Job Details

Director, Production and Technology, Programs and Special Events

Position Number: 6571929
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Conference and Events Administration

Director, Production and Technology, Programs and Special Events

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title
Director, Production and Technology, Programs and Special Events

Job Profile Title
Director C, Development, Events

Job Description Summary
The Director, Production and Technology is a senior member of the Programs and Special Events team within Penn's Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) department. This position plays a vital role in enhancing the impact and reach of constituent engagement events by providing expert guidance, planning, and execution of technology and production solutions. They will manage a Senior Associate Director, Production and Technology and will evaluate event technology needs, coordinate technical support, serve as the primary liaison with vendors, and oversee technical aspects of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events. This role ensures that DAR events are executed smoothly, meet the highest standards of professionalism, and align with University branding and accessibility expectations.

Working with the Senior Associate Director, this position is responsible for providing expert technical support for wide-ranging events in DAR. DAR events range from high-level volunteer and donor meetings requiring basic AV, to virtual events requiring Zoom room management, to large events in venues both nationally and internationally with audiences of 200-800+ where sound, lights, set decor, video assets, and dynamic presentations may be part of the program. Many events on campus will be outdoor events. Our events typically involve University leadership and other VIPs: seamless execution and a high degree of professionalism are vital for this role.

This position reports to the Executive Director, Programs & Special Events, with a dotted reporting line to the Senior Director, Programs and Special Events, who directly manages the team of event planners and all aspects of on-the-ground event execution. The ideal candidate will have exceptional technical skills, creativity in designing production elements, and excellent planning, organization, and management capabilities.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Manage a Senior Associate Director to work together to deliver expert production and technical services within the Programs and Special Events Team of 15 people.
Maintain expertise in production and technology solutions by keeping apprised of ongoing developments in the field.
Serve as an internal production consultant for the team, recommending technologies based on event goals. Participate in event planning to advise on supporting technology to meet the vision of the event owner and stakeholders.
Plan and arrange details of technology required for individual events, as determined in conjunction with the event owner and lead planner/s for each event: this may involve working with vendors or venue onsite tech teams depending on the scale of the event.
Generate technical and set budgets for specific events. Request and review bids from venue-based production teams or external vendors for production and technology support as needed. This role will be responsible for comparing options to ensure that the expected cost of production remains within or under established budgets.
Coordinate payment schedules with the PSE Business Manager and vendor to ensure invoices and contracts are properly approved and processed on a timely basis.
Serve as production manager to ensure proper execution onsite of several major events, including managing teams of contracted production providers as needed, planning and managing technical rehearsals, and supervising the actual events. As this position will often interface with organized labor workers, experience and knowledge of working with IATSE and other trade unions is preferred.
As needed, act as the hands-on technical operator for events.
Work with the Senior Associate Director of Programs and Special events, who oversees virtual and hybrid events, to support technological needs related to large Zoom events, or live-streaming from in-person events requiring multiple camera set-up and sound delivery.

**Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the "Resume/CV" section of the application prior to submitting.**

Qualifications

Professional

Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years of experience in special events technical production management and execution or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Proven leadership and management skills to take full responsibility for the delivery of highest standard services in technical production of highly visible events, working within a large and complex organization, and managing a staff member within a larger team.
Must be highly organized, motivated, and self-initiating while working as a member of a team within a goal-oriented, fast-paced environment.
The ability to multi-task and manage several large projects with varying scopes of complexity is critical as this position will be managing development and execution of a wide range of concurrent events.
Experience working with 3rd party vendors to define and deliver technical services for successful execution of events within budget.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with a wide range of individuals including colleagues across the University, senior leadership, donors, and alumni volunteer leaders.
Experience budgeting for technology for large scale events. Experience with large scale events with total budgets of $100K+ desirable.
Frequent weekend and evening work required. Frequent off campus events and extensive travel including international required. Must posses a valid driver's license and current passport.

Technical Skills

Must have proven ability to research, develop, and present technical support solutions for a wide range of applications.
Experience with multifaceted technical installation and operations, including set installation, lighting, audio and sound, and video.
Familiarity with virtual event technical needs and tools such as Teams and Zoom is preferred.
Must have ability to technically direct a complex, multi-camera and multi-source production for both live and virtual environments.
Must have proven technical proficiency in current presentation suites to include PowerPoint, Keynote, and Presi. Expert understanding of standard format, widescreen, and HD layouts as well as custom screen sizes and knowledge of conversion techniques is critical.
As this position will often interface with organized labor workers, experience and knowledge of working with IATSE and other trade unions is preferred.
Post-production video editing skills a plus.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range
$109,000.00 - $130,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/FMC-Tower-Development/Director--Production-and-Technology--Programs-and-Special-Events_JR00111928-2