Director, Event Sales & Production

American Humane•Washington, DC

1d•$120,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

American Humane Society (AHS) is seeking a Director, Event Sales & Production. This position will be hybrid, based at the DC or Palm Beach office location and reports directly to the Chief Communications Officer. For nearly 150 years, American Humane Society (AHS) has led the way in protecting animals and strengthening the bonds between animals and people. We respond first when animals need rescue, shelter, or protection. Through our groundbreaking programs – from our “No Animals Were Harmed®” certification in Hollywood to our farm and conservation welfare standards – we set the highest level of care and compassion in animal protection. Working at AHS means being part of something bigger. With offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, we provide a supportive, professional environment where your work makes a real difference in animals’ lives. American Humane Society is committed to fostering a welcoming workplace. As we seek to fill this position, we highly encourage high-performing applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Position summary: Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Director, Event Sales & Production is responsible for the strategic development, revenue generation, and end-to-end execution of American Humane Society’s premier fundraising and donor engagement events. This role blends high-level event production with proactive revenue leadership, with a strong emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, particularly in close partnership with the Development team, to drive attendance, sponsorship, and overall event success. The Director is accountable for achieving ambitious revenue, attendance, and engagement goals by directing coordinated efforts across Development, Partnerships, and other internal stakeholders to secure sponsorships, drive table sales, and maximize participation. Serving as a forward-facing ambassador for the organization, the Director partners closely with internal relationship holders to collaboratively engage board members, corporate partners, major donors, and executive leadership in the planning and execution of events. In this role, the Director helps shape and support relationship strategy through events, ensuring experiences are tailored, mission-aligned, and designed to deepen engagement while achieving financial and participation goals. This position oversees all aspects of event execution from concept through post-event follow-up, ensuring seamless delivery while driving measurable philanthropic impact and strengthening long-term donor engagement.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive experience in event production, sponsorship sales, and revenue-generating events, including proven leadership of event strategy, execution, and revenue generation.
Proven success leading cross-functional efforts to meet or exceed revenue targets through sponsorships, table sales, and ticket sales.
Demonstrated experience leading and managing high-profile, donor- and corporate-facing events.
Strong business acumen and comfort managing event P&L responsibility.
Exceptional organizational skills and ability to think strategically while shifting gears quickly in fast-paced environments.
Polished, professional presence with strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.
Proven ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
Experience working with senior executives, board members, and VIP stakeholders.
Willingness to travel and work evenings/weekends as required by event schedules.
Ability to approach events with strategic foresight while managing detailed logistical execution.
Demonstrated initiative, sound judgment, and discretion in handling sensitive or confidential information.
Strong work ethic with portfolio of measurable results.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint); Salesforce experience helpful; able to quickly learn and adapt to new software or database systems.

Nice To Haves

Salesforce experience helpful

Responsibilities

Accountable for directing and achieving revenue targets for assigned events, including sponsorships, table sales, ticket sales, and other integrated fundraising components.
Develop sponsorship packages, pricing strategies, and sales materials in collaboration with Development, Partnerships and Marketing.
In close collaboration with Partnerships and Development, actively cultivate, solicit and close corporate sponsorships, table commitments, and high-value ticket sales.
Partner with board members, executive leadership, and Development and Partnership colleagues to drive peer-to-peer outreach and secure attendance commitments.
Provide regular reporting on sales pipeline, revenue pacing, and attendance projections, with clear strategies to meet or exceed goals.
Lead the planning and execution of a portfolio of high-profile events including galas, donor cultivation dinners, premieres, VIP receptions, and mission-driven experiences.
Oversee event budgets, timelines, run-of-show documents, contracts, and vendor negotiations.
Manage venue selection, catering, production, entertainment, décor, and technical elements to ensure exceptional, on-brand experiences.
Maintain full ownership of event P&L, balancing revenue growth with expense management.
Manage event staff, volunteers, vendors, consultants, and contracted production teams.
Ensure compliance with organizational policies and brand standards across all event touchpoints.
In collaboration with CEO, CCO and SVP & Chief Growth Officer (CGO), lead strategic guest list development to ensure balanced representation of donors, prospects, sponsors, influencers, and mission stakeholders.
Drive RSVP tracking and room-fill strategy in partnership with Major Gift Officers, Corporate Partnerships, and executive leadership.
Coordinate targeted outreach campaigns to maximize attendance and engagement.
Provide leadership with real-time data and recommendations to optimize guest composition and revenue outcomes.
In close coordination with Development & Partnerships, serve as a forward-facing liaison to board members, top donors, corporate partners, and VIP stakeholders before, during, and after events.
Collaborate with Development to identify cultivation opportunities and align events with donor pipeline strategy.
Design meaningful, personalized guest experiences that deepen engagement and inspire philanthropic investment.
Coordinate post-event stewardship strategy, ensuring timely follow-up and clear next steps for high-priority prospects.
Partner closely with Communications, Marketing, Development, and Partnerships to align messaging, branding, and fundraising goals.
Coordinate sponsor recognition, visibility benefits, and fulfillment deliverables.
Support executive leadership and VIP protocol during events, including seating strategy and real-time issue resolution.
Track and analyze event performance metrics including revenue, sponsorship fulfillment, attendance, engagement indicators, and ROI.
Provide post-event analysis and strategic recommendations to improve future outcomes.
Maintain accurate records within CRM and revenue tracking systems in collaboration with Development Operations.