Event Planner - Foundation Support

Description

The Event Planner leads the conceptualization, planning, coordination, and execution of volunteer events, community service events, donation drives, donor appreciation events, and other community events that support MetroNational’s Community Affairs and Foundation programs and initiatives. This role primarily focuses on hands-on service and volunteer engagement with nonprofit organizations, with some donor appreciation and other community event planning.

This role creates meaningful service experiences that strengthen relationships with nonprofit partners, volunteers, community stakeholders, employees, donors, and sponsors while advancing Foundation community engagement goals. The Event Planner owns event development and delivery, including concept creation, planning, budget tracking, logistics, vendor coordination, volunteer and participant experience, communications, and post-event evaluation.

Working collaboratively across MetroNational and with Foundation leadership, this position develops new volunteer and community service event concepts for Foundation programs and leads them from idea through execution. The Event Planner ensures events are well organized, align with brand standards, and create meaningful community impact. This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, creativity, relationship-building skills, and the ability to lead multiple events and priorities simultaneously. 

CORE VALUES

At MetroNational, Integrity, Trust, Impact, and Legacy are more than Core Values - they guide how we work, lead, and show up every day. These Values shape our decisions, interactions, and expectations across the organization.

• Integrity –  We do what’s right, the right way – every time.
• Trust – People can count on us, because we do what we say.
• Impact – We are driven to make everything we touch better.
• Legacy – Rooted in history, we build with the future in mind. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Event Planning & Coordination

• Lead the development and execution of large-scale, campus-wide volunteer and community service event plans that align with Foundation programs, nonprofit partner needs, and community engagement goals.
• Lead volunteer service days, nonprofit service projects, community initiatives, and other service-focused Foundation experiences from concept development through execution and post-event evaluation.
• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of donor appreciation and other community-focused events.Create event project plans, timelines, and execution schedules to ensure successful delivery.
• Conceptualize and develop new volunteer and community service events for Foundation programs, translating community needs and nonprofit partner input into actionable event plans.
• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for assigned Foundation events, keeping stakeholders informed of timelines, needs, and updates.

Event Execution & Operations

• Manage event logistics including venues, permits, vendors, catering, entertainment, audiovisual needs, transportation, signage, registration, and guest experience.
• Coordinate event staffing, volunteer assignments, contractors, and third-party partners, and provide event-day guidance to volunteers and temporary staff.
• Ensure all events are executed on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with MetroNational's brand standards and expectations. 
• Serve as the on-site event lead, direct event activities, address logistical issues, and escalate concerns to Foundation leadership as needed.

Sponsorship & Stakeholder Coordination

• For volunteer and community service events, partner with the Corporate Giving & Foundation Manager to coordinate sponsor benefits, activations, branding, and recognition. Support the donor and sponsor stewardship strategies developed by Foundation leadership within these service-focused events.
• Collaborate with community partners, nonprofit organizations, schools, civic groups, and business leaders to support event participation and engagement. 
• Coordinate stakeholder and attendee communications, RSVP management, and seating plans.

Budget Management & Financial Stewardship

• Prepare event budgets for review and approval, track expenses and vendor contracts, and compile financial and resource information for Foundation leadership to evaluate budget performance and resource use.
• Obtain and compare vendor proposals, coordinate pricing and services within approved budgets, and submit agreements for approval.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency while maintaining event quality.

Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement

• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications teams on event promotion, social media content, invitations, and event materials, ensuring messaging aligns with Foundation goals and MetroNational branding.
• Assist with storytelling and impact reporting related to Foundation initiatives and events.
• Support community outreach efforts to increase event attendance, volunteer participation, donor engagement, and community awareness.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Track and report progress against event goals and KPIs established with Foundation leadership, including volunteer participation, service hours, community impact, nonprofit partner feedback, budget performance, and participant satisfaction.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and recommend improvements to event delivery, planning processes, consistency, and operational efficiency.
• Maintain event records, planning documents, vendor agreements, reporting metrics, checklists, and templates.

Requirements

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Event Management, Hospitality, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of event planning experience, including experience planning and leading volunteer and community service events for nonprofit organizations.
• Demonstrated experience conceptualizing new events and taking the lead from initial idea and program development through execution and evaluation.
• Experience managing event budgets, contracts, vendors, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.
• Experience coordinating volunteers and collaborating with nonprofit partners to deliver service-focused events that address community needs.
• Strong project management, organization, and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple events and deadlines simultaneously. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage executive leadership, donors, sponsors, community partners, and vendors. 
• Highly detail-oriented with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, event registration platforms, project management software, and CRM systems preferred.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to support Foundation events and community activities. 

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Core competencies describe the behavior and skills expected across all MetroNational roles and reflect how work is performed each day. 
• Aligns actions and behaviors with MetroNational’s Core Values of Integrity, Trust, Impact and Legacy 
• Communicates effectively and builds positive working relationships across teams
• Exercises sound judgment, accountability, and professionalism in decision-making and execution
• Adapts to changing priorities while maintaining a focus on quality results and continuous improvement
• Additional role-specific competencies may be identified based on the requirements of the position

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Requires sufficient personal mobility and physical dexterity to perform event planning, event setup oversight, site visits, and office-based administrative responsibilities. ?cite?turn5search3
• Must be able to travel locally to venues, community partner organizations, and event locations throughout the Houston area.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during events and occasionally move event materials weighing up to 25 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Regular operation of computers, mobile devices, audiovisual equipment, and standard office equipment.
• Evening, holiday, and weekend availability is required based on event schedules.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. 

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities or qualifications. Responsibilities may change or additional duties may be assigned at any time with or without notice.