How to hire a director of special events

How to hire a director of special events, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of special events hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director of special events job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director of special events
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a director of special events do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a director of special events, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a director of special events to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a director of special events that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of special events.

   Type of Director Of Special Events	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Special Events	Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	$16-54
   Public Relations Manager	A public relations manager is responsible for monitoring the public relations department to boost its brand image and attract potential clients through press releases and media coverage. They work closely with the marketing team, developing marketing campaigns and promotional strategies for creating brand awareness... Show more	$30-61
   Promotion Manager	A promotion manager plans and directs campaigns to promote products and services they are selling through contests, giveaways, or coupons. He/she is responsible for the development and implementation of promotion schedules to attract more customers by coordinating with finance, sales, legal, and marketing departments... Show more	$23-55

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Event Planning
   • Alumni
   • Event Management
   • Event Logistics
   • Audio Visual
   • Press Releases
   • Corporate Sponsors
   • Promotional Materials
   • Event Budgets
   • Strategic Plan
   • Trade Shows
   • Event Production
   • Cultivation Events
   • Donor Cultivation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the communications/special events budget to ensure ROI in accordance with the communication plan.
   • Restructure the budget plan for the department, achieving significant cost reductions while increasing ROI.
   • Organize, execute and manage all VIP hospitality and auxiliary celebrity events.
   • Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
   • Develop a BEO form to promote effective communication between front of house and back of house.
   • Collaborate with catering to create BEO s and assist clients with menu selection for meetings and events.

   More director of special events duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of special events job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A director of special events salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a director of special events in Alaska may be lower than in California, and an entry-level director of special events usually earns less than a senior-level director of special events. Additionally, a director of special events with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average director of special events salary

   $63,671yearly

   $30.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of special events salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average director of special events salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$92,169	$44
   2	New York	$85,586	$41
   3	New Jersey	$84,445	$41
   4	Delaware	$82,498	$40
   5	Nevada	$80,287	$39
   6	Arizona	$76,601	$37
   7	District of Columbia	$76,410	$37
   8	Massachusetts	$72,579	$35
   9	Virginia	$67,057	$32
   10	Arkansas	$66,730	$32
   11	Texas	$66,420	$32
   12	North Carolina	$65,779	$32
   13	Pennsylvania	$64,516	$31
   14	Oregon	$61,198	$29
   15	Iowa	$60,128	$29
   16	Nebraska	$58,907	$28
   17	Georgia	$57,760	$28
   18	Florida	$56,195	$27
   19	Illinois	$52,868	$25
   20	Indiana	$51,098	$25

   Average director of special events salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	NRDC	$103,684	$49.85
   2	New York University	$102,977	$49.51	1
   3	Buffalo Bill Center of the West	$94,143	$45.26
   4	Memorial Healthcare System	$92,172	$44.31
   5	Childhelp	$90,878	$43.69
   6	The Wild Center	$89,001	$42.79
   7	University of Illinois Springfield	$88,137	$42.37
   8	Mt. San Antonio College	$87,321	$41.98	1
   9	University of California-Berkeley	$84,509	$40.63	4
   10	BD	$84,176	$40.47	1
   11	Johns Hopkins Medicine	$82,407	$39.62	1
   12	Hospital for Special Surgery	$80,641	$38.77	2
   13	San Francisco University High School	$80,225	$38.57	1
   14	Goodwin Recruiting	$78,321	$37.65
   15	Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	$77,755	$37.38	2
   16	Franklin & Marshall College	$77,391	$37.21
   17	Tempo Air	$76,056	$36.57
   18	Children's National Medical Center	$70,273	$33.79	20
   19	San Jose State University	$69,296	$33.32	3
   20	Live Nation Entertainment	$68,104	$32.74	11

4. Writing a director of special events job description

   A director of special events job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a director of special events job description:

   Director of special events job description example

   Become one of the stars behind The SHOW and become part of the world's most powerful entertainment brands. Our Company has one exciting mission: To entertain the human race.
   PRIMARY PURPOSE:
   It is the primary responsibility of the Director of Special Events to oversee the corporate casino special events function, with added focus on International Marketing. All duties are to be performed in accordance with departmental and property policies, practices, and procedures.
   
   PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Plan and execute corporate casino events, both domestic and international, to include creating and developing event concepts and themes, managing creative process for Special Event invitations and collateral, and ensuring consistent best practices are applied.Collaborate with corporate and property staff on entertainment, décor and theme creation of New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year Galas.Develop and give direction for unique, high-profile corporate special events through collaboration with senior executives of Casino Marketing and various other members of leadership while ensuring departmental practices are compliant with company policies and legal requirements.Conduct and drive all planning meetings, gift presentations, and other important functions specific to the planning of International Marketing events in partnership with property Special Events teams. Collaborate with Entertainment and International Marketing leadership to drive Far East and other international-themed concerts in Las Vegas.Partner with Corporate Casino Marketing to assist with the creation and maintenance of the Corporate Special Event calendar.Provide input into the research, development, evaluation and implementation of new products, services, technology and processes to ensure the company's competitive position in anticipation of changing customer needs within the dynamic hospitality and gaming environment.Domestic and International travel is required to deliver results for international events or marketing trips.Perform other job-related duties as requested.
   
   MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
   Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Gaming, Event Management & Planning or related area or equivalent leadership experience.Four (4) years of prior special events, advertising or entertainment experience.Must have experience in the following areas: gaming regulations in relation to tournament practices, décor planning, set up direction.Ability to communicate effectively in English, in both written and oral forms.
   
   PREFERRED:
   Event planning certification.Two (2) years of supervisory/managerial experience.Previous experience working in similar resort setting.
   
   CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
   Gaming license/registration as required by jurisdiction(s) Valid Passport
   
   KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
   Working knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.Must have interpersonal skills to work effectively with all business contacts.Ability to plan and execute multiple events simultaneously.Ability to multitask in fast-paced, changing environments under high pressure conditions.
   
   Location:
   US, Nevada

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find directors of special events for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director of special events job on Zippia to find and recruit director of special events candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit directors of special events, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director of special events

   Once you've selected the best director of special events candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new director of special events. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a director of special events?