ABOUT ORBIS
Orbis is an international nonprofit delivering sight-saving programs in over 200 countries and territories worldwide so that individuals, families, and communities can thrive. Currently, around 1 billion people across the globe live with completely avoidable blindness and vision loss. For over four decades, Orbis has been tackling this challenge by building strong and sustainable eye care systems that leave a lasting legacy of vision. Orbis runs dedicated country programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America; develops and implements innovative training and technology, including an award-winning telemedicine and e-learning platform, Cybersight; and operates the world’s first and only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft.
LOCATION
This is a remote role for anyone located in and authorized to work in the US.
For those who prefer to work in an office setting, our NYC office has temporary and permanent desk solutions for employees already local to NYC that can accommodate those preferences. Access to other Orbis offices may be provided. Orbis’s current policy requires that all staff visiting the NYC office must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
REPORTING & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The Events Manager reports to the Vice President, Philanthropy and works closely with the US Development team, in particular the Major Gifts and Corporate Partnerships Teams. They will partner with Orbis’s program teams, especially the Flying Eye Hospital team and Clinical Services, as well as with Orbis’s Events Consultant. The Events Manager will cultivate deep relationships with external stakeholders including high level donors and the Board of Directors.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS / KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Events Management
- Develop the design and execution of development events including the annual gala, new donor prospecting socials, international mission engagement trips, Flying Eye Hospital Goodwill tours, and virtual events.·
- Create new events from inception to completion, adapting to a fast-paced environment and in alignment with fundraising goals to build Major Gift and Corporate pipelines.
- Oversee the external events consultant, and all aspects of event logistics (venue, catering, and contracting), ensuring seamless execution of events by managing timelines, budgets, and resources.
- Manage event invitations, RSVP, pre and post event communications, vendor relationships, and invoicing processes.
- Develop staffing plans, lead pre-event briefings, and prepare materials to ensure team alignment and readiness.
- Coordinate with internal teams and external vendors to develop pre-event communications including, but not limited to, print and digital invitations, web copy, email outreach, collateral materials, signage, photo displays, video footage, and speaker talking points.
- Lead pre and post event meetings, when necessary, with event committees and/or the board of directors.
- Collaborate across Development units, including fundraising, marketing communications, and Development Operations teams, to support deliverables and keep stakeholders informed.
Post Event Management
- Conduct post-event evaluations, including budget reconciliation and data analysis, to assess performance and areas for improvement.
- Maintain clean and detailed entry of event attendance and gift transactions into Raisers Edge NXT.
- Coordinate and develop post-event communications plans such as emails, photo galleries, media releases, and web pages.
Donor Experiences
- As needed, travel internationally on-location to areas where Orbis hosts programmatic work to support high level donor visits and ensure a smooth and elevated experience.
- Further develop an international donor immersion experience resulting in increased revenue and/or acquisition of new individual and/or corporate donors.
- Manage logistics of donor visits (itineraries), including hotel reservations, transportation, and collateral materials in coordination with in-country Orbis staff.
- Coordinate with in-country program teams to schedule meetings, tours, and relevant local program information, including post-event follow up communications.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years’ experience in fundraising, donor development, or corporate events
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
- Demonstrated experience planning and managing events leading to increased constituent engagement and revenue
- Adapt to the fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities while focusing on achieving department fundraising goals
- Leadership gift (major donor and/or corporate partnership) experience, including donor relations and communications
- Proficient in event management software and Microsoft Office suite, including SharePoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint; Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT and MailChimp
- Preferred Qualification: Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Ability to manage a variety of projects on a domestic and global scale
- Excellent interpersonal and diplomacy skills: ability to represent Orbis in a professional manner with donors and stakeholders at all levels
- Ability to identify bottlenecks and implement new processes to drive efficiency
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work effectively in a culturally and professionally diverse team as well as independently.
- Ability and willingness to travel internationally and work evenings and weekends for donor events.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20-30%.
