Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement

POSITION: Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Development

To apply, please fill out this application by July 15, 2024, where you can also upload your thoughtful cover letter and resume:

Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement Job Application

ABOUT KESEM

We are a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with innovative, fun-filled programs that foster a lasting community. 

About the Position

Kesem seeks a creative, outgoing, problem-solving, detail and process-oriented Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement who can successfully support a national fundraising portfolio consisting of three galas and one to two parlor events. A key entry point for many of Kesem's major donors, these national events should collectively raise over $500,000 annually and encompass a continuum of touchpoints to engage with our mission. The Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement will also plan and implement other national meetings and trainings as needed, in person or virtually. The Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement will report to the Vice President of Development. Additionally, this person will lead the implementation and growth of a year-round donor experience and stewardship program focused on event supporters and major donor constituents. 

This individual is a key internal and external-facing member of the organization and must be comfortable interacting with National Board members, regional board members, senior management, vendors, and colleagues cross-departmentally. 

Kesem’s Values

The Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement must uphold and build a culture that continues to support and strengthen the following behaviors to help us realize our vision:

• Continuous learning - We operate with curiosity and a willingness to try new things, and we see our successes and setbacks as opportunities for growth.
• Accountability - We are individually and collectively responsible for advancing our mission.
• Resilience - We empower and support each other through challenges while fostering a spirit of joy and hopefulness.
• Empathy - We seek to understand and appreciate other perspectives and experiences. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

National Event Logistics & Management (60%)

• Manage all event planning, including production meetings and discussions.
• Manage guest lists and set parameters for event solicitations (sponsors and individuals).
• Organize collaboration with the Brand Team on event concept, graphic design/production/printing, and event marketing, if applicable.
• Coordinate with outside event consultants as necessary.
• Negotiate costs and services with vendors; book event space, arrange food and beverage, order all supplies/decorations, coordinate audiovisual equipment & operation, and make travel arrangements. 
• Coordinate the logistics for shipping supplies and staff travel to the event location.
• Secure guest speakers and entertainment; review speeches, write scripts, and coordinate rehearsals.    
• Ensure all sponsorship recognition and entitlements are fulfilled at each event.
• Work with the venue to create/revise room layouts/seating arrangements for each event as necessary.
• Manage on-site production and clean up for events as necessary.
• Lead efforts to recruit and train event leads and volunteers. 
• Process vendor invoices and ensure all signed vendor contracts and invoices are filed in appropriate locations.
• Vet potential venues and cultivate a list for future meetings and events.
• Prepare and coordinate post-event wrap-up activities to include tax receipts, donor recognition, sponsor recaps, auction package fulfillment, and post-event constituent communications.
• Provide financial and administrative information for accounting and finance teams, including event insurance requirements and expense information.
• If applicable, support logistical needs (F&B, AV) of National Leadership Summit, our annual training conference for nearly 500 college student leader attendees.
• Provide planning, travel, and logistics support for Regional and National Board of Directors meetings and retreats, internal staff retreats and meetings, and any additional large off-site meetings, including regular communications and post-event reporting. 

Donor Stewardship and Relationship Management (40%)

• Execute a year-round stewardship plan and map out resources so that front-line fundraisers can implement stewardship at a national level.
• Develop and curate content for donors, including drafting summaries, writing impact stories, gathering photos, and organizing invitations to camp and other program activities.
• Manage the national stewardship calendar and execute cross-departmentally on key stewardship efforts such as fundraiser recognition, Camp Visitors Day, Friends + Family Day, and Regional Kesem events.
• Support with stewardship of the Regional, National and Alumni Boards.

Qualifications

• Five years of experience managing logistics for fundraising events, including distinguished events with hundreds of attendees and business meetings with leadership volunteers and/or events in geographically diverse areas. 
• Knowledge of the fundraising and donor experience landscape.
• Ability to multi-task and keep track of multiple projects, as well as manage long-term deadlines against weekly, short-term, and recurrent needs. 
• Strong writing skills.
• Goal-oriented, comfortable in driving toward schedule and budget requirements. 
• Commitment to and passion for the mission of Kesem.
• Clear, approachable and authentic when messaging Kesem’s mission and programs.
• Entrepreneurial, flexible, and adaptable. We are a small organization that is scaling quickly, and we require innovative solutions from our team.
• Ability to work with diverse, internal and external constituent groups effectively in a remote work environment. 
• Proficient with Google Drive, Microsoft Office, and comfort learning and working with systems (e.g., Salesforce, Expensify, Classy and Hive). 

Job Environment 

• The Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement role is a full-time and remote position, with responsibilities that require at least 40 hours of work per week, with some weeks requiring more.
• It is expected that the Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement will be available for all staff calls, volunteer meetings, Board meetings, donor events, which may occur outside of normal work hours.

Location & Travel

Location for this role is flexible, with no preference for geography. The Manager, Special Events & Donor Engagement should expect to travel 8-10 times per year, all within the United States.  Travel includes national fundraising events, market prospecting, National Leadership Summit, Board meetings, camp-related gatherings and staff retreats if applicable. 

Compensation

• The salary range for this position is $57,000 - $72,000.  Placement in this range would be based on relevant professional experience in a similar career-level role. In addition, Kesem offers a benefits package for full-time employees, including employer-subsidized health benefits, employee-funded dental and vision benefits, an employee-funded 403(b) retirement plan, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a healthcare concierge service, telecommuting, paid time off (PTO), Short-Term Disability, voluntary accident insurance, voluntary critical illness insurance, voluntary Long-Term Disability and parental leave offerings.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Kesem’s mission of supporting children through and beyond a parent’s cancer, and our vision of ensuring that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone, can only be realized through an ongoing, steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in every part of our organization.  To that end, Kesem makes the following commitments:

• To continually expand the communities we support and work with - our camper families, volunteers, staff, alumni, partners, donors, and boards - with attention to engaging communities we are not currently reaching.
• To strive for equity in delivering a transformative, fun, and empowering community that recognizes and embraces our differences. 
• To aspire to create shared spaces that are safe for every member of the Kesem community to feel valued and respected.
• Kesem will engage in continued meaningful learning in order to better support our mission and our growing Kesem community. 

Kesem is an Equal Opportunity Employer.