Assistant Director, Event Operations & Systems

About University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation

Established in 2003, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation (UMAF), a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists to raise philanthropic funds in support of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s mission and highest aspirations. Located on the Amherst campus and wholly dedicated to supporting the University’s mission, UMAF is a separately governed nonprofit organization with its own health, wellness, and retirement benefits. UMAF serves the University of Massachusetts Amherst community by serving as a best practices resource for fundraising strategy and implementation.

About the role

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Foundation Events & Experiences, the Assistant Director supports the Events & Experiences team by overseeing the operations and systems that enable successful donor, alumni, and foundation events.

This position serves as a key resource for registration management, event systems administration, and event operations that support a portfolio of donor, alumni, and foundation events. The role calls for an independent, resourceful, and highly organized professional who can effectively manage multiple priorities while maintaining event data, coordinating vendors and event logistics, developing standardized procedures and tools, and providing project coordination and operational support to event planning teams.

Success in this role will increase the team's capacity to deliver high-quality events efficiently and consistently. As a subject matter expert on event systems and processes, the Assistant Director will strengthen the operational infrastructure, ensuring accurate data, streamlined workflows, and scalable practices that enhance both the event program and donor experience.

Location
:
This is a full-time hybrid position and is open to employees in select US states:
Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

What you'll do

• Serve as the administrator for event registration within UMAX and other event platforms, determining how registration pages, records, attendance tracking, and related data are set up and maintained. Maintain data accuracy through reconciliation, quality control, reporting, and post-event analysis.
• Develop and maintain standardized procedures, templates, checklists, and operational tools that support consistent event execution.
• Manage operational support functions that facilitate the successful execution of multiple concurrent events.
• Produce participation metrics, operational reports, and other event-related analyses to support planning and decision-making.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements to event systems, workflows, and operational processes to enhance efficiency, data integrity, and user experience.

• Lead venue and vendor sourcing, including research, proposal evaluation, vendor recommendations, contract administration, scheduling, and relationship management.
• Manage event assets and inventory, including nametags, signage, giveaways, supplies, and related materials.
• Manage event-related documentation, including contracts, certificates of insurance, permits, and other required compliance materials.
• Support event leads with project timelines, logistics planning, and implementation activities for assigned events.
• Independently plan and execute smaller programs and events from start to finish, including timelines, logistics, vendors, budget, and on-site execution.
• Identify operational needs, potential risks, and process improvements to support the successful execution of events across the portfolio.

• Coordinate project…