National Vice President, Special Events & Volunteer Engagement chez None

Job Title 

National Vice President, Special Events & Volunteer Engagement

Department

Home Office | Development – Special Events 

Classification

Grade 10 SS A | Salary from $120,000.00

FLSA Status 

Full Time | Exempt 

Supervisor (title)

SVP, Field Management

The National Vice President of Special Events & Volunteer Engagement (VP) serves as the Arthritis Foundation’s lead strategist for fundraising events and volunteer leadership development. This senior leader directs a national portfolio of 160+ events across nearly 60 communities, currently raising $17.2M annually, with a goal to grow revenue to $30M by 2030. The VP leads a national team focused on event innovation, operational excellence, and recruiting high-impact volunteer leaders to deepen mission engagement and expand community support. They oversee core event leads (Walk, Run, Cycling, and Galas), as well as the National Director of Special Event Operations and Manager of Volunteer Engagement. The role also drives peer-to-peer and social fundraising growth, strengthens volunteer pipelines, and provides field-facing support including onboarding for new Executive Directors, performance coaching, and national training. Reporting to the SVP of Field Management and working closely with the Chief Development Officer, the VP collaborates across departments and regions to deliver revenue growth and mission impact.

1. Lead National Event Strategy & Growth: Design and implement a comprehensive national strategy for special events, including peer-to-peer fundraising walks, runs, and cycling events, as well as galas and social events, with the goal of increasing annual gross revenue from $17.2M to $30M by 2030.
2. Supervise and Support National Event Portfolio Leaders: Provide direct supervision to national directors overseeing Walk, Run, Cycling, and Gala events, as well as the National Director of Special Event Operations, ensuring alignment with national goals, consistency in execution, and field-facing support.
3. Volunteer Leadership Recruitment & Engagement: Oversee national strategies, tools, and training for the recruitment, onboarding, and retention of high-impact volunteer leaders (e.g., corporate chairs, medical honorees, community advocates), with a strong emphasis on cultivating relationships that drive event revenue and mission visibility.
4. Volunteer Engagement Infrastructure: Supervise the Manager of Volunteer Engagement and strengthen national systems to support and grow the Foundation’s broader volunteer network, ensuring consistent and inspiring volunteer experience across all markets.
5. Field Training, Coaching & Performance Support: Deliver supplemental onboarding and strategic coaching for newly hired Executive Directors, including preparation for key meetings, in-market support, and ongoing mentorship to accelerate leadership effectiveness.
6. Provide targeted performance improvement support to field staff in underperforming markets, including rebuilding volunteer boards, redesigning local event portfolios, and strengthening community partnerships.
7. Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration: Serve as a strategic connector between field teams, regional leadership, and national departments (including marketing, mission, finance, and IT) to ensure seamless alignment of messaging, planning, and implementation across all special events and volunteer programs.
8. Field-Informed Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Lead a structured feedback loop from field staff and volunteers to evaluate national strategies, refine resources and tools, and foster innovation in event models and volunteer engagement efforts.
9. Revenue Planning & Budget Oversight: Support the national revenue planning and budgeting process for special events, including setting performance benchmarks, forecasting growth, and identifying investment opportunities to maximize ROI.

1. Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or related field required; advanced degree preferred. A minimum of 10 years of progressive nonprofit leadership experience with a strong background in special events and volunteer engagement, including at least 5 years supervising multi-level staff and cross-functional teams.
2. Proven success in leading large-scale fundraising event strategies (peer-to-peer and social/corporate events) at the national or regional level, with demonstrated ability to meet or exceed revenue targets.
3. Experience designing and implementing volunteer leadership recruitment and engagement strategies, particularly with corporate, medical, and philanthropic stakeholders.
4. Demonstrated ability to lead national initiatives, manage complex projects, and drive results through influence in a federated or multi-market organization.
5. Strong experience with performance coaching, staff development, and volunteer stewardship, with a focus on building high-performing, mission-driven teams.
6. Advanced proficiency in data analysis and performance reporting, with working knowledge of fundraising and event platforms such as Salesforce, DonorDrive, OneCause, or similar CRM/event systems.
7. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with a distinguished track record of building strategic partnerships, donor relationships, and volunteer boards that drive revenue and mission impact.
8. Strong organizational, analytical, and planning skills with a collaborative, field-informed leadership approach and the ability to adapt in a fast-paced, results-driven environment. 

Desired Competencies 

1. Strategic and Financial Acumen: Demonstrates strong understanding of financial performance, including strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and optimizing ROI across national fundraising initiatives.
2. Mission-Driven Leadership: Passionate about the Arthritis Foundation’s mission and skilled at translating that passion into effective strategies, volunteer engagement, and community impact.
3. Composure and Resilience: Maintains focus and poise in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with competing demands; models calm, solution-oriented leadership under pressure.
4. Emotional Intelligence and Diplomacy: Anticipates reactions, navigates sensitive situations with tact, and engages constructively with a wide range of personalities and stakeholders.
5. Decisive and Accountable: Makes timely, informed decisions—especially when managing staff performance or addressing organizational challenges—with a focus on outcomes and accountability.
6. Influential and Persuasive Communicator: Able to influence senior leaders, partners, and volunteers with professionalism, authenticity, and clarity—balancing advocacy with alignment.
7. Collaborative Team Builder: Builds trust, inclusivity, and high performance across diverse teams; fosters a culture of shared ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement.
8. Skilled Multichannel Communicator: Communicates effectively across platforms—written, verbal, and digital—while adapting tone and message to engage both internal and external audiences, including remote and field-based colleagues.
9. Matrixed Leadership Competency: Thrives in a matrixed, multi-market environment by aligning priorities, managing through influence, and advancing enterprise-wide initiatives as a connected team player.

Strategic Leadership & Staff Management: Lead a national team of event and volunteer engagement professionals, providing strategic direction, performance oversight, and cross-functional alignment to drive revenue growth and mission impact.

40%

Volunteer Leadership Development: Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, and stewardship of high-impact volunteer leaders across all event types; strengthen national systems and training to support broader volunteer engagement.

25%

Field Support, Training & Performance Coaching: Deliver targeted onboarding, coaching, and skills development for field staff and Executive Directors; lead learning collaboratives and national training initiatives.

15% 

Operational Oversight & Event Innovation: Collaborate with event operations and marketing teams to enhance national event execution, introduce scalable innovations, and implement continuous improvement practices.

15% 

Donor and Partner Engagement: Support strategic engagement of national corporate partners, major donors, and high-value volunteer champions as part of broader revenue and visibility goals.

5%

Total

100%