Event Manager

Summary

The Event Manager advances Minnesota Land Trust’s fundraising strategy by managing fundraising and donor events. This position manages event logistics, budgets, vendors, and communications while creating welcoming, memorable experiences for guests, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and staff.

Please apply by sending your cover letter and resume as a single PDF file to apply@mnland.org.

Organization Values

All employees of the Minnesota Land Trust are expected to embrace the ideals of our organization’s values and incorporate our values into their ongoing work. All employees should be familiar with the current values statement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Manage Effective Fundraising and Donor Stewardship Events (75%)

Plan and execute events: Manage the annual fundraising gala, State of Wonder (35%), and the recognition event, Treasured Places (15%), from initial planning through follow-up, and lead or assist with various other donor stewardship and cultivation events, community programs, and organizational events (25%).

Manage timelines and logistics: Develop work plans and coordinate vendors, venues, catering, audiovisual needs, registration, seating, accessibility, and event materials.

Oversee event budgets: Prepare budgets, track expenses and revenue, negotiate vendor agreements, and ensure events meet financial goals.

Coordinate event activities: Partner with staff and the Board of Directors to support sponsorships, auction offerings, interactive event experiences, videos, speakers, presentations, and donor recognitions.

Manage guest experience: Oversee invitations, registration, individual guest communications, check-in, and special requests to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience.

Lead staff and volunteers: Recruit, train, and coordinate volunteers; assign responsibilities; and prepare staff and leadership for their event roles.

Collaborate on communications: Work with communications staff to develop promotional materials, event bulk messaging, scripts, and follow-up communications.

Maintain accurate records: Use event platforms and the organization’s CRM to track attendance, sponsorships, payments, and guest information.

Direct on-site operations: Serve as the primary event contact, coordinate vendors and event teams, and resolve issues as they arise.

Oversee gift reconciliation: Reconcile gift records between the event platform and donor CRM, resolve discrepancies, and ensure all donors receive timely acknowledgments for fundraising events.

Evaluate results: Gather feedback, analyze fundraising and attendance outcomes, and recommend improvements for future events.

Manage gala auction package fulfillment: Coordinate dates and details between auction winner and in-kind donors to ensure the experience matches the marketed and auctioned description.

Assist Senior Development Officers: Assist with major donor dinners, planned giving events, foundation tours and donor outings, such as Gale Woods Birding.

Development Support (25%)

• Serve as back-up support for data entry, core CRM functionality, and preparing thank-you letters during high-volume periods, ensuring accurate donor records and timely donor acknowledgment.
• Assist with CRM data maintenance and clean-up projects, following detailed specifications to improve database accuracy and efficiency.
• Ensure accurate CRM records for all events by developing and running mailing list queries, creating bulk emails, building forms, maintaining participant data, and recording relationships.

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education, Experience, Licenses/Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years of experience in event planning in either a fundraising or sales environment; Or, equivalent combination of education, training, and experience; and
• Experience in increasing donor revenue; and
• Experience in project management; and
• Valid MN driver's license.

Knowledge

• Understanding of restricted funds, giving channels, corporate sponsorships, partnership structures and other development related areas.
• Fundraising CRM systems and donor database management platforms
• Conservation principles, land protection strategies, and environmental stewardship practices knowledge preferred
• IRS regulations related to charitable contributions and nonprofit compliance knowledge preferred

Skills

• Advance written communication
• Advanced verbal communication
• Donor data management and reporting
• Relationship building
• Project management
• Planning and organizing
• Digital fundraising and online giving platforms
• Event production and logistics coordination
• Budget development and financial tracking
• Staff supervision and mentoring
• Prospect research and donor analysis
• Public speaking and presentation

Abilities

• Work collaboratively with multiple diverse stakeholders including donors, staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers
• Self-directed, goal-driven and a high degree of initiative
• Commitment to Minnesota Land Trust’s mission
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Ability to travel by car across the state of MN and by plane out of state
• Ability to attend events, tours, and other indoor and outdoor engagements with donors.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• Adapt communication style to diverse audiences
• Maintain confidentiality of donor information

Physical Demands

• Office duties to be performed at a desk and at a computer
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during events and meetings
• Occasional lifting of event materials and supplies (up to 25 lbs)

Mental Demands

• Ability to work under pressure during campaign deadlines and events
• Regular interaction requiring emotional intelligence and professional composure

The Minnesota Land Trust is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure equal opportunity in the performance of essential job functions, and access to benefits and privileges of employment. If you require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of the position, please make a request to your supervisor.

Minnesota Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Company will not discriminate because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, genetic information, sex, disability, age, or any other status protected by state or local law, for employees who fall within the jurisdiction of such law.

Please apply by sending your cover letter and resume as a single PDF to apply@mnland.org.