Director of Development Events

The Sanneh Foundation Inc•Saint Paul, MN

4d•$90,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

The mission of Sanneh is to Empower youth, Improve lives, and Unite communities. Sanneh empowers youth by supporting and promoting educational attainment through in-school and after-school support, improves lives by providing programs that strengthen physical health and social and emotional development, and unite communities by advancing diversity, equity, and community well-being. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President of External Affairs and managed by the Chief Growth Strategist, the Development Events Manager is responsible for the strategic planning and flawless execution of The Sanneh Foundation's signature fundraising events including Gala4Goals and Golf4Goals as well as related campaign, donor cultivation gatherings and stewardship activities throughout the year. This person will also be responsible for solicitation of sponsorships, auction donations, and major gifts and managing strong relationships with event donors. Working closely with peers on the Development, Volunteer, Partnerships/Communications, and Outreach team, this role ensures every donor and sponsor touchpoint reflects the professionalism, warmth, and mission-driven spirit of The Sanneh Foundation. Competitive candidates for this role will have prior experience in event project management, major gifts and/or sponsorship solicitation, donor stewardship, an entrepreneurial mindset, exceptional attention to detail, strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.

Requirements

Previous experience in event planning, project management, and fundraising experience, ideally within a nonprofit or donor relations context.
Demonstrated ability to manage events end-to-end, including budgets, vendors, logistics, and guest experience.
Demonstrated ability to solicit sponsors, auction donations, and/or major gifts.
Strong interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse donors, sponsors, volunteers, and stakeholders.
Solution-oriented approach, with excellent time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
Experience with data-driven decision making and the ability to track, analyze, and report on event and fundraising performance.
Ability to work in a fast-paced and deadline-oriented environment, including occasional evening and weekend hours to support events.
An entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to equity.
A passion for The Sanneh Foundation's mission to empower youth, improve lives, and unite communities.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree preferred.
Experience with donor databases, event registration platforms, data analytics tools, Google Workplace, and web-based project management programs like Monday.
Experience working with event committees, boards, or volunteer leadership.

Responsibilities

Serve as project lead for Gala4Goals, Golf4Goals, and other fundraising and stewardship events, developing and executing strategies that achieve revenue, sponsorship, donor engagement, and stewardship goals while managing timelines, budgets, vendor relationships, and event execution from concept through post-event wrap-up.
Work with outside event and production consultants to coordinate all logistics.
Manage event committee(s) and meetings to ensure volunteer engagement.
Source and negotiate with venues, caterers, auction platforms, and other vendors to ensure high-quality experiences that align with budget expectations.
Coordinate invitations, guest lists, RSVPs, seating, sponsor recognition, and day-of logistics to ensure every guest and sponsor has a seamless, purposeful experience.
Partner with senior leadership to recruit, brief, and manage event committees and volunteers, leveraging their networks for sponsorships, auction procurement, and event promotion.
Track event budgets and revenue against goals, and prepare post-event reports with data-driven recommendations for future programming.
Develop and execute sponsorship and auction strategies that achieve annual revenue goals for Gala4Goals, Golf4Goals, and other fundraising events.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate partners, major donors, and prospects to increase philanthropic investment in Sanneh's mission.
Solicit and secure event sponsorships from individuals and corporations, track and manage sponsor relationships, and ensure sponsorship benefit fulfillment.
Solicit and secure auction donations, track and manage auction lots, and ensure auction package fulfillment.
Build and manage a pipeline of event sponsors, donors, and prospects, tracking engagement and next steps through the donor database.
Conduct sponsor and donor meetings, presentations, and proposals to secure new and renewed funding commitments.
Partner with the VP of Philanthropy and development team to transition qualified event attendees, sponsors, and donors into year-round cultivation and major gift strategies.
Analyze donor and sponsor participation trends to identify opportunities for increased giving, retention, and engagement.
Develop stewardship materials, including sponsor benefit fulfillment, recognition signage, and impact communications that connect donors to Sanneh's mission.
Maintain accurate event and sponsorship records in the donor database, ensuring timely acknowledgement and accurate data for reporting.
Work with the EVP of External Affairs, Chief Growth Strategist, VP of Philanthropy, and VP of Community Engagement and Outreach, and VP of to align event strategies with annual fundraising goals, donor engagement objectives, grant opportunities, and campaign priorities.
Collaborate with the Marketing Manager to develop event branding, promotional content, and communications across digital and print channels.
Partner with the Volunteer Manager to coordinate event-day volunteer staffing and recognition.
Provide regular reporting on sponsorship revenue, donor acquisition, retention, and event fundraising performance to leadership and the Board.
Consider innovative ways to grow and improve Sanneh's event and stewardship program year over year.
This position may directly supervise event-related VISTA(s) or interns, if appropriate. Regardless of supervisory structure, this position will provide mentorship, training, and direction to event volunteers and committee members.