prepare monthly and annual sales reports.

Collaborate with campus partners (Dining, Housing, Public Safety, Parking, One Card, Enterprise Risk Management, Academic Departments, Athletics, etc.) to secure services and negotiate support for client programs.

Conference & Event Operations - 30%

Oversee planning and execution of conferences, seminars, special events, and summer programs across multiple facilities.

Lead operational planning meetings with service providers to ensure alignment between client expectations and campus capabilities.

Develop program budgets, advise clients on cost‑saving strategies, and make independent decisions regarding event logistics.

Manage logistical arrangements, including housing assignments, dining, catering, facilities, registration, parking, access control, and meeting space.

Ensure room readiness, quality assurance, and smooth transitions between programs.

Prepare event specifications and direct staff responsible for pre‑event planning and on‑site execution.

Oversee configuration and implementation of conference management software and related systems.

Serve as on‑call support during peak summer operations, evenings, and weekends as needed.

Strategic Leadership & Operational Management - 15%

Provide leadership for professional and student staff supporting sales, event…