Manager of Events and Corporate Engagement

Manager of Events and Corporate Engagement

REPORTS TO: Associate Director of Advancement

STATUS: Full-Time, Onsite, Exempt

Position Summary

The Manager of Events and Corporate Engagement is responsible for the successful execution of the Museum’s fundraising and stewardship events, with a primary focus on the annual gala (targeting $1 Million in revenue). This role is also the principal driver for securing corporate sponsorships across all museum initiatives, including the gala, exhibitions, and educational programs. The Manager will oversee all event logistics and serve as the main point of contact for corporate partners and event vendors.

Key Responsibilities

Events Capacity

• Serve as the lead logistical and administrative planner for the annual gala, working directly with the Associate Director of Development (ADoD). This includes managing venue contracts, catering, décor, vendor negotiations, entertainment, and on-site event execution.


• Ensure timely and accurate fulfillment of all gala and corporate sponsor benefits, including coordinating recognition, seating, and special access for high-level gala supporters.


• Plan and execute other Museum events, including Patron and Member cultivation events (in partnership with the Manager of Membership and Annual Giving), major donor dinners, and other events. 


• Manage event budgets for all assigned programs, negotiating contracts, tracking expenses, and ensuring cost-effective, high-quality event production.


• Work closely with the Database Manager and Development Associate to ensure accurate guest lists, ticket sales reconciliation, and event acknowledgment processes.


• Collaborate with the Marketing team on event branding, invitation design, and promotional materials.


• Field private event rental inquiries with the potential to manage private event rentals in the future as the Museum’s program develops. 
  
  

Corporate Sponsor Lead

• Develop and manage a robust pipeline of local, regional, and national corporations for sponsorship opportunities across the gala, exhibitions, education programs, and general operating support.


• Work with the ADoD and Chief Advancement Officer to prepare proposals, conduct solicitations, and steward corporate partners throughout their commitment period.


• Serve as the primary contact for all corporate sponsors, ensuring their investment goals are met and fostering long-term relationships for multi-year support.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.


• Minimum of 5-7 years of direct experience in professional event planning, corporate relations, or a combination of both, preferably within a non-profit or cultural organization.


• Proven track record of managing large-scale fundraising events (e.g., galas, auctions) that generate significant revenue.


• Demonstrated experience in successfully securing and stewarding corporate sponsorships.


• Highly organized with exceptional project management skills and the ability to manage multiple complex timelines simultaneously.


• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.


• Proficiency with event management software, donor databases (CRM), Office and Google suites. 


• Must be able to work frequent evenings and weekends for event execution, and lift/move event materials (up to 25 lbs).

About the Farnsworth

Founded as a bequest of Lucy Copeland Farnsworth, the Museum opened its doors in 1948 in Rockland, Maine, with a singular mission to celebrate Maine’s role in American art. The Farnsworth’s primary purpose is to be a repository for American art objects related to Maine and a resource for all, including local and state residents, as well as tourists visiting from throughout the United States and abroad.

Throughout the Museum’s history, it has championed the unique role that Maine plays in the larger story of American art. The Farnsworth’s collection of approximately 15,000 works focuses on American art from the 18th century to the present, in all media, with a special emphasis on artists with deep connections to Maine. From purchasing works by a young Andrew Wyeth–becoming the first museum to do so–to collecting pieces by pivotal Maine artists such as Fitz Henry Lane, George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Lynne Drexler, Lois Dodd, Daniel Minter, Ann Craven, and Jeremy Frey, the Museum has and will continue to represent the excellence of the arts in Maine. We are also broadening and diversifying collections to more fully reflect the breadth of Maine artists working today and the interests of our growing and multicultural audience.

The Museum also cares for two historic properties: the Farnsworth Homestead, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and the Olson House, joining the campus in 1991 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2011.

Welcoming approximately 75,000 visitors each year, the Farnsworth has a $58 million economic impact on the mid-coast and surrounding areas and has revitalized the creative capital of Rockland. It is the first art museum in Maine to receive accreditation by AAM.