Event & Engagement Manager

KC Pet Project•Kansas City, KS

21h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Event & Engagement Manager leads KC Pet Project’s annual signature and community events, serving as a key driver of community engagement and revenue for the organization. This role is responsible for sourcing and executing visible community partnerships, including third-party event participation, promotional tabling opportunities, and cause-marketing campaigns with local business partners. The ideal candidate is an experienced and highly organized marketing or nonprofit development professional who excels in event planning, project management, cross-functional collaboration, and donor engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent experience
3-5 years of experience in event management, or nonprofit marketing & development, with demonstrated success leading large-scale events
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple events, timelines, and stakeholders simultaneously
Demonstrated ability to manage event budgets, track revenue and expenses, and analyze data
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including comfort representing KC Pet Project to the public, to donors and partners, and to members of the media
Exposure to Microsoft Office applications, CRM systems, and event registration and ticketing platforms
Ability to work evenings, weekends, and outdoor events as needed
Ability to lift and transport event materials up to 30 pounds, and to stand and walk for extended periods during events
A commitment to KC Pet Project’s mission to create a more compassionate community for pets and people!

Responsibilities

Start-to-finish planning and execution of four special events: KC Pet Project 5K, Patio Party Benefit Concert, Love Finds a Way Gala, Cat-Themed Bar Crawl in the Crossroads.
Serve as the primary project manager for organizational events, coordinating timelines and deliverables across Marketing, Development, Operations, Volunteer, Foster, Retail, and Leadership teams.
Partner with the Development team to establish and achieve sponsorship, ticket sales, peer-to-peer fundraising, and event revenue goals; track and report on event performance.
Manage event budgets and registration systems.
Negotiate and manage contracts, insurance requirements, permits, rentals, entertainment, food and beverage vendors, and event production partners.
Develop volunteer leadership structures and event-day staffing plans to support successful event execution.
Identify opportunities to provide brand presence across a diverse range of local events outside of KC Pet Project’s special events calendar.
Participate in multi-vendor events with general or program-specific awareness materials.
Attend third party fundraising or awareness events that benefit KC Pet Project as commitment level and capacity allows, sometimes offering event planning and marketing support.
Work closely with retail team to coordinate KC Pet Project merchandise at partner and community events as appropriate.
Coordinate the attendance and participation of other KC Pet Project team members at community-wide or third-party activations depending on need.
Build and maintain relationships with individual, corporate, and organization partners as they support KC Pet Project at or through events.
Work with the development team to recognize, support, and host event sponsors on event days and throughout event campaign periods.
Cultivate continued relationships with event and activation specific points of contact, working closely with the development team on outreach strategy.
Seek and solicit new event sponsors in partnership with the development team.