The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is accepting applications for a full-time Events and Board Relations Manager.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Every year, the Festival hosts a combination of cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising events along with board-related meetings and activities designed to engage the Festival’s key stakeholders and build positive and sustainable relationships for the future. For the Events and Board Relations Manager position, the Festival seeks an experienced, take-charge professional with the ability to manage the administration and logistics of these activities in support of the Director of Development and the Festival.
The professional in this role will also serve as a board-relations liaison, which includes preparing for five annual board meetings and related board-committee meetings, attending board and committee meetings, preparing and distributing meeting materials, and organizing the annual board dinner.
The Events and Board Relations Manager works with the Director of Development to initiate and implement appropriate strategies for engaging the Festival’s key constituencies, including the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Council, donors of all levels, sponsors, and vendors.
The individual in this position must be able to anticipate project needs, discern work priorities, and meet deadlines with little supervision, and they must be willing to work several evenings and weekends. They also must be an effective communicator, demonstrate a willingness to aid and support the growth of the Development Department’s fundraising, and be able to work collaboratively with the Festival’s staff.
The Events and Board Relations Manager should have a strong talent for special-events design and management and for providing outstanding customer service. They should also be an enthusiastic professional who thrives on creative problem-solving, has strong emotional intelligence, can work independently and as a team member, and is able to build relationships with internal and external customers. This position requires a keen eye and an ability to review and negotiate contracts with all vendors.
The Events and Board Relations Manager is an exempt position, reporting to the Director of Development.
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Organize and oversee all aspects of the Festival’s major fundraising gala event, which is held annually in July, and manage and grow event revenue from year to year
• Organize Artists’ Circle events for high-end donors
• Organize Artists’ Circle salons for high-end donors
• Organize annual board dinner
• Facilitate board socialization opportunities, which includes small dinners and welcome dinners for new board members
• Provide positive, individualized support to board members as needed
• Organize the annual Platinum Dinner—a thank-you dinner for high-end donors
• Assist the Director of Development in organizing trips for board members and key supporters
• Serve as board liaison, which including organizing five annual board meetings and related committee meetings. Coordinate details, distribute meeting notifications and materials, and distribute all meeting minutes.
• Serve as an on-the-ground contact for various vendors, including catering companies, venue spaces, rental companies, restaurants, services, and hotels
• Negotiate with contractors to ensure all events will be executed correctly and according to contract specifications
• Coordinate site visits to new and/or updated venues to ensure they meet capacity and performance needs. Requires consistent communication with external vendors as well as direct collaboration with the Festival’s Artistic Department.
• Manage detailed event budgets and effectively utilize Festival resources
• Support the Director of Development with special projects as needed
Event Planning and Production
• Assist with negotiations for event-space contracts and book spaces, arrange food and beverages, order supplies and audiovisual equipment, make travel arrangements, order event signs, and ensure appropriate décor (flowers, linens, color schemes, etc.) for meeting the quality expectations of the Board of Trustees and other Festival stakeholders
• Assertively gather event ideas and design elements to improve the event planning and implementation processes with the goal of achieving successful, high-quality event production
• Conduct research, make site visits, and find resources to ensure quality event experiences
• Create and revise room layouts for each event
• Serve as liaison with vendors on event-related matters
• Assist with managing on-site production and cleanup for events as necessary.
• Prepare name tags, materials, notebooks, packages, gift bags, registration lists, seating arrangement, place cards, etc.
• Close out all events as required and provide a post-event report and budget reviews to the Director of Development
Event Administration
• Assist with preparing budgets and other necessary spreadsheets and event-tracking documents
• Keep track of event finances, including check requests, invoicing, and reporting
• Prepare and modify event contracts as necessary
QUALIFICATIONS
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Impeccable proofreading skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and work assignments
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Excellent, professional interpersonal skills both in person and on the phone
• Ability to accomplish projects with little supervision as well as accept suggestions from management and staff as appropriate
• Strong customer-service ethic and high expectations for quality
• Bachelor’s and/or nonprofit arts-management degree preferred; significant work experience can substitute for degree
• At least three years of experience with office administrative management
• At least one year of experience coordinating special events or relevant internship experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; email; and web searches
BENEFITS
Medical and dental insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, liberal vacation and holiday policy, opportunity to work in a beautiful, historic setting
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a résumé and cover letter to:
Cece Derringer, Director of Development
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
PO Box 2227
Santa Fe, NM 87506
OR
Click here to Email
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
