Description

POSITION OVERVIEW: 
The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, is one of the nation’s premiere university-based public gardens and a treasured community resource. Having experienced significant growth in recent years, today the Arboretum hosts 700,000 annual visitors, with 35,000 household memberships. Guests enjoy the Arboretum’s extensive landscapes across its 1,200 acres, including 49 display and specialty gardens, and educational programs for all generations. The Arboretum offers a range of public events and special exhibits such as the Spring Flower Show, Maple Fest, Apple Fest, and Winter Lights. Additionally, private rentals - whether personal milestones or organizational events - are key revenue sources and community offerings. To meet the needs of remarkable growth in recent years and strategic priorities to envision the future of events, the Arboretum seeks applications for a Director of Events & Exhibits. 

Reporting to the Arboretum’s Executive Director and working as part of the Arboretum’s Leadership Team, the Director of Events & Exhibits provides strategic oversight and operational leadership for a centralized approach to manage the  Arboretum’s public festivals and events, special exhibits, and private group rentals. The role orchestrates collaborative event operations to envision, plan, and execute a cohesive, high-quality portfolio of experiences that connect guests, members, donors, clients, partners, and the broader community with the Arboretum’s mission. This role combines creative design with logistical planning and stakeholder coordination to drive audience engagement and client satisfaction, revenue growth, and community impact while maintaining operational excellence and accessibility. Beyond direct leadership of the Arboretum’s public events, special exhibits, and private group offerings, the position provides oversight of logistical planning and support to other related departmental-focused major events and conferences.

In execution of these responsibilities the Director works very closely with departmental leaders and content experts across the organization to envision the portfolio and build consensus. The Director  has a hands-on role in execution of events, leading  a team of full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, and ensuring appropriate personnel training, development, and performance feedback. The position fosters a workplace environment where all staff are committed to respect and safety, open communication, excellent internal and external customer service, and teamwork. The successful candidate is expected to play a leadership role on Arboretum-wide committees and work with fellow leaders and staff to envision, create, and advance the future of the Arboretum.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:
(40%) Event Strategy and Portfolio Oversight

• Define and champion a creative and coordinated vision for a world-class event portfolio that elevates the Arboretum’s mission, inspires diverse audiences, and cultivates meaningful connection.
• Direct and ensure excellence in the planning, execution, and evaluation of events, exhibits, conferences, and community engagement initiatives.
• Partner with the marketing and communications team to develop promotional materials and messaging to generate interest in public events and private group rentals.
• Establish and steward the annual event calendar, themes, and program objectives in collaboration with departmental leaders to balance operational capacities.
• Serve as the primary event point of contact for internal departments, community partners, and applicable sponsors; communicate progress, manage expectations, and address any issues.
• Establish benchmarks and key performance indicators, lead post-event evaluations with marketing and communications, gather feedback and analyze data to assess the event's success and inform future improvements. 

(25%) Financial & Operational Oversight

• Collaborate with internal staff and external partners to manage all logistical elements, including on-site setup and breakdown, health and safety compliance, and day-of-event management.
• Oversee event budgets, vendor and private rental contracts and external partnerships to ensure financial accountability and costeffective operations.
• Drive financial performance and portfolio sustainability across the events portfolio, track expenses, and align spending with strategic priorities.
• Design, implement, and optimize systems for documentation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure event operations comply with applicable safety, accessibility, and risk management standards.
• Ensure compliance with University policies related to data privacy and data security, including the responsible use of event-related information technology systems such as ticketing, registration platforms, constituent relationship management tools, and third-party vendor technologies.

(35%) Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead, manage, and mentor the event project management team.
• Cultivate and model a work culture that values significant volunteer engagement and participation to assist with all levels of event execution.
• Lead a collaborative, high-accountability team culture that emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, clarity, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Build and steward relationships with sponsors, community organizations, cultural institutions, and other partners to support inclusive, mission-aligned programming.
• Advance outreach strategies that broaden participation and reflect the Arboretum’s commitment to inclusivity and community engagement.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS plus at least ten years of experience in business administration, nonprofit management, communications, hospitality, community engagement, event management or a related field.
• Progressive leadership experience in event management, community engagement, or related nonprofit role, including oversight of complex event portfolios and budgets.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results within deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a high-level creative vision that integrates design, planning, and experience into a cohesive mission aligned event portfolio
• Demonstrated expertise in partnership development, contract and vendor management, fiscal stewardship, and stakeholder communication.
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills with the ability to align diverse teams.
• Strategic, outcomes-driven, collaborative leadership approach, with a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and measurable community impact.
• Proven ability to anticipate challenges, troubleshoot in real-time, and adapt to effectively under pressure.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and non-traditional hours as needed to lead and oversee events.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience in higher education, cultural institutions, or large nonprofit organizations.
• Familiarity with event management systems, project management tools, and evaluation frameworks.
• Proven success in securing sponsorships and cultivating longterm partners.