Event Planning Director Jobs

Now is the time to join us and make a difference. Be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Here at the American Heart Association, you matter and so does your career.

The American Heart Association has an excellent opportunity for an Event Planning Director within our Western States Region based in Los Angeles, California.This role is home based with in-person responsibilities in the office and varied locations and may include outdoor events. The ideal candidate must have the ability to travel locally up to 20% based on site visits for venue selection, event planning and events.

Under broad supervision, the Event Planning Director is responsible for effectively developing, planning, managing, and implementing events aligned with the Los Angeles Division’s fundraising campaigns to ensure overall success of division revenue, health impact and volunteer engagement goals. This includes independently managing all aspects of event planning and execution for the Los Angeles Heart Walk, Heart Ball and Go Red for Women Luncheon, as well as ancillary events, including engaging, organizing, and managing internal and external partners, proactively assessing, and evaluating needs and providing recommendations to improve upon events and customer experiences, and detailed project management.

The Association offers many resources to help you maintain work-life harmonization through your changing needs and life situations. To help you be successful, you will have access to Heart U, our award-winning corporate university, as well as additional training and support, locally.

#TheAHALife is our company culture, our way of life, reflecting our diversity and inclusion, our focus on work-life harmonization and our Guiding Values. Discover why you will Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Valued™ at the American Heart Association by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and at heart.org.

• Proactively communicates and coordinates efforts and timelines with staff and volunteer partners to ensure maximum collaboration aligned with achieving campaign goals.
• Manages customer and campaign information utilizing American Heart Association systems accurately, timely and completely in accordance with established guidelines.
• Secures necessary permits for assigned events.
• Researches, secures, manages, and evaluates vendors to provide needed services at assigned events within purchasing and operating guidelines and within budget. Solicits competitive bids for all event needs; proactively finds ways to cut costs.
• Provides staff leadership in the areas of event volunteer recruitment, orientation, and training. Develops staffing plan and leads volunteer recruitment and management for assigned events.
• Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of sponsor benefits and ensures delivery of all sponsor benefits year-round for assigned events. Develops innovative ways to showcase sponsors and highlight their activations at American Heart Association events.
• Collaborating with Development and Communications & Marketing, plans visual and interactive event elements, and designs and produces printed materials such as invitations, flyers, bidder paddles, presentations, signage, and other pieces as needed while adhering to American Heart Association’s branding guidelines. Ensures all collateral and signage needs are met and produced on schedule.
• Plans, manages, and implements assigned events. Includes all aspects of event planning event design, vendor selection and management, contract negotiation, visual innovation, budget management, resource optimization and execution excellence. Evaluates effectiveness of event plans and event implementation processes and finds ways to improve efficiencies, collaboration, and attendee experience.

Minimum of three (3) years’ experience with

• Experience in negotiating services and managing service level agreements.
• Effective project management and event management skills in a dynamic environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrated track record in special events management in a highly matrixed and customer centric environment. Includes experience managing high volume vendor relationships and large format builds.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines with proactive communication, thorough planning and execution and allocating/providing resources, additional support or training.
• Proven problem-solving skills with the ability to identify potential issues that may impact organizational productivity and/or compliance and address proactively and timely.
• Highly effective interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to consistently maintain a professional, calm and friendly manner in creating positive customer experiences externally and internally.
• Experience in positively managing change including anticipating and championing organizational change, creating contingency plans, proactively considering short-term and long-term impact.

Here are some of the preferred skills we are looking for

• Experience managing staff and volunteer.
• Knowledge of the American Heart Association’s standards and procedures.
• Experience with sales or fundraising strategies.

Expected pay range will be $64,700 to $80,000 annually. Pay is commensurate with experience; geographic differentials to the pay range may apply.The American Heart Association invests in its people. Here are the main components of our total rewards package. Visit Rewards & Benefits to see more details.

• Compensation – Our goal is to ensure you have a competitive base salary. That’s why we regularly review the market value of jobs and make adjustments, as needed.
• Benefits – We offer a wide array of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, along with a robust retirement program that includes an employer match and automatic contribution. As a mark of our commitment to employee well-being, we also offer an employee assistance program, employee wellness program and telemedicine, and medical consultation.
• Performance and Recognition – You are rewarded for achieving success by merit increases and incentive programs, based on the type of position.

• Professional Development – You can join one of our many Employee Resource Groups (ERG) or be a mentor/mentee in our professional mentoring program. HeartU is the Association’s national online university, with more than 100,000 resources designed to meet your needs and busy schedule.

• Tuition Assistance - We support the career development of all employees. This program provides financial assistance to employees who wish to further their education and career in relation to their current duties and responsibilities, or for potential future positions in the organization.
• Work-Life Harmonization – The Association offers Paid Time Off (PTO) at a minimum of 16 days per year for new employees. The number of days will increase based on seniority level. You will also have a total of 12 paid holidays off each year, which includes several days off at the end of the year.

The American Heart Association’s 2024 Goal Every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life. As champions for health equity, by 2024, the American Heart Association will advance cardiovascular health for all, including identifying and removing barriers to health care access and quality.

At American Heart Association | American Stroke Association, diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity applies to both our workforce and the communities we serve as it relates to heart health and stroke prevention.
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