Associate Director Fundraising and Stewardship Events

Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana • Proviso Township, IL

5d • $93,000 - $100,000

About The Position

We exist so families can get better together. Each night, we keep 181 families close to the care and resources they need through six area Ronald McDonald Houses® and four Ronald McDonald Family Rooms®. Enabling families to stay close to their hospitalized child supports the health and well-being of the child and saves families more than $10 million in hotel and food costs each year. We also operate the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® program, providing medical care to children in underserved areas. Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Associate Director, Fundraising & Stewardship Events is a critical individual contributor on the Development team of Ronald McDonald House Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana, requiring expertise in event planning and execution, sponsorship solicitation, relationship management, and cross-departmental collaboration. Reporting to the Director of Development - Corporate Engagement, the Associate Director develops and executes Development’s event strategies by managing the planning and execution of events, including volunteer committees, logistics, vendor relations, auction and in-kind solicitation, budgeting, and overall guest experience, while maintaining a high level of customer service to our donors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Five or more years of progressive, hands-on experience leading and executing fundraising and stewardship events, marked by strong judgment, consistency, and accountability for results, ideally within a nonprofit environment
• Demonstrated success leading events with revenue goals, including sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions, and in-kind contributions
• Experience with corporate sponsorship solicitation, proposal development, and sponsor fulfillment
• Strong project management skills and experience managing multiple events and deadlines simultaneously
• Deep understanding of nonprofit event fundraising strategies, donor engagement, and stewardship across the donor lifecycle
• Experience developing and managing event budgets, tracking revenue and expenses, and evaluating return on investment
• A strategic mindset that leverages event and donor data to identify insights, strengthen strategy, and improve results
• Excellent relationship building and communication skills with donors, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and internal partners
• Experience collaborating cross functionally, including with marketing and communications teams
• Ability to lead projects and influence others without direct supervisory responsibility
• Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and a high level of professionalism and customer service
• Proficiency with CRM systems and event management tools, along with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed for events and to travel locally across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive annual events strategy aligned with organizational fundraising goals.
• Identify opportunities to grow event revenue through sponsorships, ticketing, donor upgrades and benefits, and new event concepts.
• Analyze past event performance and sponsor/donor behavior to inform decisions on cost-benefit, ROI, and long-term sustainability.
• Develop project objectives for signature fundraising events, timelines, event budgets, and SOPs as needed, ensuring that tasks are completed on time and within budget, consistently reporting on progress.
• Develop revenue generating activations at events, ensuring that revenue goals are met. Oversee the procurement of auction items, managing volunteers and event committees as needed and partnering with other members of the Development team to secure items.
• Support the Marketing & Communications team, as a liaison and contributor, in the strategy and development of event-related communications, including but not limited to script writing, video production, digital and print assets, website updates, email, social media, photography, and post-event survey creation and analysis.
• Research trends and emerging best practices in nonprofit event fundraising, corporate engagement, and donor experience.
• In partnership with the Development team, test new ideas such as intimate cultivation salons, mission-aligned pop-ups, peer-led gatherings, and hybrid/virtual elements to achieve organizational goals in addition to the organization’s signature fundraising events.
• Conduct event debriefs with key stakeholders post-event; analyze data in partnership with the Development data team to assess successes, areas for improvement, and ROI.
• Partner with the Development team to ensure timely and meaningful stewardship, including thank-yous, targeted outreach, donor meetings, and retention plans.
• Lead the full cycle of event planning, production, and execution, ensuring events run smoothly, stay on budget, and exceed attendance and engagement goals.
• Develop internal event staffing plan and assign roles as necessary to ensure successful implementation and execution of all events; provide necessary event training to staff prior to the event and direct staff and vendors during event.
• Oversee vendor relations and manage logistical event details, including but not limited to venue, catering, audio/visual, décor, entertainment, and transportation.
• Strategically negotiate event contracts and solicit in-kind donations of event supplies, goods, and services when possible.
• Foresee and troubleshoot potential issues during the planning and execution of events.
• In partnership with CDO and Director of Development - Corporate Engagement, build and manage a year-round sponsorship pipeline; conduct prospecting, outreach, cultivation, and proposal creation.
• Coordinate sponsor fulfillment and stewardship with the team, ensuring sponsors feel valued and see measurable impact.
• Shape the donor experience at events by integrating meaningful mission moments that inspire giving, ensuring events contribute to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at multiple points in the donor lifecycle.
• Build, manage and sustain relationships with new and current volunteers, donors, and vendors with the goal of long-term partnership.
• Lead signature event committees through the fundraising and event planning process by setting committee goals, facilitating scheduled meetings, preparing agendas and distributing meeting notes, assigning specific and actionable tasks, and fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and gratitude.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Basic Life, Short-term, and long-term disability, voluntary employee/spouse/child life insurance
• Flexible Spending, Dependent Care, and Commuter Benefit Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k)
• PTO

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level