Special Events Coordinator

Careers In Nonprofits; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 37,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

Careers In Nonprofits seeks a Gala Event Project Coordinator for an education-focused nonprofit. This part-time, hybrid role in New York, NY supports the annual fundraising gala and planning period through late spring.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years of experience managing large-scale events, strong organizational skills, and proficiency with Excel, Airtable, or SharePoint. You will coordinate vendors, manage donor lists, and help execute a smooth gala from planning to event day.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience project managing large-scale events, galas, or fundraising events.
• Strong organizational and attention-to-detail skills.
• Experience with Excel, Airtable, or SharePoint for coordinating tasks and data.

Responsibilities

• Manage timelines, deadlines, and deliverables for gala planning.
• Coordinate vendors (venue, catering, photography, printing) and staff.
• Serve as central point of contact for staff, volunteers, vendors, and donors.
• Support donor outreach and strategy throughout planning.
• Develop and maintain a detailed run of show and event-day processes.
• Assist with event communications and materials.

Skills

Project management

Organization

Attention to detail

Donor outreach

Communication

Emotional intelligence

Adaptability

Tools

Excel

Airtable

SharePoint

Job description

Do you have 3+ years of experience project managing large-scale events or galas?

Are you highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to stay calm while managing multiple moving pieces?

We are currently searching for a Gala Event Project Coordinator for an Education-Focused Nonprofit. The position is Hybrid in New York, NY (Midtown). This is a temporary, part-time position supporting the organization through its annual gala and the surrounding planning period.

ORGANIZATION TYPE: Education-Focused Nonprofit

LOCATION: New York, NY (Midtown)

POSITION TITLE: Gala Event Project Coordinator

SCHEDULE: Part-time, hybrid with some flexibility for additional onsite support as the gala approaches

DURATION: Temporary, through late May/early June

HOURLY RATE: $27.00-$32.00

Is This Your Dream Job?

The Gala Event Project Coordinator will report to the organization’s leadership and work closely with the Director of Development to coordinate its annual fundraising gala taking place in mid-May. Most primary vendors, including the venue, caterer, photographer, printers, and volunteer staff, are already established. This role will focus on keeping the planning process on track, coordinating vendors and participants, supporting donor strategy and outreach, and ensuring the event runs smoothly from planning through event day. If you are an organized event professional who enjoys project management, relationship coordination, and bringing together many moving pieces, this could be a great opportunity for you.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• 3+ years of experience project managing large-scale events, galas, or fundraising events
• Strong project management, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills
• Experience using project management and coordination tools such as Excel, Airtable, or SharePoint
• Comfortable managing donor lists, researching donor history, and supporting fundraising outreach strategies
• Calm under pressure with strong communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to adapt when plans change
• Genuine interest in the mission of education and supporting students and schools is a plus

How You Will Spend Your Day:

• Managing project timelines, deadlines, and deliverables to keep gala planning on track
• Coordinating established vendors, including the venue, catering, photography, printing, and other event partners
• Serving as a central point of contact for staff, volunteers, program participants, vendors, and other event stakeholders
• Managing donor lists and researching donor history to help inform board outreach and fundraising priorities
• Supporting donor strategy by identifying key prospects and helping ensure outreach is completed throughout the planning process
• Coordinating event communications and supporting the development of materials, messaging, and event themes
• Developing and maintaining a detailed run of show and event-day process
• Coordinating guest and participant check-in, volunteer assignments, and event-day logistics
• Supporting event setup, vendor coordination, and overall event-day execution
• Drafting or ghostwriting event-related emails and communications as needed
• Tracking project information and deadlines using tools such as Excel, Airtable, and SharePoint
• Troubleshooting issues as they arise and adapting quickly to changes during the planning process
• Providing additional project management and event support before, during, and immediately following the gala

For more information about Careers In Nonprofits and our other available opportunities and workshops, please visit our website at www.careersinnonprofits.com.

Careers In Nonprofits is an equal opportunity employer. Empowered by the #ILoveMyJob mission, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment within the nonprofit sector.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regretfully can only respond to those candidates who best meet the requirements of a specific position or whose backgrounds are generally applicable to our client base. Please rest assured that we retain all candidate information for possible future matches, even if you do not hear from us in regard to your application in response to this ad.