Description

Position Summary

The Vice President for Public Service and Outreach of the University of Georgia (UGA) invites applications for the position of director of the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel (Georgia Center). 

The University of Georgia, a land-grant and sea-grant institution, is an international leader in outreach programming and statewide engagement. As part of UGA’s outreach mission, the division of Public Service and Outreach (PSO) works to help create jobs and prosperity, develop the state’s leaders, and solve critical statewide challenges. More information can be found at: www.outreach.uga.edu.

Information regarding the Georgia Center, one of eight UGA PSO units, can be found at: https://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/.

The Georgia Center is a large and comprehensive continuing education unit that includes a conference center and hotel. The facility was one of the original Centers of Continuing Education funded by the Kellogg Foundation. The Georgia Center’s continuing education programs focus on conferences and other professional development experiences, both in-person and online. Opening in 1957, the 300,000 square foot facility includes two auditoriums, 19 conference rooms, five executive boardrooms, a computer training lab, 200 hotel rooms, banquet areas, a full-service restaurant, and bistro. The Georgia Center employs approximately 400 people. The Georgia Center hosts more than 1,700 events annually, with approximately 95,000 participants each year. Through a unique partnership with the UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, the Georgia Center also serves as a real-world learning laboratory providing experiential learning opportunities for Hospitality and Food Industry Management students.

The director of the Georgia Center provides overall leadership and management of the unit, including responsibility for the administrative, budgetary, and programmatic operations of the Georgia Center and supervising Georgia Center faculty and staff located in Athens. The position reports directly to the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and is a member of PSO’s senior leadership team. This is high-profile role, as the director represents the Georgia Center both within the university community and to external stakeholders with varying interests and backgrounds. The director is based in Athens.

In addition to overseeing the overall management of the Georgia Center, the director serves as Georgia Center’s representative within the university community and to a broad range of external clients and stakeholders. Applicants should have extensive experience in leading and managing the hospitality and operations of a conference center, hotel, and amenities. Experience within a higher education setting is preferred. The successful candidate will have effective communication and interpersonal skills as well as an appreciation for the complexities involved in working on varied issues in a public setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for the administrative, budgetary, and operational performance of the Georgia Center, including management of a 300,000-square-foot conference center, hotel and two restaurants serving as a gateway for guests to the University of Georgia (UGA).
• Lead and develop a workforce to that delivers exceptional hospitality, client service, and operational excellence across all areas of the Georgia Center.
• Drive strategic business planning to maximize space utilization, control costs, grow revenues, and achieve or exceed budgeted financial expectations through data-informed evaluation of services.
• Build and mentor effective teams across the Georgia Center, supporting individual professional and personal development while advancing the success of the overall operation.
• Advance UGA’s public service and outreach mission by engaging collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, administrators, Cooperative Extension, Public Service and Outreach units, and academic schools and colleges, while ensuring Georgia Center experiences and team members consistently model a strong commitment to serving the state of Georgia.
• Cultivate a strong service culture by upholding a commitment to hospitality and ensuring exceptional experiences for guests visiting UGA and participating in campus activities.
• Promote and enhance the Georgia Center’s reputation as a leading provider of continuing education programs, facilities, and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages and backgrounds.
• Integrate student learning into Georgia Center operations by developing internships and applied work experiences. Hospitality and Food Industry Management interns serve in hotel, F&B, and event management.
• Engage in applied research and scholarship in collaboration with other UGA faculty to support innovation, teaching, and service outcomes aligned with the Georgia Center’s mission.
• Support institutional advancement by demonstrating a commitment to development and private support to further the mission and long-term success of the Georgia Center.
• Demonstrate leadership in higher education administration through effective communication, campus engagement, and active participation in university partnerships.
  
  

  Special Instructions to Applicants 

  Compensation will be determined by the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant. This is an administrative, untenured public service faculty appointment. Candidates will be considered for the position until March 31, 2026. Application materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vita, and list of four references with contact information. All applicants must apply through UGAJobs to be considered for the position. Please use the following link to apply: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/465232.

  The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

Requirements

A terminal degree in education, business, hospitality management, or other relevant fields is required, along with:

• A track record of executive level leadership managing a large staff and fiscal portfolio. 
• Experience using data to monitor and evaluate program effectiveness.
• A track record of successful fundraising.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and/or Competencies

• A deep understanding of the state of Georgia, its governmental structures, workforce, and communities.
• A demonstrated understanding of the land and sea-grant mission and the University’s role in public service and outreach to the state of Georgia.
• A commitment to maintaining the highest standards of excellence and integrity in delivering continuing education and hospitality services.