Director, University Center and Events Center
 University of California - Santa Barbara | |
 United States, California, Santa Barbara | |
| 1021 Anacapa Street (Show on map) | |
 Apr 08, 2026 | |
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85457
Location
UCSB Campus
Full/Part Time
Full Time
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Working Title: Director, University Center and Events Center Payroll Title: ADMIN MGR 1 Job Code: 000547 Job Open Date: 4/8/2026 Application Review Begins: 5/1/2026 Department Code (Name): UCEN (University Center) Percentage of Time: 100% Union Code (Name): 99 Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career FLSA Status: Exempt Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program): MSP Salary Grade: Grade 25 Pay Rate/Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $140,000 to $170,000/year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $108,100 to $204,900/year. Work Location: University Center Working Days and Hours: M-F, 8-5, evenings and weekends as needed Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: Hybrid (Both UC & Non-UC locations) Special Instructions: For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application. The University of California, Santa Barbara has selected Spelman Johnson, a leading executive search firm, to assist with leading this search. Review of applications will begin on May 1st, 2026 and continue until the position is filled. Submit a resume and cover letter for this position to Spelman Johnson via: https://spelmanandjohnson.com/position/director-university-center-and-events-center/
Department Marketing Statement: Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises (HDAE) is a part of the Division of Administrative Services. It plays a vital role in the university's pursuit of excellence by delivering a comprehensive array of essential services to students, staff, and other customers through a large-scale auxiliary services operation with annual operating and capital budgets exceeding $200 million and capital and major maintenance reserves of $40 million. Operating 24 hours a day, year-round, HDAE provides housing for more than 10,000 students, faculty, and family residents on campus and supports an additional 9,300 students living in adjacent communities. HDAE serves approximately 21,000 customers daily through its retail and board dining programs, manages key campus facilities including the University Center, Campus Store, the Events Center, and the Club & Guest House, hosts 150,000 guests annually for conferences and meetings, and oversees the administration of transportation, parking, and fleet services. Benefits of Belonging Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC Brief Summary of Job Duties: The Director of the University Center (UCen) and Events Center (ECen) at UC Santa Barbara is a senior administrative role with broad responsibilities and authority for making decisions. The position reports to the Senior Executive Director for Auxiliary Services in Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises (HDAE), and works in close consultation with the UCen Governance Board and ECen Governance Board, which includes significant student representation. The Director also works closely with the Associate Vice Chancellor of HDAE on issues which impact the campus. The Director provides strategic leadership, vision, and support for the University Center, UC Santa Barbara's primary student union. The University Center is home to more than 2,500 conference and meeting reservations with over 170,000 people in attendance. Daily, over 11,000 campus visitors, students, faculty, staff visit the UCen to eat, drink, shop, study or attend a meeting or event. The Director also leads operations at the Events Center (the Thunderdome) a 6,000 seat arena that hosts Intercollegiate Athletics events, a vibrant Department of Recreation intramural program, major concerts and large scale campus events. The Director of the University Center and Events Center manages a multi-million dollar budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and replenishment of reserves for future and capital projects. Responsible for policy and procedure implementation, employee management and development, marketing and public relations, strategic planning for facility improvements, sustainability initiatives, and the evolution of student services to meet changing campus needs. HDAE is responsible for an auxiliary services operation with annual operating and capital budgets of $200+ million, capital and major maintenance reserves of $40 million and housing over 10,000 students, faculty and family residents on campus. HDAE serves 21,000 customers daily in its retail and board dining programs, manages the University Center and University Campus Store, hosts 150,000 guests annually for conferences and meetings, manages a major events center, oversees the administration of transportation, parking and fleet services, and oversees The Club & Guest House. Required Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Special Conditions of Employment:
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct: UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy UC Anti-Discrimination Policy Abusive Conduct in the Workplace Job Functions and Percentages of Time: University Center Management - 50% Provides strategic leadership, vision, and support for the the multi-purpose university student union building, the University Center (UCen), to include fiscal management, marketing and public relations, facility operations, employee management and development, oversight of student programming, student governance board advisement, negotiation of vendor contracts, oversight of vendor operations, final authority for facility scheduling, utilization and capabilities, policy and procedure development and implementation; and oversight of building renovations, preventative maintenance, and deferred maintenance projects. Establishes and implements short- and long-range organizational goals, objectives, strategic plans, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates programmatic and operational effectiveness, and effects changes required for improvement. Leads and advances social, cultural, recreational, and educational co-curricular efforts in the UCen and ensures adequate space and programming opportunities exist to meet the needs and interests of students across the