Description

Position Summary:

Planning and execution of fundraising and stewardship events.

Principal Duties:

• Lead fundraising efforts, including sponsor solicitation, vendor procurement, and managing and training volunteer fundraisers.
• Manage and execute logistics on all events and special projects, including signature fundraising events (net revenue >$500,000), donor stewardship events, annual recognition and appreciation events, etc.
• Solicit and secure revenue and in-kind donations from new and existing donors, including corporate and individual sponsors, community partners, and service providers. Promote partnerships and foster public relations beneficial to ARF.
• Create and manage event budgets, including monitoring and evaluating year-over-year performance.
• Establish and manage timelines for each event, ensuring timely execution of tasks, including venue rental and logistics, publicity, invitations, program scripts, donor acknowledgments, etc.
• Direct and manage staff and volunteers during event planning, special projects, and fundraisers.
• Create and execute event marketing plans in partnership with the marketing team, including digital and print assets, event management platforms, media and advertising.
• Practice and promote a positive, humane, and caring attitude toward people and animals; contribute to ARF’s happy and collaborative culture.
• Support strategy design in collaboration with ARF Advancement team as a whole.
• Maintain the utmost confidentiality of all ARF donor, prospect, and/or other internal information.
• Comply with all Federal, State and local safety regulations and laws, as well as ARF policies and guidelines. Follow established procedures governing safe work practices; and perform duties in a manner to assure the safety of oneself and others.
• Ensure self-certification and compliance in all event-related safety education and training. Train staff and volunteers on safety procedures as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Educational Requirements:

Four-year college degree preferred with emphasis on hospitality, communications or public relations. Qualifying work experience will be considered an alternative on the basis that one-year of experience may be substituted for one year of education.

Required Experience, Abilities and Qualities:

• Demonstrated record of success in securing individual and corporate sponsorships, in-kind donations of products and/or services, or comparable experience in for-profit sales.
• Superior organizational and planning skills with a demonstrated ability to lead and manage teams of people and complex logistics. Good analytical skills and ability to identify and assess issues/opportunities.
• Proficiency in software platforms for relationship management, project management, and fundraising, including Raiser’s Edge/NXT, Asana, Engaging Networks, Better Unite, and/or other online auction and peer-to-peer fundraising platforms, the internet, and/or other technology as appropriate.
• Ability and initiative to work with minimal supervision and direction. Be a self-starter, facilitator, organizer, and innovator. Flexibility, good judgment, and ability to make decisions independently.
• Experience in mentoring and developing skills in staff and volunteers, including delegate tasks, supervise and evaluate direct reports.
• Communicate skillfully and effectively with a culturally diverse staff, volunteer corps and community in a professional, pleasant, respectful, courteous and tactful manner. Proven ability to exercise diplomacy and confidentiality in communicating with others.
• Professional demeanor and presentation (attire, language, etc.).
• Enthusiasm for the human-animal bond; concern for the welfare of people and animals; comfort with animals in the workplace.
• A valid California Driver’s License with not more than two at-fault incidents in a three-year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years, and must be insured.
• Pre-employment background check required.

Physical/Environmental Requirements:

• Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens.
• Push/pull/lift 25 pounds and do physical work relative to setting up and breaking down event sites (packing/shipping supplies for off-site events, loading/unloading trucks, moving tables & chairs, etc.). Kneel, bend, stoop, squat, reach above and below shoulder level, grasp and turn objects, stand, and/or walk frequently and repetitively before, during, and after events. Flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist. Sit for long periods of time while using a computer.
• Drive an automobile.

Hours:

Exempt position requires a minimum of 40 hours per week. Daily reporting hours and days of the week may vary according to the event schedule. Weekend, holiday, and evening work required, as well as occasional travel via car and plane. Hybrid workplace option available.