Event Specialist

Special Kids Chattanooga’s mission is to serve Jesus Christ by caring for His children who have special healthcare needs. Special Kids has operated in Murfreesboro, TN since 1998, as a not-for-profit Christian healthcare company. The organization is now focused on serving children with special healthcare needs in the greater Chattanooga community. Our overarching goal is to support each child in overcoming obstacles to achieve improved quality of life. We aim to accomplish this goal by providing access to quality, compassionate care for any child in need of occupational, physical, speech, and feeding therapy and providing continuity of care through a unique coordinated multi-disciplinary approach. Full-time (32-40 hours per week) with benefits, continuing education dollars, holidays and paid time off.

The Event Specialist works closely with Development and Marketing, and the organization wide Marketing Committee to support the annual development plan and attainment of the Development budget. In addition, this position works closely with event committees, community organizations, vendors, volunteers, and board members in fulfillment of the organization’s mission, delivering programming, communications with sponsors and donors, and achieving sustainable growth.

Summary

The Event Specialist is responsible for coordinating the development, planning, implementation and oversight of Special Kids events, programs, and organizational celebrations. This position work closely with volunteer committees and members to ensure events are delivered on time, within budget and at the desired level of quality. This position is also responsible for cultivating positive long-term relationships with event stakeholders, committee members, sponsors, and donors to consistently improve event execution and donor revenue.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Annual Planning: Coordinates the development and management of the annual event plan for Special Kids ensuring that:

The development calendar is coordinated to maximize value to the community. 

Coordination with marketing staff and the marketing calendar for publication of upcoming events to include flyers, brochures, postcards, social media, e-blasts, etc.

Event dates are publicized to the community as early as possible to avoid schedule conflicts with other community events (marketing or development)

Event planning to include the following events:

• Race 
• Golf 
• Pickleball 
• SK Therapy open houses, SK Therapy investor parties, on-campus events
• Other events as approved  
• Support third party fundraising events and publicizing 

Event Planning, Promotion and Execution: Coordinates event organization structure, community relations, vendors and contracts, in-kind donors, venues, and event communications.

• Coordinates with development staff to created timelines, budgets, event logistics, staffing, volunteers, suppliers, and promotions.
• Works with development staff and marketing for implementation of software platforms utilized for event sponsorships, ticket sales and donations.
• Works with volunteers, interns and committees and assists in recruitment of new committee members.
• Documents all communications with vendors, venues, committee members.
• Works with marketing to develop a communications strategy and calendar for save the date, invitations, mailings, email blasts, and materials.
• Prepares timely thank you notes to speakers, sponsors, donors, and key volunteers after events.
• Conducts post event evaluation (standardized) for future execution of events and event improvement.
• Updates all plans, timelines, and other tools to simplify execution.

Finances and Revenue Generation: Responsible for meeting financial goals and deadlines and contributes to enhancing sponsor and donor relationships following the investor stewardship plan and responding promptly to requests and monitoring of event expenses, revenue, and budget variances.

• Solicits, maintains, secures, and grows sponsorship relationships for each event to include multi-event sponsorships and year over year commitments.
• Communicates with assigned event participants improving engagement with organization to garner financial support outside of events.
• Support all fundraising campaigns (The Big Payback, Hope Drive, Giving Tuesday, and others) by communicating with assigned accounts.
• Works with development staff in review of financials actual to budget and reports on variances and remedies.

Administration: Works closely with development, marketing, and finance staff in establishing priorities, timelines, budgets, workplans and communicating updates. Documents all communications related to donor, sponsor, and vendors in the customer relationship management program.

• Communicates and coordinates with Special Kids staff as necessary regarding events, priorities, assistance, and brainstorming.
• Meets target dates for deliverables by establishment of priorities, work plans and timelines.
• Documents in the customer relationship management system all communications with vendors, sponsors, donors, and community organizations daily.
• Represents Special Kids at fundraising and community events as appropriate.
• Other duties as required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Preferred bachelor’s degree in communications or 3-5 years’ experience in related field. Experience in non-profits or fundraising preferred. Experience in the following: public speaking, volunteer/campaign management and managing a +$500,000 budget.

Computer Skills

To be successful in this job, an individual should have basic computer skills and the ability to learn new software and web-based applications.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations 

None required; CPR certification recommended.

Additional Value

• Compassion
• Willingness
• Courage
• Faith