Associate Director, Premier Event

American Cancer Society; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The American Cancer Society in Tampa, FL is seeking an experienced fundraising professional to lead premier events and donor engagement. You will develop strategies, manage sponsorships, steward executive volunteers, and oversee event logistics to maximize revenue and impact.

You will collaborate across teams to align fundraising goals with organizational priorities, travel modestly for community engagement, and lead with integrity in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelors in related field and/or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred Degree: Bachelor's Degree
• Years of experience: 5+ years successful experience in fundraising, corporate engagement, volunteer partnership, and relationship development

Responsibilities

• Builds, sustains, and advances donor, sponsor, volunteer leadership, and partner relationships to drive revenue growth and engagement.
• Develops and executes fundraising strategies for premier large-scale events, including sponsorship acquisition and participant engagement.
• Recruits, engages, and mobilizes executive volunteers, chairs, ambassadors, and leadership teams.
• Oversees planning, logistics, budgets, vendor relationships, and brand execution for events.
• Collaborates cross-functionally to align event efforts with organizational priorities and revenue goals.
• Monitors financial performance, evaluates results, and adjusts strategies to optimize revenue growth.

Skills

Donor engagement

Relationship building

Event management

Strategic planning

Team collaboration

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

At the American Cancer Society, we're working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Our employees and 1.3 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We are a culture comprised of diverse backgrounds and experience, to better serve our communities.

The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled.

Essential Duties

• Builds, sustains, and advances high-impact relationships with donors, sponsors, volunteer leaders, and community partners to drive revenue growth and long-term engagement. 30%
• Develops and executes fundraising strategies for a premier large-scale event, including sponsorship acquisition, donor cultivation, pipeline development, and participant engagement. 20%
• Recruits, engages, and mobilizes executive volunteers, event chairs, ambassadors, and leadership teams to support fundraising success and community visibility. 15%
• Oversees delivery of a best-in‑class event experience through leadership of planning, logistics, budgets, vendor relationships, and brand execution. 15%
• Collaborates cross‑functionally to align event efforts with broader organizational priorities, donor strategies, and revenue goals. 10%
• Monitors financial performance, evaluates results, and adjusts strategies to optimize revenue growth, return on investment, and overall event impact. 10%

Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelors in related field and/or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred Degree: Bachelor's Degree
• Years of experience: 5+ years successful experience in fundraising, corporate engagement, volunteer partnership, and relationship development

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth through donor, sponsor, and volunteer engagement.
• Strong relationship‑building and influencing skills with high‑impact stakeholders and community leaders.
• Experience leading complex, high‑profile fundraising events with a focus on growth, donor experience, and return on investment.
• Ability to recruit, engage, and develop volunteer leadership and executive‑level partners.
• Strong strategic planning, project management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to analyze performance and adjust strategies to achieve revenue goals.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and functions.
• Ability to lead through influence, manage competing priorities, and adapt in a fast‑paced environment.

Travel Requirements

• Limited travel to meetings, training & events.
• Expectation of being external in the market an average of 3 days per week.
• Must be able to attend evening and weekend meetings, events and programs.

Physical Requirements

• No specific physical requirements.

The starting rate is $75,000 to $85,000. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non-discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.

ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer.