Events Manager
About NYU Abu Dhabi
NYU Abu Dhabi is pioneering a new model of higher education for a global world, dedicated to excellence in teaching and research and to advancing cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. Drawing on the strengths of the NYU global network, it offers an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to students from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and around the world, with a distinctive focus on intercultural understanding and leadership. It supports innovative research and graduate education programs that push forward the frontiers of knowledge and respond in powerful and interdisciplinary ways to vital global and local challenges.
Position summary
Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Events Manager reporting to Associate Director, External Relations, Stern@NYUAD.
The Events Manager leads the strategy, planning, and full lifecycle delivery of Stern at NYUAD’s event portfolio, ensuring events advance institutional priorities, elevate Stern’s brand presence, and deliver a high-quality stakeholder experience. The role holds end-to-end operational ownership of event execution standards, cross-functional alignment, vendor performance, and logistics strategy.
Serving as the central operational authority for events, the Events Manager establishes scalable systems, defines service and brand standards, mitigates operational risk, and drives continuous improvement across all events. The role partners with internal leadership, Executive Education, and external stakeholders to expand Stern’s visibility and regional engagement through professionally executed, high-impact events.
Job responsibilities
Event operations & project management
Lead end-to-end event project management and operational readiness
Serve as on-site operational lead with decision-making authority
Define and uphold institutional event delivery standards
Develop and maintain event systems, procedures, and documentation
Drive post-event analysis and continuous improvement
Vendor strategy & logistics ownership
Serve as the main point of contact for all external vendors and logistics providers
Own vendor relationships, service accountability, and performance oversight
Direct logistics strategy across venues, catering, branding, and technical needs
Establish vendor communication and documentation protocols
Identify and mitigate logistics risks
Institutional coordination & stakeholder management
Support cross-functional alignment for smooth execution of events and logistics
Lead cross-functional coordination across Marketing, Admissions, Facilities, Executive Education, and leadership offices
Translate event goals into operational plans and drive accountability
Lead planning meetings and post-event reviews
Maintain master timelines and readiness reporting
Event communications & experience management
Own operational delivery of event communications
Oversee content capture, digital presence, and promotional logistics
Ensure guest experience, crowd management, and branding standards
Monitor engagement effectiveness and recommend enhancements
Required education
Bachelor's degree or equivalent in logistics, event management, business administration, or related field
Required experience
7+ years of event management and organization experience
Strong interpersonal skills and experience supporting candidate/student or customer engagement
Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities
Ability to manage fast-paced tasks and respond effectively to issues in real-time
Outstanding attention to detail and discretion in handling sensitive information
Availability to be on-site during event weekends (compensation days will be provided)
Executive presence and maturity in dealing with senior internal and external stakeholders
Proficiency in tools such as Google Workspace (Sheets, Calendar, Docs) and messaging platforms (e.g., WhatsApp)
Preferred education
Master's degree or MBA
Preferred experience
1+ years past university or executive education experience strongly preferred
Events management experience preferred
Experience in higher education, student recruitment, or admissions events
Knowledge of candidate communications best practices and feedback tracking systems
Other information about NYUAD
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity.
This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.