Manager of Special Events

Houston Symphony Society; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Houston Symphony Society is seeking a Manager of Special Events to lead donor cultivation and stewardship events and major galas. You will collaborate with the Development team to engage high-level donors, volunteers, and vendors, ensuring precise execution and exceptional attention to detail.

The role includes supervising the Development Associate, supporting three annual fundraisers, coordinating invitations, and maintaining event communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience in special events or events-related role.
• Experience with database usage and Microsoft Office and desktop publishing.

Responsibilities

• Develop, coordinate and execute donor cultivation and stewardship events, including major galas.
• Support planning of three annual fundraisers: Opening Night Gala, Symphony Ball, Wine Dinner.
• Coordinate with Individual and Institutional Giving teams for donor solicitation and attendance.
• Manage vendor relationships for caterers, rentals, valet, florists and designers.
• Oversee Special Events invitations and external communications, including catalogs and proofreading.

Skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Verbal & written communication

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Tessitura

Monday.com

Paperless Post

Wordfly

Cognito Forms

OneCause

Job description

Job Title: Manager of Special EventsDepartment: DevelopmentReports to: Director of Special EventsStatus: Full-time, ExemptPlease include a cover letter and resume when applying.Summary:Reporting to the Director of Special Events, this position develops and implements fundraising and event management details for the Symphony’s donor stewardship, cultivation and prospecting events and major galas. This position is a key member of the Special Events team and collaborates closely with the Individual Giving team to fulfill several donor benefit events. This position will interact frequently with high-level donors, volunteers, and vendors. Clear communication, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage several simultaneous projects in a dynamic environment are essential. In collaboration with the Director of Special Events, the Manager of Special Events will have supervisory oversight of the Development Associate, Events.Candidate Essential Functions:General Special Event ResponsibilitiesDevelop, coordinate and execute donor cultivation and stewardship events, such as the annual Musician Sponsorship Dinner, regular prospect dinners, special salons, kick-off and underwriter events, and more.Support the planning and implementation of three major annual fundraisers: Opening Night Gala, Symphony Ball, and Wine Dinner; and other events, with specific responsibilities assigned by the Director of Special Events.Work with the Individual and Institutional Giving teams to manage the solicitation and invitation of donors as well as attendance for events.Coordinate with a number of vendors to execute various aspects of each event, including caterers, rental companies, valet, florists, and designers.Provide supervisory oversight of Special Events invitations and external communications, including Ball and Wine Dinner auction catalogs, through guidance on language, formatting and design, as well as copy editing and proofreading.Assist with the development and maintenance of Special Events department policies and procedures.Manage inventory of the Houston Symphony wine storage locker.Manage external communication plans and designs for Individual and Institutional Giving events and serve as a liaison with the Marketing team.Support development of Houston Symphony webpages for Special Events.Attend all major fundraisers and take ownership of an assigned aspect of each event.Other Development Department duties and responsibilitiesMaintain positive, professional and courteous relationships with all Symphony staff, donors, patrons, volunteers, and vendors.Perform regular concert duty during Symphony performance seasons.Attend performances and donor events as required.Other duties as assigned by the Houston Symphony Society.Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.3+ years of experience in special events or an events-related role.Experience with database usage, spreadsheet creation and manipulation and desktop publishing using Microsoft Office and Tessitura. Experience with Monday.com, Paperless Post, Wordfly, Cognito Forms and OneCause platforms is a plus.Professional and detail oriented with excellent time management skills.Excellent verbal and written communication skills.Ability to work successfully in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple simultaneous projects.Creative, flexible and a natural problem solver.Ability to work evenings and weekends, including some holidays.Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.Access to reliable personal vehicle.