Special Activities Manager

UNM's Facilities Services (FS) is looking to hire a Special Activities Manager to join our Customer Service Division, within Facilities. The qualified candidate will oversee, facilitate, and coordinate logistical and operational support for a diverse range of campus-wide events, student activities, special programs, key institutional projects, and campus signage initiatives. This role ensures that event infrastructure and related operations align with university goals while delivering exceptional service and seamless execution. The Special Activities Manager participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategic plans, operational procedures, and resource allocation to support institutional priorities.

This position provides leadership in event planning support, financial oversight, vendor and contractor coordination, facilities services integration, and staff supervision. The Special Activities Manager serves as a central liaison among university departments, external partners, and stakeholders, ensuring consistent communication, compliance with policies and regulations, and high standards of quality across all event-related activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Oversees the logistical coordination of high-profile campus events, including planning and execution, to ensure alignment with university goals and seamless integration of all event components.

2. Manages skilled labor and technical support for large-scale events. Coordinates contractors, tradesmen, and inspectors to meet safety, structural, and technical requirements while fostering strong working relationships.

3. Serves as the primary liaison with Facilities Management (FM). Coordinates communications and ensures facilities meet event needs, while providing timely updates to stakeholders.

4. Represents the organization to internal and external stakeholders. Ensures consistent communication with departments, vendors, and external partners to uphold event standards and institutional values.

5. Oversees invoicing and budget management for events. Ensures accurate billing, tracks expenditures, resolves discrepancies, and maintains a transparent financial process for smooth event execution.

6. Coordinates event site preparation and equipment readiness, ensuring compliance with university policies, regulations, and specific site requirements for successful event execution.

7. Fosters collaborative relationships with campus leadership, including Deans, Directors, and Executive Staff, to ensure all event needs are addressed and client satisfaction is maintained.

8. Oversees the Supervision of personnel, which includes work allocation, training, promotion, enforcement of internal procedures and controls, and problem resolution; evaluates performance and makes recommendations for personnel actions; motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance.

9. Addresses and resolves customer service inquiries, and requests and organizes workload to ensure deadlines are met; schedules work assignments in order of priority and date received.

10. Manages administrative functions and provides staff training, oversees operational tasks and delivers technical and customer service training to department employees.

11. Monitors and ensures adherence to policies, budgets, and vendor contracts, participating in budget management. Approves invoices and ensures compliance with university and departmental regulations.

12. Provides strategic oversight and coordination for campus signage related to events and institutional initiatives, working collaboratively with the Sign Shop Supervisor to ensure consistency, compliance, and quality.

13. Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Why Join Us?

Working as a staff member at the University of New Mexico (UNM) offers a range of exciting benefits, including:

Comprehensive Healthcare: Access to competitive health insurance plans including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

Retirement Plans: Pension and enrollment in a choice of additional retirement plans with generous employer contributions.

Paid Time Off: Generous annual vacation leave (up to 168 hours per year), sick leave (up to 96 hours per year), and 11 paid holidays to support work-life balance.

Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, career advancement, and tuition remission for employees and dependents.

Wellness Programs: Access to wellness programs, fitness facilities, and resources promoting employee health and well-being.

Community Engagement: Involvement in a vibrant campus community with diverse cultural and recreational activities.

Job Security: Stable employment with competitive salaries and opportunities for advancement within our respected flagship institution of New Mexico.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Possession of a valid New Mexico driver's license is a requirement for this job.
• Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.

High school diploma or GED; at least 10 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• Strong background in operations and logistics
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures
• Knowledge of customer service standards and procedures.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments
• Proven history of small team leadership

Only applications submitted through
the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job
advertisement on a 3rd party site, please
visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.