Special Projects Development Associate

Samaritan’s Feet International is looking for a talented, motivated individual to join our team as a Special Projects Development Associate.

As a Special Projects Development Associate, you will lead and oversee critical initiatives and events that are strategically important to the organization. Your role is to plan, execute, and deliver these special events successfully, ensuring they align with organizational goals and drive business outcomes. will play a vital role in supporting the Director of Events and the broader events team in the planning, execution, and evaluation of various events. This multifaceted position requires strong project management skills, strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities:

Signature Events Coordination: Events small and large occur both local and nationwide and need coverage and production from conception through completion. The ideal candidate possesses experience in live event production and management, is super detail-oriented, and is a proactive problem solver. This role requires someone who can understand and conceptualize an event plan from an initial, big picture vision down to every minute detail.

• Event Research: Conduct research on potential event venues, formats, and technologies to support the planning process.
• Research & Site Selection: Conduct site selection and site visits as needed, including hotels and independent activities.
• Event Planning and On-Site Management: Manage and provide support in coordinating pre-production, event execution and post-event follow-up for events.
• Budget Management: Full budget responsibility for each event; coordinate across all stakeholders involved to ensure all projected and actual costs are documented and budgets stay on track – including submitting payments, invoices and expenses.
• Contract Negotiation: Negotiations skills are a must. Negotiate contract terms that are favorable to the company with suppliers related to accommodations, meeting space, trade show space, food and beverage, equipment, supplies and other elements.
• Maintain Strong Vendor/Contractor Relations: Create, manage and maintain strong working relationships with frequently used contractors and venue managers.
• Donor/Sponsor Development: You must be comfortable within your own scope to be able to solicit and nurture corporate relationship and cultivation.
• Manage Technical Production: An educated knowledge of technical production (sound and lighting) is not necessary, but eagerness to learn is a must. Having worked side by side with an A/V company is important.
• Travel, Rooming Lists & Logistics Management: Coordinate heavy logistics including booking travel, hotel arrangements, maintain rooming lists, and scheduling activities for staff. Collect, gather and submit rooming lists and have a strict awareness for cutoff dates and releasing rooms.
• Supplies: Procuring supplies for office and events including comparing bids and managing shipping.
• Oversee Staff: Oversee cross-functional team supporting the events and ensure they are properly prepared and trained. Coordinate staff responsibilities during the event.
• Post Event: Analyze the event’s success and prepare reports and reconciliations in a timely manner.
• Assist with Special Projects: Provide support for additional projects and tasks as assigned as well as any other duties assigned.

Coordination & Communication:

• Work effectively and communicate clearly with other employees. Ability to handle changing deadlines and priorities. Always review work for accuracy, completeness and proper authority.
• Participate in proactive efforts to achieve departmental and company goals. Coordinate with development and marketing on event marketing efforts including onsite social media, PR and speaking opportunities.
• Meeting Coordination: Organize and schedule internal team meetings and events, taking notes and sending out follow-up communications.
• Weekly Updates: Create and distribute a weekly events update email/newsletter that includes upcoming events, calendar updates, and important links.
• Events Calendar: Maintain the initiative's events calendar, ensuring visibility for team members. Regularly update and verify the accuracy of event resumes linked to the calendar.

Internal Support & Collaboration

• Cross Departmental Communication: Work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to ensure the alignment of branding and messaging for events.

Development Administration:

• Data Entry & Management: Ensure all information is correct and current in organization’s CRM - database.
• Gift Acknowledgements: ensuring a donation has been received and that a gift acknowledgement has been sent to the donor.
• Development Inventory: Keeping the log of sports marketing collateral for welcome baskets, and all development materials in a central location.
• Mass Mailers: list pulls for strategic development mailers to be sent strategically throughout the year.
• Research and Development: Prospecting for annual conferences and expo’s for speaking opportunities.
• Perform a variety of routine clerical tasks and/or administrative duties as needed.
• Attendance and on-time reporting.

Required Skills

• You have a passion for and expertise in live events, entertainment, and corporate events.
• You love the hustle and bustle and all the moving pieces leading up to and during the event.
• Highly organized with keen attention to detail (you love spreadsheets and checklists).
• Your people skills are bar none. No one is a stranger, and you understand how to connect with everyone, treating all with respect.
• You have a knack for crisis management; able to find solutions on the fly; ability to handle stressful situations in a calm, professional manner.
• You love to travel and you’re able and flexible to travel and work extended days and sometimes weekends depending on event schedule – can be 35% of time.
• You like building effective partner relationships with colleagues, vendors, suppliers, and crew members.
• You know how to successfully manage a budget, have accounting/expense report experience and aren’t afraid of numbers.
• Your organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask are excellent.
• You have superb written and verbal skills and an exceptional ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
• You have a “do what it takes – no job is too small” team player and positive attitude with a willingness to wear other hats and step in to perform and support other roles when needed.

Requirements

• 3+ years’ experience in Events Sponsorship and individual donor gifts.
• Proven event planning and/or sales; combination of education and experience.
• 3 to 5+ years managing simultaneous events or related experience.
• Knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles and practices of event planning and public relations, including event design, organization and production.
• Identify and develop new relationships and cultivate them to gift procurement.
• Identify and network with target audiences and key takeaways.
• The ability to procure $300,000 in major gifts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven experience in coordinating events logistics, committees, and volunteers.
• Self-starter, extremely responsible and reliable with professional presentation
• Computer savvy; proficient in Microsoft Office programs.
• Working knowledge of CRM experience is preferred.

Samaritan’s Feet International currently offers the following benefits to its employees.

• PAID TIME OFF (PTO) – 120 hours (15 Days)
• 2 Floating Holidays
• 10 Paid Holidays Per Year
• 1 Remote Day Per Week
• 25% Discount for Samaritan’s Feet Mission Trips: Samaritan’s Feet employee and their partner who wish to participate in Samaritan’s Feet mission trips will receive a 25% discount off the base cost of the trip. As an added benefit, the employee is not required to use their PTO to go on a trip. One trip per calendar year.
• Health Insurance: Samaritan’s Feet International provides medical coverage. The company pays for 1/2 of the monthly premium for employees only .All other family members’ premiums are paid 100% by the employee.
• Health Savings Account: Available only on select health insurance plan that you select. Depending on the Option of Health Insurance you selected, you may be able to Enroll in Health Savings Account or Health Care Flex Spending.
• Dental Insurance: Optional – The company pays for 1/2 of the monthly premium for employees only. All other family members’ premiums are paid 100% by the employee.
• Vision Insurance: Optional – The company pays for 1/2 of the monthly premium for employees only. All other family members’ premiums are paid 100% by the employee.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability: All full-time and eligible employees are covered in Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability and are paid for by Samaritan’s Feet International.
• Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D): Insurance policies paid for by Samaritan’s Feet International. NOTE: Employee must Enroll in this Benefit and name a Beneficiary.
• Voluntary (employee-paid) Group Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D).
• Voluntary Disability Insurance – employee paid.
• Other Voluntary Insurance offered – (employee paid coverage) includes:
  • Accident
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement:
• Wellbeing
• Employee Assistance Program