Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager

Walk Bike Nashville

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Job Summary

Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager

Announcement: April 18, 2022

Walk Bike Nashville is seeking a Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager to lead the planning and execution of our large annual events, and support our development strategy. Supervised by the Executive Director and working with a dedicated team of staff members, the Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager will work to grow our events and assist in the expansion of the organization’s donor and event-based fundraising efforts.

Job Summary

Walk Bike Nashville is a 501(c)3 with a mission to make the Nashville area more walkable, bikeable, and liveable. We believe that Nashville’s streets should be safe and accessible to all, and that all Nashvillians should be able to move through our city with dignity.

 

We are seeking a Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager to join our team and lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of our large annual events. These events provide an entry point into our organization for many individuals–making them vital not only from a fundraising perspective, but also as an avenue to expand our base of supporters. The demographics of our event participants should reflect the demographics of our city making it imperative that inclusivity and accessibility are taken into consideration during all aspects of event planning and execution.

 

In addition to being the lead for Walk Bike Nashville events, the Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager will support the Executive Director in the cultivation and management of sponsor relationships. Revenue generated from sponsorships and event fundraising is what helps fund our important advocacy work and programs.

This position will also play an important role in our organization’s continued effort to execute and build on our Strategic Plan and Anti-Racism Plan. We believe transportation investments should remove barriers to mobility and prioritze the needs of Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and low-income people who stand to gain the most from our efforts. The work of this position will not only help Walk Bike Nashville’s efforts in communities that have been most impacted by environmental injustices or lack of access to safe transportation options, it also builds capacity for our broader advocacy efforts for better, safer streets for all.

 

Job Responsibilities

Initial projects for this role include:

 

1. Tour de Nash: Walk Bike Nashville hosts the Tour de Nash each May. It is Nashville’s largest urban ride (it’s a ride, not a race!), and one of our biggest events. This event has two equally important goals – raising funds to support Walk Bike Nashville’s work, and building a diverse, vibrant bicycling community in Nashville. This event brings together 1,000+ people on one of three different routes. The Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager will be responsible for all aspects of planning the event, managing the multi-faceted logistical aspects, recruiting and managing a volunteer team, and ensuring the event is an overall success.
2. Open Streets Nashville: Open Streets Nashville is an event that temporarily closes a street to vehicle traffic in order to open it to people walking, biking, and playing in the street. This program’s goals are to give people a chance to be active in the street, to bring the community together, and to highlight the importance of thinking about our streets as public places for the community to come together. In 2022 this event will take place on Buchanan Street in North Nashville, in close partnership with the community. The planning and execution of this event is a collaborative effort between the Special Events and Sponsor Relations Manager and the Community Engagement Manager. This position would be responsible for steering the overall logistics of the street closure, supporting engagement activities organized by the community, and ensuring the program runs smoothly on the day of. 
3. Plateau to Percy: The Plateau to Percy is a 4-day bike and peer-to-peer fundraising event from Dunlap, TN to Nashville. This event debuted in 2020, and we hope it will be a central fundraiser for our organization. Each rider raises $1,500 for Walk Bike Nashville’s Families for Safe Streets chapter. The Special Events and Donor Relations Manager will help execute the ride, support the rider’s fundraising efforts, and continue to grow this ride into a signature event. 
4. Sponsor and Donor Relations:  This position will work with the Executive Director to manage our sponsors by maintaining relationships with our sponsor contacts and ensuring that we provide them with the benefits laid out in their sponsorship agreements. Supporting the Executive Director in efforts to strategically expand our fundraising efforts through events, sponsorships, donations, and membership will also be a role of this position.
5. Other development related events: This position will also lead the execution of smaller events such as our Membership Party and the Big Payback.
6. Other programs and roles as assigned. Walk Bike Nashville is a small organization and all staff are expected to help with various elements of the organization’s work. 

Qualifications

Qualifications

The successful candidate will meet the following qualifications: 

• Experience: 3-5 years previous experience in event planning, development, or similar logistics-orientated work.
• Personal Attributes: 
  • Desire to engage diverse communities in active transportation, walking, and bicycling
  • Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail
  • Ability to plan and execute large events 
  • Financially responsible with the ability to draft and follow a budget
  • Ability to manage volunteers and other team members who are supporting events
  • Excellent time management skills and the ability to execute plans under tight deadlines
  • Ability to represent Walk Bike Nashville at public meetings and events
  • Calm under the pressure of managing a large event
  • Creative thinker who is excited to help grow our events
  • Clear communicator, both verbally and in writing
  • Self-motivator who is able and excited to work in a less structured environment
  • Can work both independently and collaboratively
  • Has integrity, dedication, drive, diplomacy 

 

• Preferred Experience and Attributes (not required)
  • Experience with marketing and/or communication
  • Experience applying for city permits for events
  • Experience with organizing or participating in bike rides
  • Experience using Eventbrite, Nationbuilder, Microsoft, and Google Suite
  • Experience with design software, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
  • Knowledge of the biking and walking community in Nashville
  • Fluent in Spanish, African American Vernacular English, Kurdish, Arabic, or other languages spoken in Nashville

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

TO APPLY: 

Please send a resume, a cover letter, three references (at least two should be professional references), and anything else that illustrates your qualification for this position to jobs@walkbikenashville.org. We will not contact your references without your permission. 

In your cover letter please explain 

• where you heard about the job posting
• why you are interested in this position with Walk Bike Nashville
• examples of your event planning and/or development experience
• other relevant experience and qualifications 
• what you think you can bring to the Walk Bike team

We will accept applications on a rolling basis, but will not consider applications received after May 10, 2022. 

 

Details

• Date Posted: April 19, 2022
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Fundraising / Revenue Development
• Service Area: Environment
• Start Date: 05/30/2022
• Salary Range: 40,000-45,000
• Working Hours: Walk Bike Nashville supports a flexible work environment and prioritizes work-life balance. No more than 40 hours a week are expected from full-time staff. Some weekend or evening hours will be required to host events, community meetings, or programs.