Manager of Events

Open Arms of Minnesota Job Description: Manager of Events Organizational Summary: Open Arms of Minnesota (OAM) is a nonprofit that prepares and delivers healthy, nutritious food to people living with life-threatening illnesses. Our mission: by providing food as medicine, we nourish our clients and build community. In our two state-of-the-art kitchens, OAM staff members and more than 6,500 volunteers create meals specifically designed for our clients’ nutritional needs. We use fresh and, whenever possible, organic ingredients, including produce from our own 5 Open Farms urban garden locations. Volunteers deliver meals throughout the Twin Cities metro area to approximately 3,687 clients, caregivers, and dependents annually, providing nourishment and hope for families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. In addition, families in need throughout Minnesota receive meals shipped to them weekly. There are no fees for any of Open Arms’ services. Open Arms is a volunteer-driven organization and is culturally unique in our high commitment to an excellent volunteer experience. To learn more, visit Open Date: September 4th, 202 6 Closing Date: Until filled Position Overview: The Manager of Events leads the planning, development, and execution of Open Arms of Minnesota's fundraising, stewardship, cultivation, community, and organizational events. Serving as the primary producer and project manager for major events—including Open Arms' signature fundraising event, Moveable Feast—this position brings together creative vision, relationship strategy, and exceptional execution to create memorable experiences that strengthen people's connection to Open Arms. The Manager of Events works collaboratively across the Relationships & Engagement Department and throughout the organization to ensure every event has a clear purpose, defined audience, thoughtful strategy, strong project plan, and measurable outcomes. This position requires someone who can move seamlessly between big-picture thinking and detailed execution—from imagining an extraordinary guest experience to managing budgets, timelines, vendors, committees, volunteers, production, and event-day logistics. Above all, the Manager of Events understands that an Open Arms event is more than a gathering. Every event is an opportunity to deepen relationships, create belonging, celebrate impact, and connect people more meaningfully to our mission. As with all OAM staff positions, this position is responsible for helping ensure donors, partners, volunteers, staff and all other stakeholders have an exemplary experience during all interactions with Open Arms and is expected to maintain the highest level of customer service to all guests, clients, and fellow team members. Primary Job Responsibilities: Event Strategy & Production Develop and manage the annual calendar and comprehensive plan for Open Arms fundraising, stewardship, cultivation, community engagement, and organizational events. Serve as lead producer and project manager for major Open Arms events from concept through execution and evaluation, including Moveable Feast, donor and partner events, milestone celebrations, and other special experiences. Develop creative event concepts that authentically reflect the Open Arms mission, values, brand, audience, and goals. Create and manage comprehensive event plans, including timelines, budgets, production schedules, vendor relationships, venues, food and beverage, décor, audiovisual needs, transportation, registration, staffing, volunteer roles, and run-of-show. Lead event production meetings and coordinate closely with internal teams, external vendors, venues, restaurant partners, committees, and volunteers to ensure successful execution. Anticipate challenges, develop contingency plans, and serve as a primary onsite leader during events, maintaining a calm and solutions-oriented approach. Fundraising, Stewardship & Relationship Building Design experiences that create meaningful opportunities for donors, volunteers, corporate partners, community partners, prospects, and other supporters to connect with the Open Arms mission. Work collaboratively with relationship managers to identify priority guests and opportunities for meaningful engagement before, during, and following events. Coordinate sponsorship activation and benefit fulfillment with Institutional Relationships staff, ensuring sponsors receive thoughtful, accurate, and meaningful recognition. Support event-related fundraising activities such as auctions, raffles, fund-a-need opportunities, sponsorship activation, and other revenue-generating strategies. Approach every event through a relationship-centered lens, considering not only attendance and revenue but how the experience can strengthen participants' long-term connection to Open Arms. Collaboration & Guest Experience Partner closely with Communications & Marketing to develop event invitations, communications, promotional materials, signage, programs, presentations, and other event collateral. Collaborate with Volunteer Engagement, Facilities, Kitchen Operations, Finance, and other teams to coordinate event needs and ensure successful execution. Work with Volunteer Engagement to develop appropriate event volunteer roles, training, schedules, and expectations. Build and maintain strong relationships with venues, restaurants, production partners, caterers, rental companies, entertainers, photographers, and other event partners. Represent Open Arms professionally and enthusiastically with external partners and community members. Budget, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement Develop and manage event budgets, monitor revenue and expenses, negotiate vendor agreements, and identify opportunities to maximize resources while maintaining event quality. Partner with Finance and fundraising staff to monitor event financial performance and ensure accurate reporting and reconciliation. Lead post-event debriefs and evaluate events against established goals, including revenue, expenses, attendance, sponsorship performance, guest engagement, and relationship outcomes. Gather feedback and document lessons learned to continually strengthen Open Arms events and guest experiences. Stay current on nonprofit fundraising event trends and event-production best practices and bring creative new ideas to Open Arms. Requirements Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience planning and producing complex events, preferably including nonprofit fundraising, donor, corporate, or community events. Demonstrated experience independently managing large-scale events from concept through execution and evaluation. Exceptional project management, organization, and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. Experience developing and managing event budgets and working with vendors and contracts. Strong creative and strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate organizational goals into compelling event experiences. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with colleagues, vendors, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community partners. Strong judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including the ability to remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented under pressure. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a highly cross‑functional environment. Commitment to creating exceptional, welcoming, and inclusive guest experiences. Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends associated with events, and to work across Open Arms locations and off‑site venues. Enthusiastic commitment to the mission and values of Open Arms of Minnesota. Experience producing nonprofit fundraising and donor cultivation or stewardship events. Experience with events carrying significant fundraising goals. Experience managing sponsorship activation, auctions, raffles, fund‑a‑need programs, or similar fundraising activities. Experience working with restaurants, chefs, caterers, venues, event committees, and volunteers. Experience using CRM, event registration, fundraising, or project management platforms. Reliable transportation and an active Minnesota driver’s license, unrestricted for work-related driving, with an acceptable driving record and ability to be insured under current policies. Ability and flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends. Sensitivity and commitment to diversity and ability to work respectfully with a wide array of co‑workers and members of the community. A passion for the mission and values of Open Arms. Perform other related duties as assigned. Physical Requirements Ability to sit, stand, and move throughout Open Arms facilities and event venues for extended periods. Ability to lift and move event materials and supplies up to 40 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation. Ability to use standard office equipment, computers, and event‑related technology. Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, with more frequent nontraditional hours during major event periods. Ability to travel between Open Arms locations and off‑site event venues as required. Reports to: Chief Relationships Officer Compensation Range: $70,000 - $75,000 annually Location: Minneapolis and St. Paul Hours: Full‑time Benefits: medical/dental/life/ STD/LTD insurance employee assistance program pet insurance commuter-transit and parking paid Holidays personal time off (PTO) retirement plan with employer match program Employee-paid vision plan voluntary life critical illness hospital indemnity accident insurance are also available Open Arms of Minnesota is committed to hiring and fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce that leverages the skills and talents of all employees in our organization, regardless of race, gender, national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, disability, or socioeconomic status. We encourage all individuals with direct or transferable experience to apply for our open positions. Equal Opportunity Employer #J-18808-Ljbffr Minnesota Council of Nonprofits