Special Events Manager

Reporting to the Director of Advancement Operations, the Special Events Manager supports the development and execution of DREAM’s fundraising, cultivation, and select internal events. This position plays a key role in designing and executing high-impact events that strengthen donor engagement and drive significant revenue. DREAM’s Events Team generates approximately $7M of the $21M raised annually. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented, strategic thinker and problem solver who can manage logistics, inspire internal teams, and lead project planning across departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation & management of operational systems & project plans for all Supporter Engagement events (Including: fundraising events, donor stewardship & cultivation events, and select signature school events).

• Manage logistics for events, including vendor coordination, budgeting, registration, guest communication, and run-of-show.

• Partner with the Communications Team to manage event branding, invitations, digital and printed materials, and event decor.

• Support the execution of programmatic and cultivation events such as graduations, volunteer activations, and community partnerships.

• Contribute to fundraising strategies, day-of execution, and stewardship of donors, in-kind sponsors, and auction participants.

• Partner with Major Gifts teams on pre- and post-event donor engagement, including acknowledgment letters, thank-yous, and stewardship reports.

• Manage in-kind donations and auction solicitation strategies tailored to each event audience.

• Support sponsorship fulfillment, gift bags, and auction item coordination.

• Contribute to donor experience strategy, helping design memorable, mission-aligned event touchpoints.

• Serve as a Salesforce “super user” to maintain records, track performance, and generate reports.

• Work with the Director of Advancement Operations to set event budget forecasts, manage event budgets, oversee all financial reporting and data analysis, and ensure accurate tracking of event revenue.

• Contribute to building and maintaining dashboards, event calendars, and workback timelines.

• Support with tracking event key performance areas, identifying items to work on for future events, and collaborating to create sound event strategies for DREAM.

• Oversee the fundraising operations management for the event pipeline with an eye towards integration with the major gifts program development

• Drive strategy for innovating procedures and ensuring proper management of the event revenue & tracking key event data in Salesforce

• Drive the gift management procedures, acknowledgment procedures, and database maintenance for all special event activities

• Lead internal planning meetings across Events, Communications, and Major Gifts teams.

• Oversee day-of event logistics, team assignments, and troubleshooting.

• Ensure smooth cross-functional coordination for volunteers, vendors, and staff roles at events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• 3+ years of experience planning fundraising or cultivation events in a nonprofit or mission-driven setting.

• Demonstrated success managing or supporting events that drive revenue and build donor loyalty. A keen sense of guest experience and engagement from initial outreach through post-event activities.

• Proven success executing revenue-driving events and building donor engag