Assistant Director of Operations

Department: Auxiliary Services and Operations

Classification: Public Relations & Mktg Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Student Centers integrates all aspects of campus life by serving as Mason's facility, program, and support services management department for the Johnson Center, Student Union Building I, and The Hub. The department aims to support and complement the academic process, provide excellent customer service to the Mason community and visitors, promote diversity and campus spirit through cooperative participation, and encourage student development, social competency, and responsibility.

About the Position:

The Assistant Director of Operations is responsible for the operational function, activities and services within the Student Centers facilities. This role ensures facilities are properly maintained, upkept, inviting, and functional for the Mason community, as well as ensuring proper execution of event support in all Student Centers managed venues. Operational activities include all public areas, event venues, managed study rooms in Student Centers facilities and adjoining plazas. Operations also provides on-site support to assist all Student Centers services during evenings and weekends, as well as respond to emergencies as they arise.

This role provides direction and advisement of event operations services for supported events across the University, and assists in establishing University and departmental event procedures/guidelines. The position works with students, faculty and staff, and external clients to ensure the delivery of event and facility services meet the expectations of the Student Centers. Reporting to the Director of Operations & Event Services, this position provides direct supervision, leadership, training, and evaluation to four full-time staff and indirectly supervises approximately 15 full-time staff and 60 non-student wage/student wage employees.

This position ensures the delivery and support of all event and operational services/equipment to meet the expectations of all end users.

Responsibilities:

Supervision/Mentoring:

• Responsible for supervising and mentoring (both direct and indirect reports), evaluating, hiring, and scheduling staff in areas of responsibility;
• Monitors full time, wage, and student staff to ensure proper staffing and coverage for all Student Centers managed events;
• Contributes to the overall quality and direction of workforce performance management and efficiency of operations; and
• Plans the staffing for day-to-day operations.

Building Services:

• Oversees the Student Centers Building Services unit;
• Ensures work orders for Student Centers facilities are submitted, received, properly routed, tracked, and completed on time;
• Responsible for tenant relations including meeting with and communicating to our auxiliary tenants regarding their operations and any foreseen impacts including from projects, building hours changes/holidays, and inclement weather;
• Ensures Student Centers inventory is properly tracked via the university system;
• Maintains current inventory of all in-house event and public venue furnishings;
• Ensures proper tracking and responsible use of university resources regarding purchases made within areas of responsibility;
• Oversees operational walkthroughs of Student Centers facilities for university staff and partners for accessibility and to meet expectations;
• Works with Operations Supervisors to ensure spaces are clean and orderly, including, but not limited to, hallways, loading docks, entrances, and storage areas are kept clean and clear of refuse, and ensuring exterior doors are opening/securing properly at start/close of day;
• Ensures all public spaces within Student Centers facilities and surrounding plazas have proper furnishings (quantity, aesthetically pleasing, type);
• Makes recommendations, plans preventative maintenance on facility furnishings, (tables, chairs, waste receptacles), and provides recommendations regarding improvement of spaces (lighting, flooring, etc.); and
• Works closely with Assistant Director for Event Services Production regarding specific needs in upgrades to in-house technology systems throughout the Student Centers.  

Event Services:

• Ensures logistical information is properly scheduled in a timely manner for upcoming events;
• Works closely with University Events to ensure all information is known and entered properly into the university scheduling system for events within Student Centers managed facilities and surrounding plazas; and
• Ensures resources and venue resources are accurate across university event software platforms and event databases are accurate and consistent, including, but not limited to, rental rates, capacities, in-house systems, layouts, web pages, marketing information, etc.

Serves as Department’s Event Operations Administrator:

• Ensures all scheduled events in Student Centers managed venues adhere applicable policies, procedures, and guidelines;
• Works directly with all parties involved including clients and University Events to resolve conflicts;
• Ensures excellent customer service is provided for all events in Student Centers managed venues in a professional and timely manner (approximately 21,000 plus events supported annually);
• Oversees all aspects of event support including, but not limited to, staff scheduling, room layouts, building/venue access, audio/visual support, policy enforcement, customer service, on-call support, and staff training;
• Provides staff presence/support for all services supported by Student Centers as needed;
• Advises, coordinates, and ensures event clients receive superior customer support;
• Schedules and coordinates walk-throughs and/or meetings with clients for advisement/planning, as necessary;
• Collaborates with clients directly/indirectly to determine their needs/expectations of their activity/event, ensuring all details fall within university policy, procedures, guidelines, and available resources;
• Follows up post events with clients to ensure expectations were met; assesses service delivery assessment using KPI’s; and
• Responsible for ensuring issues regarding events is managed properly and information relayed to relevant parties; issues may include no-shows, damages, event discrepancies, event support/equipment, or unusual incidents. 

Works in Partnership with Director of Operations & Event Services and Assistant Director for Event Services Production:

• Ensures unit/area goals are met, assists in crafting direction and future initiatives, and ensures communication and expectations are clear;
• Works collaboratively with University Events, Catering, University Police, Housekeeping, Facilities, Risk, Safety & Resilience, and other university departments to ensure delivery of quality services and recommends changes/updates to policy and event and operational procedures;
• Fosters relationships with academic departments regarding opportunities of student staff and academic experience being combined;
• Develops and/or revises brochures with others, service satisfaction and recommendation measurement tools;
• Serves on committees throughout the university including, but not limited to, Search/Talent Acquisition, weekly events, faculty meetings, and university policy and procedures, as required; and
• Assists with emergency preparations, planning, and execution; during emergencies, directs customers to exits or safer venues and secure the facility as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Significant practical experience (typically 5+ years) in the event industry (conference facilities, theater, concerts and touring, convention centers and other event facilities) or facility management, preferably in a university setting;
• Experience supervising staff;
• Knowledge of all aspects of event support including staffing and resource requirements and best operational practices for all shifts;
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles, computer literate, and functions effectively as a member of a support or instructional team;
• Detailed knowledge of facility management (tenant relations, work orders, maintenance) and event support operations (client relations, room configuration and set ups, in house AV systems, access control);
• Critical thinker and decision maker to support professional and student staff when issues arise;
• Ability to supervise both professional staff and college students in all aspects of facility and event operations support and delivery;
• Ability to recruit, train, and supervise full-time, part-time, and student wage staff;
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with staff, patrons, and colleagues;
• Ability to prioritize and juggle multiple responsibilities simultaneously, and can work outside of normal business hours;
• Ability to meet competing deadlines to prioritize responsibilities simultaneously;
• Ability to develop a unit wide training program, curriculum design, execution, and post-training assessments; and
• Must currently possess an appropriate, active, valid motor vehicle operator’s license that meets all of GMU’s requirements for operating state vehicles and equipment under Mason’s Vehicle Use Policy 1411 https://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/vehicle-use/. The Office of Risk Management reserves the right to review the driver’s licenses and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) of all candidates selected with employment contingent upon a favorable review.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field; and
• Experience with personnel recruitment, employee scheduling, timesheet approval, employee development planning and training, and experience working with budgets is preferred.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Assistant Director of Operations at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date:  August 29, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  September 19, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes