Director, Special Events

The New York Philharmonic connects with millions of music lovers each season through live concerts in New York and around the world, as well as broadcasts, recordings, and education programs. After returning to a transformed David Geffen Hall in October 2022, the Orchestra has a renewed commitment to building on a 180-year-old legacy of excellence by serving as a platform for today’s creators and connecting with our communities. In February 2023 the New York Philharmonic announced the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel as the Orchestra’s next maestro, to begin as Music and Artistic Director in 2026–27, after serving as Music Director Designate in 2025–26.

The New York Philharmonic seeks a Director, Special Events as a senior leader on the Development Team who will develop a strategic plan for the department, generating new and renewing event/donor leadership, managing communication calendars, and planning and executing events at the highest levels of quality. Leading and mentoring a team of three events professionals, the selected candidate will work closely with Development, Organizational, and Board Leadership to develop a series of top-flight events. This person will manage three major galas a season, up to three additional smaller benefits, and oversee the team’s activities in executing overall about 70 events annually.

Responsibilities include:

• Create overall special event strategy, annual budgets, and calendar of events that aligns with contributed revenue, cultivation, and stewardship goals.
• Create fundraising strategies and work with the development team to meet or exceed fundraising goals for each event.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, sponsors, and VIPs, ensuring their engagement and involvement throughout the event process.
• Manage the solicitation of sponsorships, securing financial commitments from corporate sponsors, individuals, and in-kind donors.
• Work strategically with board and event leadership to grow a community of event donors.
• Overall responsibility for successful execution of the Opening Gala, Lunar New Year Gala, and Spring Gala, and other cultivation and stewardship related events throughout the season, including but not limited to the Family Benefit and the Young New Yorker Benefit.
• Negotiate with venues, consultants, and vendors to secure rates that enhance budgets.
• Manage, mentor, and support event staff and volunteers, providing guidance and direction throughout the planning and execution phases.
• Oversee the post-event coordination including but not limited to debrief meetings, recognition to key constituents, financial reporting, and data transfer.
• Work closely with public relations department on all press aspects of special events
• Inform and update leadership, staff, event co-chairs, and other involved parties throughout the event cycle.
• Manage consultants and vendors prior to and during the event to ensure flawless efficiency.
• Monitor and analyze donor and prospective donor participation in events, including ROI.
• Thorough knowledge and ability to implement current technology and best practices associated with Special Events to surpass fundraising goals.
• Create event briefings and disseminate to staff, events hosts, speakers, and others as needed.
• Collaborate and regularly report to the Development leadership to determine annual budget goals and activity from special events.
• Perform other job-related responsibilities as requested or assigned by Development leadership.
• Commitment to contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Requirements:

A strategic thinker with 10 years of progressive experience in event planning and raising funds from individual and corporate donors, preferably in a large institutional environment; strong analytical skills; exceptional written and oral communication skills; and proven success in raising funds. Enthusiasm for art and culture broadly, and ideally classical music specifically, as well as knowledge of Tessitura preferred. Ability to work nights and weekends as well as travel for out of state events as required.

The New York Philharmonic is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, immigration or citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital and partnership status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran or active military service member or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws in its employment policies.