POSITION TITLE: Events & Philanthropic Engagement Manager
DEPARTMENT: Philanthropy and Donor Engagement
REPORTS TO: Senior Manager, Donor Prospecting and Stewardship
TYPE: Full Time, Exempt
SALARY: $64,500-$68,200
United Way of Greater Charlotte uses collective giving to build pathways to economic opportunity, primarily through neighborhood-based, grassroots and responsive solutions. Within our community, we break down barriers to create uniquely impactful programs that help lift people out of poverty. Collaborating with local government agencies, businesses, faith communities, donors and volunteers to mobilize resources quickly and efficiently and advance lasting solutions, United Way is ensuring the most vulnerable populations have access to economic opportunities.
The Events & Philanthropic Engagement Manager is a results-driven leader responsible for the strategy, planning, and execution of the organization's signature annual fundraiser - with the goal of establishing it as the most anticipated philanthropic event in the city - as well as a portfolio of year-round donor, volunteer, and community engagement initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Donor Prospecting and Stewardship, the role requires a superior project manager with advanced event production skills, strong financial acumen, and a deep understanding of the current fundraising and sponsorship landscape. The Events & Philanthropic Engagement Manager plays a critical role in driving contributed revenue, expanding corporate and community partnerships, and elevating the organization's public profile.
Roles and Responsibilities
Signature Annual Fundraiser
- Own end-to-end event management including concept, timelines, budgets, vendors, and execution
- Partner with communications to refine strategic positioning, audience mix, and donor journey
- Create mission-forward, donor-centric experiences balancing inspiration and revenue
- Manage revenue goals (ticket sales, sponsorships, underwriting, giving opportunities)
- Lead post-event evaluation and year-over-year improvement analysis
Event Sponsorship Strategy & Revenue
- Develop and execute comprehensive sponsorship strategy aligned with fundraising goals
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate sponsors with leadership partners
- Design compelling sponsorship packages delivering sponsor value and advancing mission
- Manage full sponsor lifecycle from prospecting through fulfillment and stewardship
- Track sponsorship revenue, pipeline, ROI, and contribute to forecasting
Donor, Volunteer & Community Engagement
- Plan year-round cultivation, volunteer engagement, and community events
- Partner with Philanthropy team colleagues to advance donor acquisition, retention, and upgrades
- Design mission-aligned volunteer experiences reflecting organizational values
Project Management & Operations
- Develop detailed project plans, timelines, and workbacks for all events
- Coordinate cross-functionally with internal/external stakeholders
- Establish scalable systems, templates, and processes
- Proactively identify risks and resolve challenges
Budgeting & Financial Management
- Build and manage comprehensive event budgets with revenue projections and expense controls
- Negotiate contracts to maximize value and mitigate risk
- Ensure timely reconciliation, reporting, and financial performance analysis
Brand, Visibility & External Relations
- Collaborate with marketing staff on consistent messaging and compelling storytelling
- Leverage events and sponsorships to expand visibility, media exposure, and partnerships
- Recruiting sponsorships with leads and support from the philanthropy team
- Coordinating engagement with existing sponsors
- Developing timelines, event budgets and communication plans
- Coordinating registration tools and processes with a focus on collecting key demographic data for targeted follow-up
- Creating registration and revenue reports for each event, ensuring all participant and revenue data is recorded accurately in the database
- Coordinating all event resources for successful "day of" execution
- Managing events according to revenue and data acquisition objectives
- Working collaboratively with all United Way departments to achieve organizational engagement goals
- Events vary in size and scope with 2-4 large scale community-based volunteer day long events, 1-2 donor engagement events and multiple on-site corporate volunteer engagement projects
What You'll Need: Education, Experience, and Skills
- Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience in event management, nonprofit fundraising, sponsorship sales, or engagement, with increasing responsibility.
- Demonstrated success securing event sponsorships and managing sponsor relationships.
- Proven ability to manage large-scale, high-profile fundraising events with ambitious revenue goals.
- Strong project management, organizational, and budgeting skills.
- Deep understanding of donor behavior, corporate philanthropy, and sponsorship trends.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as required.
Preferred
- Experience positioning events as marquee or destination experiences in competitive markets.
- Experience working with board members, executive leadership, and high-net-worth donors.
- Familiarity with CRM systems, event technology platforms, and data-driven fundraising strategies.
Core Competencies
- Revenue-Driven Event Strategy
- Sponsorship Development & Stewardship
- Exceptional Project Management
- Financial Discipline & ROI Focus
- Relationship Management & Influence
- Creative Vision Paired with Operational Excellence
United Way of Greater Charlotte is committed to having a workforce that reflects our entire community. United Way opposes racism and oppression in all its forms and believes the nonprofit work environment is enhanced when diverse groups of people with ideas come together to achieve common goals. United Way understands that diverse representation and perspectives are vital to our success. We are dedicated to continuous learning and active participation in diversity initiatives while advocating for equitable opportunities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Workplace values
Respect-Treat everyone with dignity, courtesy, and professionalism by listening and appreciating diverse perspectives.
Appreciation-Recognize contributions, support growth, and foster an inclusive sense of belonging.
Authenticity-Be genuine and honest, aligning words and actions to build trust.
Excellence-Deliver high-quality work, seek improvement, and take pride in results.
Empathy-Show compassion and understanding for colleagues' experiences and needs.
Collaboration-Share knowledge, support teammates, and work openly toward shared success
Benefits:
Comprehensive benefits include Health, Dental, Vision, a 401 (k) defined contribution plan, Paid Holidays, and Paid Time off. Medical Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability Accident and Critical Illness, and Pet Insurance
We recognize that candidates may not meet every requirement listed. If you're passionate about lifting children and families out of poverty, have relevant skills and experience, and are eager to learn, we strongly encourage you to apply. Studies show that people from underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply unless they meet 100% of the qualifications. We value diverse perspectives and believe that your unique combination of skills, experiences, and enthusiasm might be exactly what we need. Our goal is to build a talented, diverse team committed to our mission, so please don't hesitate to submit your application.
United Way of Greater Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
