Senior Associate Director, Lead – Development Events

Role Overview

• Leads the Development Events unit in planning and executing domestic and global events, setting strategy to maximize outreach, engagement, and revenue across in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.
• Establishes long-term event goals and success metrics; reviews and leverages post event analytics to evaluate performance and guide continuous improvement.
• Enhances event project management, technology, and service delivery by overseeing implementation of improvements.
• Partners cross functionally to align event strategy with organizational priorities and drive effective marketing and attendance growth.
• Leads the creation and management of project timelines, procedures, and plans, as well as the design and delivery of all technical, creative, and logistical elements of an event, focusing on the on-site or virtual presentation and overall attendee experience.
• Responsible for ensuring that the delivery of technical elements create a memorable and engaging experience for diverse and evolving audiences.
• Works with Development teams and the broader organization to define revenue and engagement goals supported by events.
• Coordinates audience selection for events with team leaders and relationship managers to ensure outreach, revenue, and engagement goals are met.
• Assists the Director with the annual plan and budgeting process by preparing revenue and expense budgets for signature Development events.
• Supervises a team of Development Events staff and may supervise or direct volunteers and interns. Provides leadership, mentorship, and guidance to event staff, volunteers, and interns to foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree and eight years of experience leading special events for nonprofits, development, fundraising, OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience -
• preferably in a non-profit environment.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or similar event management certification.
• A good working knowledge of event management software and capabilities.
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills are a must.
• Strong experience with donor cultivation and stewardship strategies through events.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage complex event logistics, including vendor negotiation, budget oversight, and on-site execution for both in-person and virtual fundraising events with diverse audiences and attendance sizes.

Benefits

• Emory is an equal opportunity employer and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.