Events Manager

WarriorsWorking•Syracuse, NY

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Clear Path for Veterans is a Central New York-based national nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and supporting veterans, service members, and their families through programs that promote wellness, community, and purpose. Founded on the belief that veterans thrive when they are connected, valued, and supported, Clear Path has built a strong reputation for impactful programming, trusted partnerships, and meaningful engagement with the veteran community. As the organization continues to grow its reach and deepen its impact, Clear Path is entering a pivotal stage of organizational development, investing in its development operations to support sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term mission success. The Events Manager is responsible for planning, managing, and executing Clear Path’s major fundraising events and supporting smaller engagement events throughout the year. This role oversees all logistical, operational, and cross-functional aspects of event execution, ensuring high-quality experiences for donors, sponsors, veterans, and community partners. This role ensures seamless logistics, strong cross-team coordination, and a high-quality donor and sponsor experience that drives immediate revenue while supporting year-round donor engagement. Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the Events Manager works closely with Development, Marketing, Volunteer, Programs, and Operations staff to ensure events are well-coordinated, on budget, and aligned with Clear Path’s fundraising and stewardship goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; relevant experience may substitute for formal education.
3–5 years of experience in nonprofit event management, fundraising events, or advancement-related roles.
Experience working collaboratively across development, marketing, and volunteer teams.
Demonstrated success managing complex events with multiple stakeholders, vendors, and timelines.
Good knowledge of fundraising event planning.
Good knowledge of donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Deep alignment with Clear Path for Veterans’ mission and values and commitment to supporting veterans and their families.
Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Exceptional relationship-building, networking, and collaboration skills.
Ability to be articulate, persuasive, diplomatic, and engaging.
Ability to work independently with minimal guidance and supervision.
Ability to analyze success metrics and perform post-event evaluation.
Ability to manage competing priorities and perform effectively under event-driven deadlines.
Good computer literacy and proficiency using donor management databases (Salesforce), Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and willingness to learn how to use new software programs as needed.
Valid New York State driver’s license and must have use of a reliable vehicle.
May be required to travel daily as needed to events in and outside of New York State in varying weather conditions.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and some holidays as necessary to accommodate special event attendance.
Must be comfortable with dogs in the workplace.

Nice To Haves

Preferred experience working with veteran populations, military-connected communities, or veteran-focused causes.

Responsibilities

Plan and manage logistics for Clear Path’s three major annual fundraising events and multiple smaller events throughout the year.
Develop and manage detailed event timelines, work plans, and run-of-show documents.
Oversee event budgets, tracking expenses and revenue in coordination with the Operations & Database Manager.
Manage vendors, venues, production partners, and event-related contracts.
Lead all day-of execution, ensuring smooth operations, clear communication, and a high-quality attendee experience.
Coordinate event-related communications with the Senior Marketing Manager, including promotions, signage, materials, videos, scripts, and digital content.
Work closely with the Volunteer Manager to recruit, train, schedule, and deploy volunteers effectively for each event.
Facilitate internal coordination across departments to ensure alignment on roles, responsibilities, and timelines.
Partner with Development colleagues to support event sponsorship fulfillment and donor recognition.
Ensure sponsor benefits are delivered accurately and on time in coordination with Operations and Marketing.
Collaborate with Annual Giving staff to transition event attendees into year-round donor engagement and stewardship strategies.
Produce detailed post-event reports, including attendance data, revenue summaries, sponsor and donor follow-up lists, and lessons learned.
Support donor stewardship by ensuring timely handoff of attendee and sponsor information for follow-up and engagement with the CEO and executive leadership team or other staff members as appropriate.
Contribute insights and recommendations to improve future events and fundraising outcomes.
Other duties, as assigned.