Job Description

Senior Manager, Events & Partnerships

Location: War Child Canada Headquarters, Toronto (with current work from home arrangements)

Background

War Child Canada is a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto that works to accelerate peace and disrupt the cycle of violence by investing in and empowering local communities to build brighter futures through comprehensive, evidence-informed programs that foster resilience, self-reliance, and self-determination.

War Child is globally recognized for our grassroots, community-driven model of humanitarian action thats rooted in collaboration and entirely locally led. Over the years, we have developed a solid track record of long-term, sustainable impact supporting children and families living in areas dominated by conflict.

War Child Canada works with some of the most vulnerable populations around the world and are leaders in developing and implementing programs specifically targeting and protecting children, women, and refugees living in the most complex humanitarian environments in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Yemen.

Position summary
Reporting to the Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, the Senior Manager, Events & Partnerships will increase War Childs profile and fundraising activities through well thought out and strategic fundraising events and creative initiatives that deepen donor engagement, cultivate new donors, partnerships, and fundraising opportunities.

This position is specifically responsible for helping to increase War Childs brand profile while raising a minimum of $500,000 within a portfolio consisting of signature and partnership events, corporate donations, and sponsorship, both cash and in-kind, and artist and celebrity partnerships. The Senior Manager, Events & Partnerships is instrumental in deepening donor engagement and cultivating donors by ensuring all actions and activities are donor centric.

Responsibilities

Responsible for planning, managing and overseeing all aspects of War Child events -- Signature, Partnership, and Corporate events -- including securing and growing sponsorship opportunities and revenue. Responsible for growing and developing War Childs creative and corporate partnerships.

Responsibilities include:

Job Responsibility #1: Event planning and management (60%)

• Developing and managing vision, goals and targets for each event keeping fundraising, brand buzz, audience reach, best in class donor cultivation and stewardship as top priorities
• Developing and managing event budgets, and overseeing marketing and PR strategies/plans to ensure maximum sales and exposure
• Cultivating, stewarding, and managing artist/talent/influencer relations as they pertain to events and sponsorship
• With strategic year over year growth in mind, develop targeted and compelling sponsorship and corporate proposals and presentations for current and prospective partnerships, development of sponsorship agreements and fulfillment reports
• Actively sourcing and securing maximum sponsorship support (cash and in-kind) for all events and campaigns and initiatives
• Solicit in kind sponsorship to help reduce expenses and drive net revenue, including gifts-in-kind, prizing for auctions and raffles
• Managing sales, ticketing, invitations, and guest coordination
• Managing volunteer committee efforts
• Recruitment, training, coordination, and management of event volunteers
• Developing and designing event materials, pitches; researching, writing, and providing administrative support as required
• Engaging new target markets and audiences across North America through events.
• Coordinating with donors, partners, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers to ensure events are executed with excellence, with stakeholder and donor stewardship and cultivation as a top priority, while keeping within budget and maximizing ROI
• Managing on-site activities
• Managing event wrap-up, including supporter communications, reporting and inventory
• Representing War Child at events; coordinating and leading War Child teams at events
• Ensuring deliverables are fulfilled and processes are streamlined.

Job Responsibility #2: Creative and corporate partnerships (30%)

• Developing and managing corporate and creative partnership prospect lists with goals and targets for each
• Managing corporate and creative partnership accounts to grow revenue and partnership opportunities and increase War Childs reach
• Developing and managing corporate pitches, fulfillment reports, and overseeing marketing and PR strategies/plans to ensure maximum return and best in class cultivation and stewardship
• Cultivating, stewarding, and managing artist/talent/influencer relations as they pertain to corporate and creative partnership opportunities

Job Responsibility #3: Strategy development (10%)

• Support the development and execution of annual plans, programs, and budgets that ensure long-term event, sponsorship, partnership, and philanthropy objectives are met.

Requirements: Qualifications

Education

Required

• Post-secondary education in fundraising, event management, arts and entertainment, marketing or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired

• Post-graduate degree in fundraising, events, or marketing considered an asset.
• Membership in good standing with an industry association (AFP etc.)

Experience

• Over five (5) years experience in event planning and management, including professional fundraising experience, with a minimum two (2) years in a management role
• Experience in corporate business development, sponsorship procurement, and fulfillment
• Experience securing and developing corporate partnerships
• Experience fundraising, managing donors, committees, and volunteers
• Experience managing staff, agencies, vendors, consultants
• Experience developing marketing and PR strategies, plans, and materials
• Experience working within the music industry and/or entertainment industry and working with artist and celebrity partners a strong asset
• Relevant experience at an international development organization, including event sponsorship and corporate partnerships a strong asset
• Experience using Raisers Edge or other Customer Relationship Management database a strong asset
• Demonstrated experience working in a high performance, fast paced team environment

Knowledge and Skills

• Superior communication skills (written and verbal) with excellent planning and organization skills - including the ability to effectively present the organization to external stakeholders - interpersonal, influencing, and negotiation skills
• Strong leadership and partnership-building abilities
• Proven ability to work with multiple stakeholders and to secure new business
• Strong planning and project management skills; ability to manage multiple projects from conception to completion with minimal supervision, for both internal and external partners
• Ability to prioritize big picture ideas and execute into tangible actions
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Creative, detail-oriented, and resourceful self-starter with demonstrated ability to take initiative and work well independently with minimal supervision, while possessing the ability to work confidently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Proven ability to set priorities and meet to deadlines
• Proven ability to work within budget and creatively cost save where possible
• Ability to multi-task in a creative, dynamic environment and adopt new processes and methodologies
• Solid computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite
• Graphic design experience on Canva, Adobe Photoshop, and/or Illustrator is an asset.

Additional Info: The Senior Manager, Events & Partnerships is responsible for planning, managing and overseeing all aspects of War Child events -- Signature, Partnership, and Corporate events -- including securing and growing sponsorship opportunities and revenue. Responsible for growing and developing War Childs creative and corporate partnerships.

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