Special Events & Marketing Manager

Loaves & Fishes Community Services; Naperville (IL); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Loaves & Fishes Community Services seeks a Special Events & Marketing Manager to plan and execute fundraising events, manage budgets, recruit sponsors, and ensure a welcoming guest experience from invitation to post-event follow-up.

You will collaborate with Advancement, Marketing, vendors, and volunteers, oversee timelines, solicit sponsorships, procure auction items, and help tell our story through social media and photos.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, event management, marketing, communications, or related field.
• 2–3 years of nonprofit event management experience with fundraising results.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Experience with vendors, sponsors, volunteers; ability to manage budgets and timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; diplomacy with donors and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and implement signature fundraising events (Night to End Hunger, Chef Showdown).
• Drive revenue goals via sponsorships and auction items; outreach to engage guests.
• Coordinate event day setup, registration, and post-event follow-up.
• Build relationships with vendors, participants, sponsors, and volunteers.
• Track tickets, sponsorships, donations, and in-kind contributions in the database.
• Procure, manage, and fulfill auction items; negotiate contracts with venues and vendors.
• Develop events beyond signature events (peer-to-peer, ribbon cuttings, donor education).
• Collaborate with Marketing to create event marketing materials and collateral.
• Tell stories through newsletters, social posts, and photography; support brand voice.
• Develop social media strategy and content calendar; monitor posts.
• Collaborate with Graphic Designer on fundraising collateral.

Skills

Event planning

Project management

Vendor relations

Sponsorships

Auction procurement

CRM software

GiveSmart

Monday.com

Canva

Hootsuite

Content creation

Social media management

Communication

Team collaboration

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field

Tools

DonorPerfect

GiveSmart

Monday.com

Canva

Hootsuite

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

The Special Events & Marketing Manager leads the planning and execution of fundraising events that bring people together, inspire generosity, and deepen connection to Loaves & Fishes' mission. This role combines creativity, relationship building, and hands-on project management with strong attention to detail to deliver a welcoming, high-quality guest experience from the first invitation through post-event follow-up. Working closely with Advancement colleagues, vendors, and volunteers, the Manager oversees event logistics, budgets, timelines and details, and helps achieve event revenue goals through sponsorship solicitation, auction procurement, and guest development. This position also supports the Marketing & Communications Team through event marketing, social media content, storytelling, and helping build a library of photos that capture our mission in action and support communications across the organization. The Special Events & Marketing Manager reports directly to the Sr. Director of Donor & Corporate Engagement with additional direction from the Director of Marketing & Communications.

Responsibilities:

Special Events (70%)

• Serve as the lead in the planning and implementation of our signature fundraising events, including Night to End Hunger and Chef Showdown, in collaboration with other team members.
• Play a key role in meeting the recruitment, implementation, and revenue goals for each fundraising event, including soliciting sponsorships and auction items and supporting outreach to attract and engage guests.
• Coordinate event day set-up, registration, check out, and post event follow-up.
• Build successful relationships with vendors, event participants, sponsors, and volunteers.
• Use event database to track ticket sales, sponsorships, donations and in‑kind contributions.
• Assist with procurement, management, and fulfillment of auction items.
• Negotiate contracts for event venues, vendors, and suppliers.
• Develop and manage events beyond the two signature events (peer-to-peer fundraising event, campaign ribbon cutting ceremony, donor educational programs, virtual events, etc.).

Marketing (30%)

• Create event related marketing collaborating with Director of Marketing & Communications, Graphic Designer, and print vendors to promote accurate, consistent event information throughout all event communication channels.
• Help with storytelling content and photography for newsletters, social posts, and other communication channels while maintaining voice and brand of Loaves & Fishes.
• Work with Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications to develop social media strategy, calendar, scheduling/posting social media content - along with monitoring content and messages.
• Partner with Graphic Designer to develop and maintain fundraising collateral.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or event management, marketing, communications, business administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of event management experience (non-profit preferred), with proven success in planning, executing, and achieving fundraising goals. Experience supporting event marketing, social media, or other communications is preferred.
• Strong project management skills, organizational skills - ability to manage multiple priorities and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Experience working with vendors, sponsors, and volunteers; ability to manage budget and timelines.
• Strong written and verbal communication, diplomacy, professionalism when dealing with donors, vendor, volunteers, and community partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience using CRM, event fundraising, and project management platforms. Familiarity with DonorPerfect, GiveSmart, Monday.com, Canva, and Hootsuite preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategies and manage content.
• Experience managing multiple platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook).
• Proficiency with content creation - writing engaging copy, design graphics, photography, and video.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in an environment with a team approach and collaborative process.

Compensation & Schedule:

Compensation is commensurate with skills and experience, salary - $68,000; and a comprehensive benefits package is offered.

Schedule - Full-time role with an in-office schedule as the standard. We offer a hybrid option of one remote day per week, with flexibility based on organizational needs.

Loaves & Fishes Community Services is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Qualified applicants protected by law are encouraged to apply.