University. Responsible for hiring, training, developing work plans, setting work direction and evaluating University Center career staff. Indirectly supervises a large student staff team. Creates a developmental working environment that prepares students for work and life beyond the university. Advises the University Center Governance Board tasked with overseeing the budget and future planning of the student-funded UCen. The Director is the primary liaison to the UCen Governance Board Chairperson and is responsible for meeting preparation and oversight. Works to ensure full representation of chartered members and provides active communication to the full Board. Oversees the Charter and Policy documentation and implementation as it affects all users and constituents of the building, advises on capital projects, maintains relationships with constituents regarding development and accountability of student-driven funding use. Builds and maintains strong internal and external relationships to develop social, cultural and recreational activities, enhance student union space utilization, connect student organizations to resources and inform students and staff of policies and procedures. Coordinates programming and engagement efforts with other services housed in the student union designed to serve the campus community. Develops a welcoming and inclusive environment through hospitality standards, procedures, and training. Serves as a liaison for high-profile campus and regional meetings and events hosted in the UCen, ensuring seamless execution of UCSB Foundation meetings, Chancellor-hosted summits, and major institutional events. Responsible for overseeing sophisticated event protocols and logistics for gatherings involving local politicians, government officials, and distinguished donors. Represents the organization at various community and/or business meetings, committees, and task forces; promotes existing and new programs and/or policies. Represent UCSB's student union at a system, state, and national level. Finance/Financial & Capital Planning - 35% Develops and manages annual budgets and performs periodic cost and productivity analyses. Establishes appropriate purchasing guidelines within the UCen and ECen organization and ensures that all purchasing complies with university standards. Negotiates leases for non-food related entities. Responsible for negotiating with all student organization tenant space such as Associated Students, Graduate Student Association, and MultiCultural Center. Plans, develops, and implements strategies for generating resources and/or revenues for the organization. Includes analysis and development of fee schedules for events, room reservations, services and building usage. Also includes building support for student fee reaffirmations and collaborating with student governments on new student fee referendums. Responsible for identifying goals and developing the strategic plan for the UCen and ECen facilities and numerous student activities. Develops and utilizes student survey tools and uses university assessment data to determine current needs and future direction. Aligns strategic planning with HDAE's strategic plan and the mission of the university. Collaborates with internal and external partners to ensure facilities and services support the needs of the student body and campus community, to include partnership with student governments, vendors, University administrators, campus partners, and other applicable entities. In association with Residential Operations Custodial and Maintenance teams, develops best practices in facility management, including implementation of custodial policies and procedures for the UCen and ECen buildings. Assess workforce needs in facilities and provide strategic directives regarding service improvements, capital planning and staffing. Responsible for developing a plan to meet deferred maintenance of UCen and ECen facilities as outlined in third-party facility assessments. Develops and assesses plans for long-range space allocations and facility improvements, including recommendations on student amenities and expansion projects. Oversees remodeling, sustainability, and major maintenance projects within the University Center, and the Events Center. Guides Associate Director on managing projects from the planning stage to finalization, reviewing documents and attending meetings as needed. Communicates with HDAE Project Management and the Office of Budget and Planning on UCen and ECen projects. Events Center Management - 15% Working in conjunction with the Associate Director, develops, manages, and implements operating procedures and workflows to ensure successful day-to-day management of the facility. Provides guidance and support on event coordination and management as well as on-site supervision during large-scale events. Builds collaborative relationships with ECen stakeholders like Intercollegiate Athletics, Recreation, Campus Safety officials, and student organizations, ensuring a safe and positive experience for all constituents Utilizes strategic planning methodologies to ensure that the ECen remains financially solvent and responsive to campus needs as well as long-term planning for capital improvements. Negotiates all contracts for the facility. Frequently communicates with campus stakeholders. Advises the Events Center Governance Board tasked with overseeing the budget and future planning of the student-funded ECen. The Director is the primary liaison to the ECen Governance Board Chairperson and is responsible for meeting preparation and oversight. Works to ensure full representation of chartered members and provides active communication to the full Board. Oversees the Charter and Policy documentation and implementation as it affects all users and constituents of the building, advises on capital projects, maintains relationships with constituents regarding development and accountability of student-driven funding use. UC Vaccination Programs Policy: As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccinations Programs. As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements. For more information, please visit University of California Policy on Vaccinations - https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy *Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual. Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law. 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