Events Manager

We're looking for an Events Manager!

Worth Rises seeks a skilled and detail-oriented Events Manager (exempt) based in New York City to lead the planning and execution of the organization's events and public engagement portfolio. The Events Manager will own our full events calendar from galas, retreats, book talks, and film screenings to webinars, press conferences, and direct actions, and will be responsible for ensuring each one reflects our brand and mission and is executed with excellence. This role reports to the Chief Narrative Officer, and works cross-functionally with communications, advocacy, and development staff. This is a fixed-term role of two years, designed to execute a number of high-profile events and generally build out our infrastructure during a critical period of organizational growth.


Worth Rises is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the prison industry and ending the exploitation of those it touches. Partnering with directly impacted people, we work to expose the commercialization of the criminal legal system and advocate and organize to protect the economic resources extracted from affected communities and strip the industry of its power. Through our work, we strive to pave a road toward a safe and just world free of police and prisons.


Key Results (Year One)

• Plan and execute the organization's 10-year gala, coordinating with our event management and creative design firms to deliver a high-quality event experience for approximately 500 guests and development staff to meet our fundraising goals.
• Plan and execute 12 book talk events with a minimum of 50 attendees each to specifically support curriculum placement, including outreach to academic and institutional partners.
• Plan and execute three film screenings of The Alabama Solution with high-value targets in finance and policy, driving key decisions.
• Plan and execute our annual staff and board retreat and three department retreats.
• Plan and execute three direct actions to support the organization's advocacy goals.

Major Responsibilities

• Work with the Chief Narrative Officer to develop and execute a plan, from start-to-finish, for the organization's calendar of events.
• Own end-to-end planning and execution of all Worth Rises events, including galas, retreats, book talks, film screenings, webinars, press conferences, direct actions, and other organizational events.
• Develop and manage event timelines, budgets, vendor relationships, run-of-show, and participant engagement.
• Liaise with and manage venues, vendors, and others in the event planning process.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with other organizational teams on event promotion and logistics, including permitting, materials, and partner and press coordination.
• Proactively identify and pitch new event and conference opportunities, thinking creatively about how Worth Rises can shows up across formats, audiences, and moments.
• Build and maintain the organization's events infrastructure, including a database of past and prospective venues, vendors, speakers, and best practices.
• Track event performance and produce post-event reports with learnings and recommendations.

Critical Factors for Success
A strong candidate would be a strategic-minded and motivated self-starter who consistently delivers high-quality work, is an excellent project manager, is a proactive and innovative problem-solver, appreciates direct feedback, and has the following:

• At least five years of event planning and management experience, spanning large-scale events (i.e., galas, conferences), public-facing activations (i.e., press conferences, direct actions), and virtual formats (i.e., webinars, panels).
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple events simultaneously across different timelines.
• Experience managing vendors, venues, and budgets.
• Comfort working in fast-moving environments where plans change quickly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with dignity and care with directly impacted people and communities, and fluency navigating sensitive topics with discretion and respect.
• Willingness to travel as necessary for event management.
• Genuine commitment to our organizational values: act with integrity, focus on impact, deliver excellence, get it done, and operate with intellectual curiosity (visit worthrises.org/jointhefight).

Compensation and Benefits
The annual salary for the Events Manager is $92,000. Worth Rises offers a generous compensation package, including comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, 20 days of vacation time, ten days of personal/sick leave, and three days of bereavement leave in addition to 11 holidays and winter break. Employees also receive a generous 401k contribution match, $75 monthly technology stipend, monthly wellness reimbursement, and dedicated budget for professional development. We currently operate in a remote-first environment with office options and on an on-video culture.

Worth Rises is an equal opportunity employer, and strongly encourages formerly incarcerated individuals, directly impacted individuals, people of color, members of the disabled community, gender-variant and non-binary individuals, and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community to apply.