The Role
Plans and manages signature fundraising, donor stewardship, gala, auction, and hospitality events. Responsibilities include event calendars, invitations, guest lists, budgets, vendor coordination, sponsorships, auctions, logistics, publicity, reconciliations, and day-of execution. The role builds relationships with donors and guests, collaborates across philanthropy, marketing, finance, and design teams, and works evenings and weekends in an outdoor cultural campus environment.
Summary Generated by Built In
Department: Philanthropy
Supervisor: Vice President of Philanthropy
Employment Type: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Compensation: $26.00 per hour
The Special Events Manager will be responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the calendar of signature fundraising events and stewardship events and gatherings, with the primary goal of fostering guest satisfaction and loyalty to help meet Caramoor’s fundraising goals.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
- Work closely with the VP of Philanthropy to plan high-quality, inspired, and sought-after, revenue-generating special events.
- Establish and maintain an annual calendar of donor cultivation, stewardship, and special events; Manage invitation design, guest list, and mailing process.
- Ensure all logistics are in place and best fundraising strategies are incorporated.
- Prepare budgets for special events and donor-focused hospitality functions; Obtain competitive bids from vendors to ensure the lowest bid with the highest quality of service and products.
- Maintain reservations and record Gift-in-Kind for fundraising events utilizing Excel and Spektrix; Comply with IRS guidelines regarding benefit payments.
- Oversee the execution of hospitality production for all donor gatherings, including the preparation of timelines and production sheets detailing logistics and attendance.
- Secure auction donations and oversee execution of auctions, when applicable.
- Manage the gala program, securing sponsorships and ads, and working with the graphic design team.
- Collaborate with the Philanthropy and Special Events Committee on the creative direction of special events, including décor, florals, invitations, and programs; Acquire honoree gifts and gift bags for guests.
- Serve as the point person between staff and vendors leading up to and on day-of events; Interact with guests and donors at events to build relationships and foster loyalty.
- Work with marketing to develop event publicity strategies and digital/print promotional material.
- Collaborate with the Finance department on event reconciliations.
- Maintain relationships with caterer(s) and event vendors in collaboration with the Hospitality & Facility Rental Manager.
- Monitor industry trends.
Required Skills and Qualifications:
Experience and Education: Three plus years of leadership in event planning, hospitality, and food service. Experience with fundraising in an arts/nonprofit setting is a plus. Bachelor’s degree in a related field is a plus.
Management Skills: Strong problem-solving and project management skills. Proven leader and manager who displays grace under pressure.
Customer Service & Communication Skills: Must have a friendly and professional attitude and work well with the public. Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, and conflict resolution skills.
Collaboration: Ability to work as part of the Caramoor team in a positive and professional manner. Willingness to be very hands-on and flexible to work on a variety of assigned tasks.
Administrative Skills: Ability to maintain confidential information; highly organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic. Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and new opportunities. Command of MS Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook; Raiser’s Edge and Spektrix experience a plus.
Working Conditions: Ability to work in a busy office environment, maneuver outdoors (in all weather conditions) on 80 acres of woodland trails, gravel pathways and spectacular gardens. Must be able to work evenings and weekends. Ability to lift/move up to 25lbs. Valid driver’s license. Authorization to work in the U.S. is required.
About Caramoor
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a vibrant cultural destination where music, art, and nature come together on an historic 81-acre campus of gardens and woodlands in Katonah, New York. Founded in 1946 by arts patrons Walter and Lucie Rosen, Caramoor has evolved into one of the region’s most distinctive nonprofit cultural organizations, welcoming audiences of all ages through world-class performances, cultural engagement, and opportunities for discovery and connection.
Each year, Caramoor presents a dynamic range of live performances spanning classical, opera, jazz, American roots, global music, and the American songbook. Its acclaimed Summer Season features outdoor performances across multiple unique venues, while the Rosen House Concert Series offers intimate concerts throughout the fall, winter, and spring inside the historic Rosen House, a Mediterranean-style villa filled with art and treasures from around the world. In addition to more than 50 concerts annually, Caramoor presents nearly 100 public programs each year, including family programs, wellness offerings, educational experiences, tours, lectures, and community events designed to engage visitors of all ages. Caramoor also serves as a sought-after destination for weddings, private celebrations, and corporate events, offering unforgettable experiences in a uniquely inspiring setting.
Guided by its mission to present exceptional music, mentor emerging artists, preserve and interpret its historic site, and foster meaningful connections with the community, Caramoor is committed to creating welcoming and inspiring experiences for audiences, artists, students, guests, and staff alike.
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, supported in large part by the generosity of its donors, members, sponsors, and community.
Caramoor joins with those who seek to promote equality, eradicate injustice, and support inclusion. As in a choir, our world benefits from a multitude of voices coming together in harmony.
Caramoor is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO); this means that all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruiting, advertising, hiring, training, promotions, compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, return from layoffs, disciplinary action and discharge shall be conducted on the basis of qualification and ability without regard to actual or perceived race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sex (including sexual violence and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or any reproductive health decisions, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, color, age, weight, national origin, citizenship, familial status, marital status, domestic victim status, military and veteran status or any other basis protected by law.
We pledge to uphold equality in our hiring and employment practices, and to create an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work.
Skills Required
- Three or more years of leadership experience in event planning, hospitality, and food service
- Experience with fundraising in an arts or nonprofit setting
- Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Strong problem-solving and project management skills
- Proven leadership and management ability
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
- Conflict resolution and customer service skills
- Ability to work collaboratively, hands-on, and flexibly
- Ability to maintain confidential information and remain highly organized and detail-oriented
- Command of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Raiser's Edge and Spektrix experience
- Ability to work evenings and weekends
- Ability to work outdoors in varied weather and navigate woodland trails, gravel pathways, and gardens
- Ability to lift or move up to 25 pounds
- Valid driver's license
- Authorization to work in the United States
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The Company
What We Do
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a vibrant cultural destination located on a historic 81-acre estate in Katonah, NY. Its mission is to enrich the lives of audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality, mentor young professional musicians, and engage children through interactive educational experiences. The center hosts a wide array of concerts, programs, and events within its unique gardens and historic venues.
