Director, Special Events

Carnegie Hall•New York, NY

22h•$150,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

Since 1891, New York's Carnegie Hall has set the international standard for excellence in performance, presenting exceptional concerts by the world’s finest artists on its three iconic stages, from orchestral concerts, chamber music, contemporary offerings, and recitals to jazz, world, and popular music. Complementing its performance activities, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute creates extensive music education and social impact programs that annually serve more than 800,000 people worldwide, playing a central role in fulfilling Carnegie Hall's commitment to making great music accessible to as many people as possible. Carnegie Hall seeks a visionary, strategic, and highly accomplished Director of Special Events to lead a sophisticated portfolio of fundraising, donor engagement, and institutional events that are central to the Hall's philanthropic success, public profile, and relationship-building strategy. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Director of Special Events will oversee the strategy, planning, creative direction, and flawless execution of Carnegie Hall's premier fundraising galas (approximately 3-4 each season) and donor cultivation and stewardship events (approximately 30 each season). These events play a critical role in advancing philanthropic support, celebrating artistic excellence, strengthening relationships with donors, Trustees, artists, corporate partners, and civic leaders, and enhancing Carnegie Hall's reputation. This leader will be responsible for continually elevating Carnegie Hall's events portfolio by introducing innovative, contemporary approaches while honoring the Hall's rich history, artistic legacy, and standards of excellence. Working collaboratively across the Development, Artistic Planning, Marketing, and Production teams, the Director will ensure every event reflects Carnegie Hall's mission and delivers exceptional experiences that inspire philanthropy and deepen engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in relevant field required
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in fundraising and special events role.
Proven success generating multi-million dollar revenue through large-scale events.
Strong financial acumen and experience managing high-value budgets, and revenue reforecasting
Deep familiarity with New York City’s philanthropic community, cultural fundraising landscape, and event production standards.
Management experience leading a highly functioning team
Excellent writing skills and solicitation strategies
Speed and accuracy in a fast-paced work environment with the ability to prioritize the entire Special Events department
Exception judgement, diplomacy, discretion, communication, and relationship-building skills.
Computer facility critical and Tessitura or Raiser’s Edge experience necessary.
Evening and weekend hours around the Special Events schedule are required during performance season.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to enhance and evolve Carnegie Hall's fundraising, cultivation, stewardship, and institutional events portfolio.
Establish annual fundraising and engagement goals aligned with Development priorities and institutional objectives.
Identify and develop new event concepts and engagement opportunities that broaden audiences, strengthen donor relationships, and increase philanthropic support.
Lead the strategy and execution of Carnegie Hall's signature fundraising galas and special events that raise approximately $8M to $10M gross annually.
Partner closely with frontline fundraising staff to maximize event revenue through sponsorships, leadership gifts, table and ticket sales, corporate partnerships, special appeals, and customized donor opportunities.
Ensure events serve as meaningful platforms for donor cultivation, stewardship, prospect engagement, and major gift strategy.
Oversee donor receptions, artist hospitality, Board events, cultivation dinners, recognition programs, Opening Night celebrations, and VIP experiences throughout the concert season.
Maintain a strong understanding of New York City's philanthropic landscape, luxury hospitality trends, and evolving donor expectations to continually enhance Carnegie Hall's event offerings.
Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing special events team, fostering a collaborative, creative, and service-oriented culture.
Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and professional development opportunities for staff.
Oversee staffing plans, vendor partnerships, and event resource allocation.
Collaborate closely with colleagues across Major Gifts, Individual Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Institutional Giving, and Government relations to ensure events advance broader fundraising strategies.
Partner with the Artistic, Marketing, Ticketing, and Production teams to ensure seamless coordination across all institutional events.
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing strategic recommendations and presenting plans, budgets, and outcomes to executive leadership and Board committees as appropriate.
Oversee every aspect of event planning and execution, ensuring exceptional hospitality, artistic presentation, and operational excellence consistent with Carnegie Hall's international reputation.
Direct event budgets, financial forecasting, expense management, and revenue analysis to maximize fundraising return on investment.
Manage relationships with caterers, designers, audiovisual partners, florists, photographers, and other external partners.
Strengthen project management systems, event workflows, timelines, and operational processes to improve efficiency, consistency, and collaboration across the events portfolio.
Evaluate event performance through financial results, attendee feedback, and post-event analysis, using insights to continually strengthen Carnegie Hall's events program.