Associate Director of Operations

Engineering a world of possibilities

Mines Conference and Event Services is seeking their next leader!

The Associate Director of Operations/Conferences and Event Services, provides leadership for internal and external event operations in several event spaces on campus at Colorado School of Mines.

In this leadership position, you will manage the department webpages, policy compliance, and serve as primary liaison to IT, Student Life and other campus partners. This position will oversee the Moving & Event Support unit to provide service for all campus events, on-campus moving needs, surplus & recycling service, snow removal, and grounds maintenance assistance.

This position supervises at least four professional staff, along with student staff members and other temporary positions. Regular campus presence is required for this position.

Primary Responsibilities:

Supervision and Leadership

• Provide leadership, oversight, and support to full-time staff. This includes recruitment, training, coaching and evaluating performance. 
• Create staff development plans, facilitate team development and provide professional development opportunities.
• Oversee student employee recruitment, training, supervision and evaluation.
• Serve as primary liaison with Human Resources for departmental student recruitment.
• Oversee daily operations of the information desk and venues.
• Provide oversight for content updates to the Conference and Event Services webpages and ensure timely project management in cooperation with Marketing and Communications.
• Provide leadership and support to conference and intern housing staff, including interfacing with internal and external clients and managing operations.
• Provide leadership and support to the Event and Moving Unit, ensuring work orders are completed and performance metrics are measured.

Administration

• Serve as primary liaison with IT, including AV Engineer for Conferences and Event Services, to ensure infrastructure needs are met.
• Serve as primary liaison to the Department Manager of Infrastructure and Operations for Conference and Event Services student recruitment.
• Oversee financial transactions with internal and external clients.
• Collaborate with the Budget office to ensure fiscal compliance for internal and external events.
• Manage inventory needs of venue and AV equipment.
• Prepare proposals for purchases, replacement, and upgrades of event related audiovisual equipment and furniture.
• Assist Director of Conference and Event Services and Office of Design and Construction with new and renovation construction projects by providing professional recommendations for event equipment selection, purchase, and installation in campus event venues
• Update conference and venue pricing annually; identify best practices and benchmark accordingly.
• Responsible for operations of event management and registration software systems, utilizing data to track performance metrics and maintain dashboard.
• Review, revise, align, and enforce campus policies and procedures related to campus events and facility use.
• Manage compliance and risk management issues for CES, especially with respect to campus policies related to alcohol and minors on campus.

Operations

• Establish and implement policies and operating procedures for venues; monitor and evaluate operations effectiveness; plan and implement change management techniques required for improvement.
• Oversee inventory management and address venue needs including AV equipment.
• Prepare proposals for purchases, replacement, and upgrades of audiovisual equipment, including equipment and furniture installed in event venues.
• Work collaboratively with Student Center occupants, guests, employees, Facilities Management staff, AV support staff, Mines Dining (catering and retail), and the Director of Student Life Business Administration to achieve optimum guest experience during daily operations.
• Provide leadership and staff support for event scheduling and conference management software.
• Collaborate with the Office of Design and Construction regarding venue renovations and capital planning needs.
• Support Event Managers to design and implement audio and video solutions for events.
• Maintain standards of facility cleanliness and presentation.

Client Relations and Marketing

• Chair the Mines Event Advisory Committee and oversee maintenance of Conference and Event Services webpages, social media and third-party web advertising in partnership with Marketing and Communications.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution of higher education, or equivalent work experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year for year basis
• 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience in a university, hotel, or resort setting, with responsibilities in conference/event coordination
• 3 years of supervision experience, including demonstrated experience in the development and training of full-time staff
• 3 years of of professional experience in events management, including thorough knowledge of and experience in operating professional sound, video and lighting systems
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders, clients, and colleagues
• Outstanding administrative and planning abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree from an accredited four-year institution of higher education.
• 4+ years of progressively responsible professional experience in a hotel, resort, association or university setting, with responsibilities in conference/event coordination, including demonstrated management experience in the development and training of staff (professional staff preferred).
• EMS/Cvent Software proficiency

Salary and Benefits

$74,500–$95,000 annual salary

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.

How to Apply

Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a resume or CV
• Upload a cover letter

Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This posting may be used to fill more than one vacancy based on business needs.

References will not be contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made.

Application review will begin September 30, 2026. This posting will close at 11:59p.m. on September 29, 2026.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

About Mines & Golden, CO

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 36 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2025).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact.

Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado --with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a community where our individual perspectives and experiences enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.

Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at [email protected] or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.

Equal Opportunity

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.

Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting