Special Events and Advancement Manager

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Overview

Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Special Events and Advancement Manager is responsible for the management and execution of internal and external event operations at the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA).

Serves as the planning and operational point person and liaison for all events. Manages all facets of event strategy and operations from start to finish, creating exceptional experiences ranging from VIP lunches to large receptions in support of the museum’s mission. Builds and maintains strong internal and external partnerships and serves as a collaborative liaison across museum departments. Oversees departmental budget and ensures that funding sources for each event are clearly understood. Develops and maintains a building use cost calculator for outside departments and clients.

Manages administrative and budgetary considerations for on‑site and off‑site events. Plays an integral role in supporting the museum’s newly invigorated fundraising initiatives, with responsibilities in addition to events including donor engagement and correspondence.

Essential Duties
• Design, manage, and oversee complex special events that create an optimal experience for clients and attendees.
• Develop strategies to integrate events into the overall educational work of the museum and establish short‑ and long‑term goals in consultation with the Director for Advancement.
• Ensure events meet budgetary guidelines by soliciting proposals from caterers/vendors, negotiating costs, and working with vendors to comply with sustainability best practices.
• Assess needs for space, facilities, and technical services and coordinate with necessary vendors and Yale departments.
• Ensure smooth functioning of events from inception to completion with immediate decision making, establish and coordinate event timelines, and manage event teams to ensure excellent service and safety procedures.
• Negotiate contracts and letters of agreement for all events.
• Develop budgets, provide oversight of expenditures, reconcile budgets and manage accounts payable in a timely manner.
• Oversee best practices for planning and executing events and identify opportunities to improve related workflow and communications.
• Collect content for event invitations and printed programs.
• Serve as the institution‑wide resource and consultant for event planning, and liaison for all external clients.
• Represent the YCBA with confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism when coordinating events with Yale departments and external partners.
• Maintain the physical safety of the museum by ensuring adherence to the YCBA’s “Conditions of Use” policy.
• Design donor engagement events, prepare briefing materials, draft acknowledgment letters, and maintain prospect database records.
• Facilitate weekly logistics meetings with all relevant departments.
• Lead and coordinate support staff and student workers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities
• Proven ability to conceptualize large events and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously, with strong energy and deadline orientation.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication, interpersonal skills, and diplomacy for working with vendors, coworkers, and internal clients.
• Meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational and account‑management skills, and ability to create and adhere to event budgets.
• Ability to represent the museum with high discretion and confidentiality regarding museum and donor information; sound judgment, problem‑solving, and composure under pressure.
• Sensitivity to working within a landmark building with prized art collections.

Preferred Skills and Abilities
• Customer‑facing experience in a museum or cultural organization.
• Knowledge of art history and ability to answer general questions about exhibited objects.
• Willingness to gain greater knowledge of the museum’s collections, exhibitions, and programs.
• Experience with event management software systems such as EMS and donor databases such as Raiser’s Edge.

Schedule

Full‑time, flexible schedule based on departmental needs, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and recess days when the YCBA is open to the public.

Physical Requirements

Ability to routinely lift up to 40 pounds, stoop, bend, and kneel; stand for sustained periods; work at a computer for long periods; and occasionally perform work at other indoor and outdoor event sites.

Principal Responsibilities
• Design and manage special events, performances, symposia, conferences, and exhibitions.
• Coordinate activities of events teams and provide instruction and floor plans for external event setup.
• Manage delivery of services for events, working with Yale internal and external providers.
• Develop and oversee budgets, reconcile expenses, and create final forecasts.
• Identify workflow and technology improvements; recommend enhancements.
• Develop press releases and marketing plans to enhance visibility and participation.
• Negotiate contracts and ensure they are carried out properly.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Compensation

Grade: Administration & Operations – Supervisor; Senior Associate (23)

Salary Range: $65,000 – $101,000

Job Category: Professional

Duration: Staff Fixed Term (Fixed Duration)

Work Model: On‑site

Background Check Requirements

All candidates will be subject to pre‑employment background screening, which may include motor vehicle history, DOT certification, drug testing, and credit checks. Offers are contingent upon successful completion.

Health Requirements

Certain positions require vaccinations, tests, or examinations as required by law or university policy.

Posting Disclaimer

Salary offers are determined by a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and the internal and external market. This description is a representative summary of the essential functions, not a declaration of specific duties.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. Yale does not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected classes. Yale offers a tobacco‑free campus.