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EVENTS AND CORPORATE GIVING

100% TO RESEARCH, DISCOVERY & HOPE®

So many of us have had personal experience with the devastation diseases such as cancer and Parkinson’s bring to individuals, to families and to hope itself. Van Andel Institute (VAI), a nonprofit biomedical research and science education institute located in the heart of Grand Rapids, MI’s vibrant Medical Mile, mission is to find what causes disease and to translating those discoveries into therapeutic solutions that conquer illness and enhance lives. At VAI, every dollar, donated or raised, goes directly to our medical research and science education teams.

VAI is currently seeking to hire two full-time EVENTS AND CORPORATE GIVING.

As a key member of Van Andel Institute’s Philanthropy Team, the Events and Corporate Giving position will be responsible for assisting with developing, planning and coordinating community and corporate engagement, fundraising and donor stewardship programs consistent with the strategic focus and image of the Van Andel Institute. Assist with the organization and facilitation of local, regional and national fundraising events to ensure that activities run smoothly and follow appropriate protocol. Coordinate event mailings, donor and sponsor solicitation and stewardship, and project and financial tracking.  This position will report to the Director of Events and Corporate Giving as well as partner with members of the entire Philanthropy Team.

 YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS ROLE WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• Under the direction of the Director of Events and Corporate Giving, assist with creating, planning and organizing all fundraising events and corporate and community engagement activities.

• Work with the Database Administrator to ensure all event information and transactions are captured from event sponsors, donors and attendees through the donor database and third-party payment platforms.

• Establish policies, document, and maintain operational procedures for corporate and community engagement activities.

• Maintain an active awareness of philanthropy and donor relations goals and objectives and how they relate to corporate and community engagement activities.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

• Assist with recruiting, directing and stewarding event volunteers.

• Attend all relevant committee meetings, record and distribute meeting minutes in a timely fashion.

• Act as a liaison between the VAI Facilities, Security, and IT Departments as well as vendors and the events team for relevant internal events

• Conduct post-event wrap-up and evaluation with vendors, in-kind donors and the VAI Finance Department to verify income statements for each event, including maintaining an annual event portfolio for historical purposes and record keeping.

• Coordinate event logistics and services, including production of all event mailings and collateral print materials.

• Maintain accurate records, including donor and sponsor information, expenses, revenue and guest names and information relating to fundraising and donor stewardship and engagement events.

• Assemble sponsorship proposals and cultivate  new donor relationships; solicit for in-kind sponsorships

• Process event reservations, prepare master guest lists and supervise registration check-in for events.

• Update and manage relevant web pages with details, logistics and sponsorship information for local events.

WHAT YOU WILL LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING IN THE PHILANTHROPY DEPARTMENT:

• Your work will make a difference in the future of human health and science education!
• You will be surrounded by driven, hard working professionals.
• You will be encouraged to take risks and fail.
• New opportunities and challenges are always arising.
• The Institute and department offer several fun, teambuilding events, creating a community.
• The opportunity to learn new perspectives and share yours in a diverse, collaborative environment.

YOU SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS/TRAITS:

• Excels at working in a fast-paced environment, meeting concurrent deadlines and effectively managing time and priorities
• Must be proactive and self-motivated, organized, and demonstrate strong attention to detail with an ability to think critically and problem solve
• Ability to multi-task with a high degree of focus on quality control and confidential information
• Ability to collaborate and work well in a team setting with people at all levels
• Strong sense of initiative and the ability to complete projects with minimal supervision
• High level of customer service and responsiveness, with excellent oral and written communication skills
• Advanced reasoning abilities to effectively understand the research needs and solutions for special projects and unique requests.
• Basic project management skills, including ability to create an implementation/roll-out plan, identify and track milestones, track and manage deliverables.

TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, WE WILL MEASURE YOU ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

• Professionalism
• Relationship building
• Strong technical skills
• Accuracy and Attention to Detail
• Collaborative Team Player
• Customer Satisfaction
• Timeliness

THE SKILLS YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE IN THIS ROLE:

• Bachelor’s degree in business-related field degree preferred with a minimum of two-three years of experience in fundraising, marketing, public/community relations, or event planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively with other members of the Philanthropy team, volunteers, and the general public
• Excellent organizational skills to meet deadlines. Proficient in Microsoft Suite (PowerPoint, Word and Excel) skills
• Ability to work in a flexible environment with rapidly changing priorities and a variety of projects simultaneously, including work outside of the normal work day, including weekends.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

All full-time employees of Van Andel Institute are eligible for benefits, effective Day One! The salary you can expect in this EVENTS AND CORPORATE GIVING ROLE is based on your experience and skills.

HOW TO APPLY If you are a person who has demonstrated success in these areas, we would love to have a conversation with you! 

In addition to your resume, provide a cover letter outlining why you are interested in this role and how this position aligns with your goals.

If you have any difficulty uploading your application or any questions, please email Natalie Rinaldi at Natalie.rinaldi@vai.org.  

VAI IS ACTIVELY STRIVING TO DIVERSIFY ITS WORKFORCE AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGES QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS TO APPLY. VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE IS AN EEO AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER.

AS VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE IS A DRUG AND ALCOHOL-FREE EMPLOYER, ALL PROSPECTIVE NEW EMPLOYEES UNDERGO A URINALYSIS/DRUG TEST AS PART OF OUR PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROCESS.  THIS IS A 7-PANEL DRUG SCREEN AND IT INCLUDES TESTING FOR MARIJUANA, COCAINE, AMPHETAMINES, OPIATES, PCP, BARBITURATES, AND BENZODIAZEPINES.

AT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT AT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE, ALL EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO BE FULLY VACCINATED FOR COVID-19. “FULL VACCINATION” IS DEFINED AS TWO WEEKS AFTER BOTH DOSES OF A TWO-DOSE VACCINE OR TWO WEEKS SINCE A SINGLE-DOSE VACCINE HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED.

ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS, MI

Van Andel Research Institute is located in downtown Grand Rapids, MI which is the second largest city in Michigan and the largest city in West Michigan. Grand Rapids offers a remarkable combination of cosmopolitan atmosphere and small-town warmth, known for its philanthropic and sustainability-driven community, and is ranked one of "America's Top 100 Places to Live." 

Located on the banks of the Grand River, Grand Rapids offers all the big-city excitement you'd expect from a million-resident metropolis, featuring hundreds of restaurants and nightspots, theatres, museums, sports and concerts. The safe and clean downtown is surrounded by an eclectic mix of walk-able neighborhoods.  With a medical and life sciences industry boom, strong entrepreneurial activity, dedication to green building and living, and innovative employers, Grand Rapids' diverse economy continues to grow, offering endless career opportunities.

Required Skills Required Experience