Donor Engagement & Special Events Manager

DREAM; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Plans (Flexible)

Dental & Vision Plans

Parental Leave (12 weeks)

401(k) with employer match

Professional development

Referral bonuses

Generous PTO

Job summary

DREAM is seeking a Special Events Manager to design and execute high-impact fundraising events that strengthen donor engagement and drive revenue. You will lead operational systems, manage cross‑department collaboration, and coordinate with Major Gifts teams to optimize the donor experience.

The role reports to the Director of Advancement Operations and supports events across a network that raises about $7M of the annual $21M.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3–6 years of experience planning fundraising or cultivation events in a nonprofit setting.
• Proven success driving revenue and donor loyalty through events.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in dynamic environments.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-department collaboration skills.
• Proficiency in Salesforce, Asana, Cvent, Canva, and Google/Microsoft Suites.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation & management of systems and plans for Supporter Engagement events.
• Coordinate logistics: vendor management, budgeting, registration, and guest communication.
• Partner with Communications for branding, invitations, materials, and decor.
• Support programmatic and cultivation events like graduations and partnerships.
• Contribute to fundraising strategies and donor stewardship activities.
• Collaborate with Major Gifts on pre- and post-event engagement.

Skills

Fundraising events

Event planning

Project management

Donor engagement

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Salesforce

Asana

Cvent

Canva

Google/Microsoft Suites

Job description

DREAM is seeking a Special Events Manager to design and execute high-impact fundraising events that strengthen donor engagement and drive revenue. You will lead operational systems, manage cross‑department collaboration, and coordinate with Major Gifts teams to optimize the donor experience.

The role reports to the Director of Advancement Operations and supports events across a network that raises about $7M of the annual $21M.