The Assistant Director is responsible for planning and executing assigned athletic and external events in Lee and Penny Anderson Arena on the St. Paul campus. They serve as the primary event manager for assigned intercollegiate sports, overseeing game day operations, coordinating external staffing, and supervising student employees. The role involves operational planning, scheduling, facility use coordination, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful event execution.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary event manager for assigned intercollegiate sports, overseeing all aspects of game day operations—including visiting team coordination, officials’ logistics, credentialing, and emergency response planning. Ensure all events comply with NCAA, conference, and University standards for safety, operations, and fan experience. Oversee event logistics for assigned varsity sports, including budgeting, visiting team guides, parking coordination, event setup and teardown, weather monitoring via Perry Weather, and post-event debriefs. Serve as the postseason contact for assigned sports, coordinating logistics and support as needed. Collaborate with campus partners to ensure smooth execution.
Plan and coordinate the scheduling of all external staffing for arena and other assigned athletic events. External staff may include, but is not limited to, contract security, public safety, police, fire/EMS, cleaning/custodial and stagehands/labor. Communicate with all external staffing groups event information and details. Provide training as required. Provide direct oversight of external staffing at events.
Lead and support operational planning and scheduling for arena events, practices, coordination, facility use, and rentals. Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders—including key event contacts, coaches, support staff, campus partners, and external vendors to ensure successful event execution. Collaborate with athletics department and arena personnel on rental initiatives, including external camps, corporate clients, and campus partners to optimize facility use and drive revenue generation. Foster a positive, service-oriented culture while promoting community engagement through external programming.
Hire, train, schedule, and supervise student employees for arena and other athletic events. Utilize WhenToWork software to manage student event staffing, ensuring appropriate coverage and effective operational support for all events. Provide ongoing training and develop opportunities for student staff.
Assist the Associate AD/General Manager and the Sales & Marketing Manager with other duties as assigned. Assist with facility maintenance projects and the development of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degre
Three years of relevant experience in collegiate athletics or a related athletic operations organization
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work effectively across diverse teams and stakeholders
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as required by events and facility operations

Nice to have

Master’s degree in Sports Administration or a related field

Benefits

Tuition Remission for employees, spouses, and dependents
Generous Retirement Contributions to support your future
Comprehensive Health Coverage including medical, dental, and vision
Fully Paid Insurance: disability, life, and AD&D
Paid Parental Leave to support growing families

Assistant Director, Athletic Events & Operations (Arena)

Responsibilities

Requirements

Nice to have

Benefits