Job Description

EVENT PLANNER II

OVERVIEW

We are looking for a creative, highly-organized, and detail-oriented Event Planner to join our team. As an Event Planner II at Classy, you will be responsible for planning, designing, and producing events from conception through to completion for our full-scope of events. These events include the company's largest annual event, the Collaborative, our awards gala, the Classy Awards, industry events, product-launch events, field marketing events, and curated user conferences taking place throughout the year. 

The Event Planner II should have the capability to manage multiple projects simultaneously as well as demonstrate great organization and communication skills. In this role, you will ensure that all event functions are successful and will work to build and maintain relationships with vendors, attendees, internal and external project teams, and sponsors.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develop and manage project timelines and action plans in collaboration with cross-functional partners and ensure all deadlines are met. Interface with internal marketing, customer, product, and sales teams and external vendors to schedule projects, keep projects on track and meet deadlines with successful outcomes; manage planning meetings that involve cross-functional teams. Coordinate across business segments and build internal relationships to facilitate cooperation and project completion. Identify project risks and work with the team to develop contingency plans. Continuously monitor tasks and project assignments, ensuring project schedule is being met and schedule changes are addressed and communicated. Evaluate and update or establish procedures relating to SOP maintenance around key activities for events to improve overall efficiencies, streamline execution and measure effectiveness. Point person for all field marketing events, including liaising with internal stakeholders to identify their needs and goals, researching target industry events and sponsorship opportunities to showcase the Classy product and education based on those goals, successfully building event strategies, budgets, and calendars, liaising with the demand generation team on driving sales and customer email cadences for these events, selecting, and training all event and exhibit staff, and then running point on all pre-, during-, and post-event logistics, and exhibit and sponsorship entitlements. Manage the CFRE relationship, submission of full program, logistics for attendee session tracking and reporting for all event CECs. Communicate with customers, internal and external project teams, and sponsors to ensure on-time delivery of materials for event sponsorships and event logistics.  Administrative duties such as: responding to emails, returning phone calls, organizing department files, submitting tasks to web development, design, or other teams, and entering data into online databases. Manage the pre-event, during-event and post-event logistics for all Classy events including, but not limited to:

• Pre-planning and scope, including time, date, location, venues, and determining resource needs
• Budget responsibility includes creating accurate budgets, tracking costs, initiating purchase orders, invoice approval, tracking spend against budget, and accountability for accurate cross charge and accruals, as appropriate; final budget reconciliation.
• Registration set-up and monitoring
• Website content management and maintenance
• Coordinate pre- and post- event evaluations and analysis, post-event wrap-ups to include surveys, debriefs, SOP documentation, processes refunds and performs other administrative and financial post-conference actions
• Assigning staff and duties at events, supervising and providing general direction
• Coordinating all event logistics and services, including technology and equipment needed to run the event, run of show creation, transportation, lodging, decor, all food and beverage for events (hotels, caterers, restaurants, etc.), entertainment, invitee lists, special guests, promotional material coordination and more
• Proactively handle any arising issues and troubleshoot any emerging problems pre- and during-event
• Assist in the coordinating of pre-event marketing; prepare and submit marketing asset materials for placement in online newsletters, emails, and other mediums deemed appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with insurance, legal, health and safety obligations
• Perform on-site management of assigned events to include registration, attendee/customer service fulfillment, food and beverage services, audio-visual services, security, local transportation, etc. and interface with venue and vendor support staff.
• Coordinate and follow-up with vendors, hotels, attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and other POCs on details of assigned events.
• Assist in all aspects of sponsorship fulfillment, communication and support
• Assist in the coordination of RFPs, venue sourcing and site selection for best fit locations and evaluate vendor services and venues according to industry standards and stakeholder requirements; effectively negotiate contracts with hotels, venues and vendors; communicate and gain buy-in on recommendations; manage vendors to ensure vendor deliverables and timelines are successfully met to expectation.
• Event technology management and support
• Attendee and speaker swag procurement, management, and delivery
• Manage event orders, shipment and organization of event materials, signage, giveaways, name badges, lanyards, and all other ancillary requirements for on-site event needs.
• Manage event staffing plan, travel accommodations, and training
• Coordination of internal staff FAQ documents
• Off-site event management

WHAT YOU BRING (REQUIRED):

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Hospitality Management, Marketing, Business, English, or Communications
• 2+ years experience planning and executing large to mid-scale events
• Ability to manage external vendor resources and relationships
• Demonstrated project management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and adapt to changing priorities and duties
• Demonstrates and promotes teamwork and cooperation within and across teams, across Classy and its affiliates  
• Detailed-oriented, highly organized, capable of working on more than one task simultaneously (multi-tasker), ability to work independently and autonomously; self-directed and resourceful
• Ability to assess and prioritize workload in a strict deadline oriented environment
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities
• Adaptable and calm in high-stress, tight deadline situations and patient in the face of changing priorities
• Experience working in a fast-paced, highly cross-functional organization
• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to creatively negotiate demands
• Excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to interact at all levels from temp staff to CEO
• Frequent travel required.

WHAT WOULD BE AWESOME TO HAVE (PREFERRED):

• Knowledge of the nonprofit space
• Experience with Salesforce, or similar CRM platforms
• Experience with Cvent 
• Experience with Asana, or similar project management software
• Experience working for a SaaS company
• Working knowledge of video platforms and content delivery systems

OUR AMAZING PERKS!

• Unlimited/Flexible paid time off (PTO)
• Generous company holiday schedule
• 10 half-day Fridays annually
• 20 hours of paid volunteer time off
• Monthly parking pass, public transit pass, or ride-share allowance 
• Pet-friendly office
• Generous parental leave benefits
• Variety of Classy Communities (affinity groups) offered - Toastmasters, Pride Club, etc.
• Annual stipend for professional & personal development 
• Fitness membership discounts
• As much coffee, cold brew, and kombucha as you can drink
• Monthly employee development courses
• Expansive office in downtown San Diego overlooking Petco Park and the ocean

ABOUT CLASSY Classy is a social enterprise that creates world-class online fundraising software for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits like Team Rubicon and The Trevor Project, to some of the world's largest social organizations, such as The Salvation Army, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on Twitter @Classy.

DEDICATION TO DIVERSITY Classy is working toward building a more diverse and inclusive environment that is representative of individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and lifestyles, allowing all employees to feel comfortable being their true, authentic selves in a space that enables productivity and meaningful work.