Events Activation Manager

Chinese American Service League

Events Activation Manager leading community engagement initiatives at CASL. Responsible for event planning, sponsorship development, and volunteer management within the community.

Posted 6/20/2026full-timeChicago • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $60,000 - $70,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead and operate the CASL Connect platform, including ownership of the SharePoint site, centralized intake workflow, and overall system for coordinating events, partnerships, and volunteer engagement.
Develop and manage the annual activation calendar in collaboration with Programs, Advancement, Marketing & Communications, and Operations to ensure alignment and visibility across the organization.
Build and continuously improve execution tools and processes, including Event Kits (SOPs, templates, checklists) and agile-based coordination (WOW), to drive efficient and consistent delivery.
Lead planning and execution of major community events, including the Summer Fair, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Race, Lunar New Year Parade, and CYS Block Party.
Develop event timelines, budgets, logistics plans, staffing models, and operational requirements to support successful event delivery.
Coordinate vendors, venues, permits, equipment, volunteers, and internal stakeholders to ensure seamless event execution.
Manage day-of-event operations and resolve issues in real time to deliver a positive experience for attendees, volunteers, sponsors, and partners.
Develop and manage corporate sponsorship programs in partnership with Advancement, including sponsorship packages, activation plans, and stewardship strategies to support sponsor acquisition, retention, and growth.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with corporate sponsors, community partners, and external stakeholders to advance engagement and revenue goals.
Establish and manage CASL's volunteer program, including recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, recognition, retention, and engagement efforts.
Capture stories, photos, and activation content in partnership with the Marketing & Communications team to support social media, website, newsletter, and community engagement efforts.
Serve as the primary liaison for CASL Connect, partnering with Programs, Advancement, HR, IT, Operations, and the Culture Committee to ensure aligned planning and execution across the organization.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, public administration, community development, marketing, or a related field; equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
Five (5) or more years of progressive experience in community engagement, nonprofit event management, partnership development, sponsorship development, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading events from planning through execution, including logistics coordination, vendor management, budgeting, staffing, and post-event evaluation.
Experience developing partnerships, sponsorships, volunteer programs, or community engagement initiatives.
Experience utilizing CRM, fundraising, event management, or stakeholder relationship management platforms (e.g., Salesforce, GiveSmart, OneCause, or similar).
Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Asana, SharePoint, or similar).

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

event managementlogistics coordinationvendor managementbudgetingstaffingcommunity engagementpartnership developmentsponsorship developmentvolunteer program managementpost-event evaluation

Soft Skills

leadershipcommunicationrelationship buildingproblem solvingcollaborationorganizational skillstime managementcreativityadaptabilityteamwork