Title: Director, Advancement Operations & Volunteer Experience
Department: Advancement
Status: Exempt
Reports To: Vice President of Advancement
Position Summary
The Director, Advancement Operations & Volunteer Experience will provide strategic leadership for NPF's development operations and volunteer engagement functions. This role will lead the team that oversees the planning and execution of high-impact fundraising, stewardship, and engagement events while leading the development and implementation of a comprehensive volunteer engagement strategy. The position is responsible for ensuring operational excellence across all event-related activities, including budget planning, financial management, logistics, and performance evaluation.
Working collaboratively with the Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Advancement, and Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, the Director develops and manages event profit and loss statements, oversees event expenses, and supports revenue-generating strategies to achieve fundraising goals. The Director is also accountable for developing, monitoring, and meeting budget targets while driving efficiencies and maximizing the impact of volunteer and event programs.
As part of NPF's evolution toward a relationship-based fundraising model, this position will centralize event logistics, volunteer management, vendor oversight, delivery of partner benefits, and event technology while creating meaningful volunteer experiences that advance fundraising, community engagement, and stewardship goals.
Key Responsibilities
Event Strategy & Operations
- Lead operational planning and execution for all development events and programs including:
- Commit to Cure Gala(s)
- Volunteer Impact Summit
- Regional Inside Psoriatic Disease (IPD) events
- Regionalized community and fundraising special events(soirée, fleur, etc.)
- Health and Wellness Challenge and additional fundraising, stewardship, and engagement events
- Lead budget development and fiscal accountability across the team, mentoring direct reports to strengthen financial acumen and decision-making. Track and report on event performance, volunteer engagement, attendance, and operational outcomes.
- Advise and work collaboratively with other Development leaders to create event strategy that advances development department goals.
- Manage operations team to ensure timely set up and management of event and fundraising web pages, development of event timelines, project plans, operational processes, run of show, table seating, AV, slide and script development.
- Oversee vendor relationships (including hotel partner), contract negotiation, venue management, site layouts, staffing plans, event technology platforms (including GiveSmart), and onsite execution.
- Manage fulfillment of corporate sponsorships of events including distribution of product samples, materials, logo signage, tables, attendees, etc.
- Establish and implement best practices to improve event efficiency, effectiveness, and participant experience.
Volunteer Engagement
- Develop and implement a comprehensive volunteer engagement strategy that supports key activities including fundraising, events, advocacy, and stewardship initiatives.
- Oversee volunteer recruitment, training, deployment, recognition, and retention.
- Oversee team to create meaningful volunteer opportunities that deepen engagement and strengthen connections to NPF's mission.
- Establish and track volunteer performance metrics and engagement goals report out and evaluate progress quarterly.
Special Events, IPDs, and Commit to Cure Galas Leadership
- Oversee all logistics and operational planning for special events, IPDs, and Galas, including partnering with leadership to develop seating plans, name tags,event flow, etc.
- Oversee development and distribution of honoree fundraising materials, including toolkits, templates, graphics, and promotional assets. Partner with marketing on outreach to drive attendance.
- Provide strategic oversight of honoree tribute video production and ensure alignment with event messaging and fundraising goals.
- Ensure development and execution of guest experience initiatives, including welcome bags, hotel logistics, and gift bags.
Impact Summit & Engagement Events
- Oversee logistics planning and volunteer engagement activities for Health & Wellness initiative, P2P initiatives such as marathon bibs, and volunteer Impact Summit.
- Support development of event experiences that strengthen donor, volunteer, and community engagement.
- Oversee the development of program content, materials, and coordination of speakers.
- Identify opportunities to leverage events as relationship-building and stewardship tools.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Advancement to ensure donors, fundraisers, and prospect engagement strategies are integrated into all events.
- Collaborate with Corporate Relations to collect sponsor guest lists and ensure sponsorship benefits are fulfilled.
- Work with Marketing and Communications to support event promotion, email communications, social media, and public relations activities.
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment across fundraising, partnership, and engagement goals.
- Foster a collaborative, high-performing, service-oriented team culture.
- Establish goals, accountability measures, and professional development opportunities for team.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
- 8+ years of experience in event management, nonprofit operations, volunteer engagement, or related fields.
- 4+ years of staff management experience.
- Demonstrated success leading complex events and operational initiatives.
- Strong project management, budgeting, and organizational skills.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship management abilities.
Preferred
- Experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, event operations, and volunteer engagement strategy.
- Experience with development technology such as Raisers Edge and GiveSmart or similar event platforms.
- Experience building and managing volunteer engagement programs.
Core Competencies
- Strategic Leadership
- Event & Operations Management
- Volunteer Engagement
- Project Management
- Budget Management
- Relationship Building
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Problem Solving
- Communication
- Team Development
Success Measures
Success in this role will be demonstrated through:
- Flawless execution of key fundraising and stewardship events.
- Increased volunteer engagement and retention.
- Improved operational efficiency and event performance.
- Strong internal collaboration across Advancement, Corporate Relations, and Marketing.
- Effective leadership and development of the operations and volunteer engagement team.
- Meaningful contributions to donor, volunteer, and community engagement goals.
