Senior Mgr, Advancement & Presidential Events at Dillard University

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

11 Feb, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

13 Nov, 25

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Event Management, Donor Engagement, Project Management, Interpersonal Skills, Writing Skills, Budget Management, Hospitality, Strategic Planning, Logistics Coordination, Stakeholder Engagement, Public Relations, Attention to Detail, Creativity, Confidentiality, Cultural Awareness, Leadership

Industry

Description

Position Summary: This role leads the full landscape of advancement and presidential events with the understanding that every experience has the potential to shape donor confidence, strengthen relationships, and generate revenue for the university. This person is responsible not only for flawless execution but for imagining the next era of Dillard’s donor engagement strategy. This includes the events that cultivate and steward major supporters, the gatherings that introduce new audiences to the institution’s mission, and the moments that elevate the President’s public presence. The incumbent sets the overall tone for how Dillard welcomes its supporters and positions itself in the philanthropic community. This includes oversight of the President’s House as a site for stewardship and hospitality. The role requires judgment, intention, and an ability to see both the immediate task and the long arc of institutional advancement. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Steward and execute the full event strategy for all units within the Division of Institutional Advancement, ensuring each event is tied to revenue growth, donor movement, and strategic engagement. • Design and lead high-level presidential events that support donor cultivation, board engagement, community partnerships, and the visibility of the President. Create experiences that reflect the institution’s values and invite deeper investment. • Oversee the readiness and presentation of the President’s House as one of the university’s most important tools for donor hospitality, creating an environment that consistently communicates care, intention, and aspiration. • Develop an annual advancement events calendar that reflects cultivation cycles, stewardship demands, campaign planning, and institutional moments that can drive giving. • Create new event concepts that expand the university’s fundraising capacity, deepen donor investment, and strengthen Dillard’s presence in the philanthropic and civic community. • Identify opportunities for using institutional spaces to advance donor engagement and strategic revenue goals. Ensure these opportunities align with Dillard’s mission, identity, and the standard of excellence expected from presidential-level events. • Lead all logistics, vendor relationships, guest experience design, run of show development, briefing materials, and follow up in partnership with the Advancement and Communications teams. • Build systems for documenting event-driven revenue outcomes. Track donor attendance,engagement indicators, and follow up actions that move prospects further along the pipeline. • Manage the event budget with discipline, transparency, and a clear focus on maximizing impact. Ensure resources are used in ways that advance fundraising strategy rather than unnecessary excess. • Supervise set up, execution, and breakdown for all advancement and presidential events. Ensure the guest experience is seamless, culturally attuned, and reflective of Dillard’s identity. • Prepare post-event evaluations that document outcomes, recommend next steps, and identify ways to strengthen future strategy. • Support the Vice President in shaping the aesthetic, narrative, and strategic presence of Dillard’s advancement operation. Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree or five to seven years of experience in advancement, nonprofit events, or presidential-level event management. • Proven experience designing events that serve fundraising or stakeholder engagement goals. • Strong writing, project management, and interpersonal skills. • Comfort working with senior leaders, donors, and high-profile guests. • Ability to work evenings and weekends tied to event schedules. • Deep respect for confidentiality, institutional protocol, and the role of hospitality in philanthropy. Preferred Skills: • An instinct for how events influence donor psychology and institutional reputation. • Strong design sensibility and attention to detail. • Steady under pressure and comfortable managing complex, high-stakes environments. • A forward-looking view of how institutional spaces, experiences, and narratives can generate new possibilities. • Committed to disciplined planning, clean execution, and consistent follow up. • Understands that events are a tool for culture building, philanthropy, and institutional trust

Responsibilities

The role involves leading the strategy and execution of advancement and presidential events to enhance donor engagement and revenue generation for the university. The incumbent is responsible for creating high-level experiences that reflect the institution's values and strengthen relationships with major supporters.