Overview
The Special Events Officer leads the development and execution of all fundraising events and cultivation events for Rising Ground’s Development Department. They are responsible for overseeing the execution of the Rising Ground Gala, generating event revenue, planning cultivation events, donor management and prospecting, event marketing and communications, and financial reporting and operations. They should have a strong familiarity with fundraising best practices and event planning. This position reports to the Vice President of Development and is expected to be in the office a minimum of three days a week.
Key Responsibility
The primary duties of the Special Events Officer will include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
Rising Ground Gala
- Oversee the annual Rising Ground Gala from start to finish, including theme, program, and day-of logistics.
- Work with the Vice President of Development, the Board of Directors, and Senior Leadership to ensure the Gala achieves its annual revenue goal.
- Collaborate with Program teams to create compelling storytelling moments, both in-person and digitally.
- Coordinate with vendors, staff, and volunteers to ensure all logistics are handled effectively.
Generate Event Revenue
- In collaboration with the Vice President of Development, develop new opportunities for the organization to generate event revenue.
- Ensure that each event reaches its revenue goal.
- Prepare Board of Directors and Senior Leadership to solicit partners on behalf of the organization.
Cultivation Events
- Create multiple touchpoints for Rising Ground to engage with its donors regularly.
- Partner with the Vice President of Development to curate invitation lists for each event.
- Evaluate the success of cultivation events through attendance, engagement, and revenue metrics.
Donor Management and Prospecting
- Cultivate and steward relationships with current donors, sponsors, and partners.
- Identify new potential donors, solicit gifts to support events, and conduct donor/sponsor research.
Marketing and Communications
- Develop marketing and communications strategies for all departmental events.
- Create post-event outreach, including follow-up communication, donor stewardship, and converting event attendees into ongoing supporters.
- In collaboration with the Vice President of Development and the Marketing team, create person-centered communications to inspire event attendance.
- Drive brand awareness through marketing events, in partnership with the Marketing team
Cost Management, Financial Reporting, and Operations
- Oversee all financial elements and cost management of fundraising and cultivation events.
- Create and manage event budgets, track expenses and revenue, and ensure events are financially successful.
- Analyze event revenues compared to expenses and report on financial outcomes.
- Manage the recording and acknowledgement of all event gifts received.
Other related duties as assigned by supervisor.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 6–8 years of fundraising experience, preferably in special events, with a proven track record of managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and achieving revenue goals.
- Strong event planning, organizational, and project management skills, with exceptional attention to detail, financial acumen (including budgeting and analysis), and proficiency in CRM fundraising platforms (Salesforce preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, relationship-building, and collaboration skills, with a proactive, self-directed approach, strong problem-solving abilities, and creativity in donor cultivation and engagement strategies.
- Commitment to and passion for the mission and values of Rising Ground.
Supervisory Responsibility
No
Work Environment:
Corporate Office
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday in our Headquarters at 1333 Broadway office in Midtown Manhattan. Work hours options are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, 9:30 am - 5:30 pm, 10 am - 6 pm.
Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive salary structure
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- PTO policy (11 Paid Holidays, Paid Sick Time, Paid Vacation & Paid Personal Days)
- Remote / flexible work options (If applicable)
Additional Requirements:
- Authorized to work in the U.S.
- Ability to work in-person in New York City (NY) for at least 3 days or more per week.
- Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 6-8 years of fundraising experience, preferably in special events
- Strong event planning, organizational, and project management skills
- Exceptional attention to detail and financial acumen, including budgeting and analysis
- Proficiency in CRM fundraising platforms (Salesforce preferred)
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
- Excellent written and verbal communication, relationship-building, and collaboration skills
- Proactive, self-directed approach with strong problem-solving abilities and creativity in donor cultivation
- Commitment to and passion for the mission and values of Rising Ground
- Authorized to work in the U.S.
- Ability to work in-person in New York City at least 3 days per week
- Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites if required
What We Do
Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity. With an annual budget of $203 million and 101 programs at 138 sites throughout the New York City and lower Westchester area, we deliver dedicated support to promote safe environments for children and help families thrive through our family stabilization, family foster care and adoption programs; innovative special educational programs that advance learning from early childhood through high school; result-focused programs that help court-involved youth change the trajectory of their lives; caring services that promote independence for children and adults with developmental disabilities; and pro-active community health initiatives that foster well-being. Across programs, we continually engage new, innovative techniques and implement evidence-based models to increase our impact and promote better outcomes.
