Manager, Campaign Events JO 79256

About the Role:

The Advancement Campaign team at McMaster University is expanding as the University is preparing for its most ambitious fundraising campaign to date. Led by the Senior Director, the team is recruiting for key roles that will support campaign success through meaningful donor engagement, strategic fundraising initiatives, and effective campaign delivery. Reporting to the Associate Director, Advancement Campaign, the Manager, Campaign Events is responsible for the planning, development, and execution of a comprehensive portfolio of campaign-related events that advance fundraising priorities, deepen donor engagement, and enhance campaign visibility.

This role serves as a key driver of campaign priorities through events and experiences that cultivate, engage, steward, and recognize donors, prospects, volunteers, alumni, and other key interested parties. The Manager will lead campaign pillar event strategies and logistics, and support faculty-specific cultivation events, pan-university engagement initiatives, and major campaign milestones, including campaign launch activities and celebrations.

Working within a highly collaborative environment, the Manager will partner closely with colleagues across University Advancement, faculties, senior leadership, advancement communications, volunteers, and external partners to create meaningful engagement opportunities that support campaign priorities. The successful candidate is an experienced event professional and relationship builder who thrives in complex environments and is skilled at bringing diverse key interested parties together around a common vision.

Accountabilities:

Campaign Event Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement integrated event strategies that support campaign priorities, fundraising objectives, donor engagement goals, and institutional visibility.
• Translate campaign priorities and fundraising objectives into impactful engagement opportunities that advance donor cultivation, stewardship, and volunteer engagement.
• Design and execute strategic experiences that move donors and prospects through the fundraising pipeline and strengthen long-term relationships with the University.
• Identify opportunities to leverage existing events as a key opportunity for campaign activation and engagement strategies.
• Ensure all campaign events align with institutional priorities, campaign messaging, and brand standards.

Campaign Events and Experiences

• Lead the planning and execution of campaign pillar events supporting priority fundraising initiatives.
• Develop and support faculty-specific cultivation events in partnership with development leaders, faculty advancement teams, Deans, and academic leadership.
• Coordinate pan-university cultivation and engagement events that showcase McMaster's impact and strategic priorities.
• Support major campaign initiatives, including campaign launch activities, milestone celebrations, recognition events, and volunteer engagement opportunities.
• Create exceptional experiences for donors, prospects, alumni, volunteers, senior leaders, and community partners that foster meaningful engagement and philanthropic support.

Key Interested Party Engagement and Collaboration

• Serve as a central resource for campaign-related events across faculties, University Advancement, Communications, senior leadership offices, volunteers, and external partners.
• Build strong relationships with colleagues across Advancement, including Development, Donor Relations, Advancement Communications, Alumni Engagement, Bequests & Planned

Giving, and Advancement Services.

• Collaborate effectively with multiple key interested party groups to align priorities, manage expectations, and achieve shared campaign objectives.

Project Management and Event Operations

• Manage all aspects of event planning and execution, including project timelines, budgets, venue selection, production, catering, registration, accessibility requirements, transportation, risk management, logistics, vendor management, and event communications.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive critical paths for multiple concurrent events and initiatives.
• Monitor event budgets and ensure proper use of resources.
• Establish and continually improve processes, tools, and best practices for campaign event planning and delivery.
• Manage external vendors, consultants, and production partners to ensure high-quality event experiences.

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

• Support the development of metrics and evaluation frameworks to measure event effectiveness and campaign impact.
• Analyze participation, engagement, and event outcomes to inform future strategies and continuous improvement.
• Prepare post-event reports, budget reconciliations, and recommendations for future initiatives.
• Track event outcomes and contribute strategic insights to broader campaign planning and engagement efforts.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and ongoing support to the Advancement Officer, Pan-University Events & Engagement.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Undergraduate degree in Event Management, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Fundraising, or a related field.
• A combination of equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered

Experience:

• Minimum five to seven years of progressive experience managing complex events and engagement programs.
• Experience working in higher education, fundraising, advancement, nonprofit, or similarly complex organizations is considered a strong asset.
• Experience planning and executing high-profile events involving multiple key interested party groups and senior leadership.
• Experience supporting donor cultivation, stewardship, fundraising, alumni engagement, sponsorship, or relationship-building initiatives through strategic events.
• Experience managing significant budgets, contracts, vendors, and event logistics.
• Experience working in higher education, fundraising, advancement, nonprofit, or similarly complex organizations is considered a strong asset.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Exceptional event planning, logistics, and event execution expertise.
• Strong understanding of donor engagement, cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to strategically design events that support relationship-building and fundraising outcomes.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities, shifting deadlines, and multiple key interested parties.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in complex and evolving environments where priorities may change and ambiguity is common.
• Strong judgment and ability to build processes, recommendations, and solutions when complete information may not be available.
• Highly developed relationship management, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to collaborate across organizational boundaries and foster productive relationships among diverse key interested parties.
• Demonstrated success influencing and coordinating teams without direct authority.
• Exceptional attention to detail while maintaining a strategic perspective.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively develop solutions.
• Experience working with senior leaders, VIP’s, Deans, faculty members, volunteers, donors, boards, and external partners.
• Experience supporting executive-level events and VIP protocol.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, event management platforms, registration systems, and CRM databases.
• Familiarity with fundraising and advancement systems is considered an asset.
• Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends in support of events.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.