Special Events Manager

tryingtogether; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 52,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Trying Together, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, seeks a Special Events Manager to lead the planning and execution of major events, including annual dinners and volunteer activities. The role involves budgeting, coordination across teams, and vendor management to ensure high-impact events that advance the organization’s mission.

Located in Pittsburgh, the position requires at least five years of event experience, strong project-management skills, and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in: business administration; communications; event management; hospitality management; or marketing.
• A minimum of five years planning, organizing, and executing successful events (preferably for a nonprofit).
• Knowledge or experience with volunteer programs is helpful.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and execute Trying Together special events, including the Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner.
• Manage budgets, promote events, and oversee on-site execution and post-event evaluation.
• Coordinate staff, volunteers, vendors, and timelines; ensure events reflect the organization's goals.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Excellent project management skills

Customer-service oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred in business administration; communications; event management; hospitality management; or marketing

Tools

NeonCRM

Job description

Position: Special Events Manager | Full-Time | Salary Range: $52,000 - $58,000

Culture:

Trying Together’s mission is to support high-quality care and education for young children.

Trying Together is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports the work of early childhood by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the adults who interact with them. A fast-paced organization, Trying Together looks for dedicated and passionate staff who bring positivity to their work and a solution-oriented sensibility.

Trying Together encourages its team, partners, and communities to interact compassionately and honor the range of cultures, ideas, and identities that root each person. Young children develop and learn by example; this means that children whose early learning environments reflect just actions, equitable opportunities, diverse representation, and inclusive approaches experience healthier interactions and build relationships that enable them to thrive.

Trying Together is an equal-opportunity employer. Trying Together does not discriminate and encourages qualified candidates of any gender, race, class, sexual orientation, faith, disability, or age to apply. All candidates will be evaluated on a merit basis.

Purpose:

The Special Events Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and executing Trying Together special events including the Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner and regularly scheduled volunteer events. The planning, organizing, and executing of these events (and others) encompasses: budget management; coordination and planning; promotion; on-site execution; post-event evaluation; relationship building; and staff, volunteer, and vendor management. The Special Events Manager will also provide support for other organizational events as assigned. The Special Events Manager reports to the Director of Community Relations.

Responsibilities:

• Commitment to racial equity and inclusion and a willingness to do the ongoing personal work to bring about a more just society by actively participating in professional growth opportunities.
• Actively work with peers to create a culture of belonging at Trying Together.
• Willingness to disrupt practices that do not honor children’s, families’, educators’, and colleagues’ humanity.
• Work collaboratively with the Leadership Team and others to ensure that event themes and goals are executed properly.
• Work collaboratively with the Communications Team to ensure events are well promoted.
• Ensure that deliverables and materials for the event are requested and received in a timely manner to promote and execute events.
• Ensure that events reflect Trying Together’s goal to foster a culture of belonging.
• Manage and maintain event budgets in collaboration with the managing Director for the event.
• Develop event management processes and procedures and ensure that all staff follow the appropriate processes
• Manage and supervise staff and volunteers.
• Coordinate and facilitate event agendas and meetings in a timely and professional manner to support event goals, and maintain organized planning and implementation processes.
• Work collaboratively across departments within Trying Together to meet the mission and accomplish the work.
• Participate in initial and ongoing professional development for continuous learning and expanding one’s professional knowledge base.
• Consistently use the NeonCRM platform to build relationships with constituents, record data that measure project performance, and support continuous quality improvement in the organization's resources and services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree preferred in: business administration; communications; event management; hospitality management; or marketing.
• A minimum of five years planning, organizing, and executing successful events (preferably for a nonprofit including managing budgets and projects) with a documented track record of event goals being met as well as positive testimonials and referrals.
• Knowledge, interest, or experience in developing events that support: advocacy; community engagement; development; and the early care and education field is helpful.
• Knowledge, interest, or experience in developing and managing volunteer programs is helpful.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Must be detail-oriented.
• Must be customer-service oriented.
• Must have the ability to think critically.
• Must possess excellent project management skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in an efficient manner.
• Ability to receive direction and improve processes to meet event goals and maintain quality standards.
• Ability to handle pressure and changing circumstances.