Senior Events Manager, Fundraising & Donor Engagement

Valleyhumane; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision and more, with

3 weeks paid time off + 10 paid ha­lid

Annual pet care allowance

403(b) with employer match

Cuddly coworkers

30-day paid sabbatical after 4 years

Job summary

Seattle Humane in Bellevue, WA is seeking an Events Manager to lead fundraising and community events. You will manage planning, production, and execution for donor, sponsor, and volunteer experiences, aligning with fundraising goals and organization mission.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in event management, strong vendor relations, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration, with excellence in communication and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8+ years of event management experience.
• Strong relationship building, negotiation, presentation, and customer service skills.
• Experience in planning and making public presentations to professional groups, both virtually and in-person.
• Exceptional discretion, independent judgment, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, anticipate needs, and respond effectively to time-sensitive requests.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with project management tools.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and completing tasks on deadline.
• Deals with diverse styles and personalities and build strong and trusting relationships with peers, managers, volunteers, and internal and external partners.
• Demonstrated interest in, and passion for nonprofit work and animal welfare highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Leads the strategic planning and execution of fundraising, donor cultivation, and community engagement events, ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale signature events, ensuring each experience is thoughtfully designed, mission-aligned, and successfully delivered.
• Manage event budgets, timelines, workplans, and complex logistics from initial concept through execution and post-event evaluation, proactively identifying needs, managing competing priorities, and ensuring events remain on schedule and within budget.
• Oversee relationships with vendors, venues, and production partners, including sourcing and evaluating partners, negotiating contracts and pricing, managing deliverables, and ensuring a high standard of service and execution.
• In partnership with the marketing team, create and manage compelling event communications and collateral from promotion through follow-up, including event invitations and promotions, webpages, presentations, signage, programs, scripts, talking points, run-of-show documents, guest and sponsor communications, event reports, and stewardship materials.
• Collaborates closely with development, marketing, and program teams to develop cohesive event strategies that advance fundraising priorities, deepen donor engagement, and effectively showcase the organization’s mission and impact.
• Ensures a thoughtful, high-quality guest experience at every touchpoint, anticipating the needs of donors, sponsors, volunteers, and other key constituents and overseeing the details that create welcoming, engaging, and memorable events.
• Partners with major gifts and corporate teams to support meaningful sponsor and donor engagement throughout the event lifecycle, including cultivation, recognition, benefit fulfillment, on-site engagement, and post-event stewardship.
• Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships and collaborate with operations, development, marketing, and executive leadership to operationalize events that align business interests with community impact.
• Manages a portfolio of event donors and prospects throughout the donor lifecycle, identifying opportunities for engagement, cultivating and soliciting event support, coordinating meaningful donor experiences, and providing thoughtful post-event stewardship.
• Leverage data and reporting tools, including Raiser's Edge and Luminate, to track partnership activity, measure progress toward revenue and engagement goals, identify trends, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Coordinate and lead customized campus tours and engagement opportunities for event partners and prospective supporters, creating meaningful connections to the organization's mission and impact.
• Represent Seattle Humane with professionalism and credibility in meetings, presentations, events, and other public events, to build and maintain community relationships.
• Must be available to travel locally and complete time-sensitive, work-related errands, deliveries, purchases, and logistical assignments, including on short notice as business needs arise.
• Effectively manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder relationships simultaneously while maintaining a high level of accuracy, responsiveness, and attention to detail.
• Provide project management support for initiatives, special projects, and strategic priorities as assigned by the Associate Director of Events & Strategic Partnerships.

Skills

Event management

Budgeting

Vendor relationships

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Microsoft Office

Public speaking

Confidentiality

Time management

Nonprofit experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Luminate

Job description

Seattle Humane in Bellevue, WA is seeking an Events Manager to lead fundraising and community events. You will manage planning, production, and execution for donor, sponsor, and volunteer experiences, aligning with fundraising goals and organization mission.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in event management, strong vendor relations, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration, with excellence in communication and data-driven decision making.