Associate Director of Donor Events

Job Description

Job Description

About Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

Following 9/11, the community and civic planning process that resulted in the World Trade Center master plan in 2003 envisioned a new performing arts center as one of the anchors of the site. The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) opened in the Fall of 2023. Within its three flexible and intimate performance spaces, PAC NYC produces and presents multiple projects in theatre, dance, music and chamber opera. Across each season, we seek to celebrate life and to affirm community in our location at the World Trade Center.

Our mission

PAC NYC's mission is to create connections by cultivating bonds between extraordinary artists and communities, with exemplary performances in active dialogue across the arts, and in our flexible, intimate spaces, inviting conversation and new relationships. Our art and our audiences reflect the dynamic energy of all five boroughs of New York City. We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate creative expression from around the world. PAC NYC is where the world trades ideas.

The role

PAC NYC seeks an organized, strategic, and highly collaborative Associate Director of Donor Events to lead the planning and execution of the institution's donor events program. As a senior member of the Development team, the Associate Director will oversee a robust portfolio of fundraising, cultivation, stewardship, and institutional events that deepen relationships with donors, corporate partners, foundations, trustees, and other stakeholders while advancing PAC NYC's fundraising goals.

This position combines exceptional event management with financial oversight, donor strategy, and cross-functional leadership. The Associate Director is responsible for developing and managing event budgets, tracking fundraising progress toward revenue goals, leading complex planning processes across departments, and serving as a primary liaison with external partners and institutional stakeholders.

Your key responsibilities

Events Management & Fundraising

• Plan, organize, and manage 20–30 donor events annually, serving as project lead with responsibility for planning, timelines, budgets, staffing, vendor management, and successful execution.
• Serve as internal lead for PAC NYC's annual Gala and other signature fundraising events, coordinating planning, fundraising progress, RSVPs, seating, executive briefings, and internal workflows in partnership with external stakeholders.
• Develop and implement event strategies that advance departmental fundraising priorities, donor cultivation, and long-term institutional relationships.
• Manage, support, and mentor the Development Events Coordinator.
• In collaboration with the Director of Development, establish fundraising objectives for assigned events and provide regular reporting on revenue progress, sponsorship commitments, ticket sales, expenses, and overall financial performance.
• Cultivate prospective sponsors, table purchasers, and event supporters, working independently and in partnership with colleagues across Individual Giving, Institutional Giving, and Corporate Partnerships to secure philanthropic support for assigned events.
• Identify and develop sponsorship and partnership opportunities that strengthen donor engagement while advancing institutional fundraising goals.
• Lead internal and cross-departmental planning meetings, establishing agendas, documenting decisions, assigning responsibilities, and ensuring timely follow-through across all participating departments.
• Serve as the primary liaison with external event partners, consultants, vendors, production teams, and institutional stakeholders to ensure coordinated planning and successful execution.
• Oversee all event materials, including invitations, donor correspondence, executive briefing books, run-of-show documents, scripts, seating plans, vendor schedules, and production timelines.

Budget Management & Financial Oversight

• Develop annual event budget projections in collaboration with Development leadership as part of the department's annual budgeting process.
• Create, monitor, and reconcile individual event budgets, ensuring expenditures remain within approved allocations while supporting fundraising objectives.
• Track budget performance throughout the planning process, proactively identifying variances, recommending adjustments, and communicating financial updates to leadership.
• Review vendor proposals, negotiate costs where appropriate, approve invoices, and oversee accurate financial reconciliation following each event.
• Produce post-event financial analyses evaluating budget performance, fundraising outcomes, and return on investment.

Reporting and Donor Intelligence

• Track fundraising progress for assigned events, including sponsorship commitments, ticket sales, underwriting, and contributed revenue. Provide regular fundraising supports to leadership.
• Analyze event performance and recommend strategies to strengthen fundraising outcomes and donor engagement for future events
• Oversee and guide the preparation of donor face sheets and leadership briefing materials for event attendees, ensuring accuracy, strategic relevance, and highlighting key donors and prospects for executive engagement.
• Oversee production of accurate and timely donor research, attendance reports, and briefing materials in collaboration with Development Operations and Individual Giving.
• Maintain accurate donor records, post-event analyses, attendance reports, and follow-up plans in partnership with Individual Giving and Development Operations to support ongoing cultivation strategies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

What it takes to be successful in the role

• 7+ years in donor and/or fundraising events management and execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and managing complex stakeholder relationships.
• Experience tracking fundraising performance and contributing directly to philanthropic revenue generation.
• Supervisory experience managing staff and external consultants.
• Ability to attend all assigned donor events, including evenings and weekends.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A team player who doesn't look at any task as too small.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex event budgets and financial reporting.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in using donor databases and CRM software (e.g., Spektrix) to produce accurate lists, reports, and donor briefing materials. 
• Passion for the performing arts and a commitment to PAC NYC's mission. 

This position will remain open until a diverse and qualified pool of finalists has been identified.

Compensation and Benefits

Annual salary will range between $90,000 and $105,000 plus full benefits. Our benefits package includes health, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability benefits, and self-insured dental, vision and health care and dependent day care flexible spending accounts. Full time employees are eligible for paid time off and 401K enrollment with employer match.

We encourage you to apply

At PAC NYC, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you're excited by this role and the job description aligns with you and the work you are passionate about doing, please apply to the position. We encourage all applicants who are committed to contributing to an equitable and inclusive work environment to submit an application for a role with us without feeling like they need to meet every single qualification of the position, specifically people from traditionally excluded/marginalized groups. You might be the right candidate for this role, or for others that we're adding to our team. 

Our commitment to creating a diverse and equitable workplace

Equal employment opportunity and a commitment to a diverse staff are fundamental principles at PAC NYC, where employment opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.