Development Specialist - Event Program Coordinator

About the Role

This position serves as a public face and community outreach arm for Huntsman Cancer Foundation. This role facilitates advancements in cancer research by planning, coordinating, and organizing high-impact fundraising events and community activities. A primary focus of this position is growing, sustaining, and supporting the Huntsman Heroes running and cycling teams through year-round athlete engagement, targeted recruitment, and support through each training season. The ideal candidate is a creative, solution-oriented team player, who is highly self-motivated and organized. They excel at building relationships with participants, donors, volunteers, and sponsors in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Huntsman Heroes Team Growth & Sports Event Management Program Growth:
  • Support the strategic growth, participant recruitment, and program development of the Huntsman Heroes team and associated partnering events.
  • Partner with running ambassadors and coaches to promote the team at year-round events, schedule and host lunch-and-learns with local companies, and expand community outreach. Create and manage a volunteer support team to assist in this effort.
  • Work directly with team coaches to establish the official schedule for coaches and volunteers throughout the season.
• Huntsman Heroes Stewardship: Communicate regularly with running team members regarding their fundraising status, milestones reached, jersey and incentive options, and race day details.
• Athlete Support & Training: Attend weekly Saturday running and cycling training sessions (November through June) to provide logistical and motivational support to athletes and fundraisers. Create and manage a volunteer support team to assist in this effort.
• Incentives & Branding: Collaborate on the selection and design of fundraising incentives, team jerseys, and event merchandise.
• Event Production & Logistics End-to-End Execution: Coordinate day-of logistics for multiple assigned event tasks (including the Gala, Huntsman Cancer Foundation SportsFest, and special projects). Oversee set-up, registration, course layouts, run-of-show scripts, troubleshooting, and clean-up.
• Volunteer Coordination: Recruit, train, schedule, and manage event volunteers and committees to ensure seamless operations.
• Financial Tracking: Assist in creating and tracking event timelines, expense budgets, and revenue records for all assigned events.
• Community Outreach: Growth: Always be on the lookout for a potential participant, event sponsor, donor, or volunteer. Work with the members of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation team on how best to place individuals as a Huntsman Cancer Foundation supporter.
• Stewardship: Community & Third-Party Events: Provide stewardship and public relations support for independent, community-driven fundraising initiatives.
• Tours and Presentations: Provide tours of Huntsman Cancer Institute to audiences of all sizes, effectively communicating the organization's mission and the meaningful ways donor and fundraising support contributes to its work.
• Data Integrity: Data Input: Maintain accurate records of all donor interactions, gift processing, processed transactions, and participant data within the foundation database.
• Tracking Metrics: Continuously work towards metrics in order to track success, opportunities, and weaknesses among programs.
• Marketing & Communications Campaign & Content Creation: Write and design training-focused emails, update fundraising toolkits, establish event collateral needed, and author regular Huntsman Heroes social media and/or blog posts.
• Digital Marketing Support: Support team messaging for external digital marketing efforts, helping execute organic and paid social media campaigns, Google ads, and digital billboard advertisements.
• Storytelling & Media: Identify compelling participant stories to share across media outlets, blogs, and social platforms. Coordinate shot lists for event photographers and videographers during Huntsman Heroes events.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work Environment: Nearly Continuously: Office environment.
• Physical Requirements:
  • Nearly Continuously: Sitting, hearing, listening, talking.
  • Often: Repetitive hand motion (such as typing), walking, bending, reaching overhead, physical abilities to move and lift boxes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience).
• Demonstrated human relations and effective communication skills required.

Preferences

• Experience: 1-2 years of experience in non-profit event planning, fundraising, peer-to-peer athletic event coordination, hospitality, customer success, or a related field.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. Experience with donor databases (e.g., Raiser's Edge), mobile auction/event platforms (e.g., GiveSmart, Goat Events), social media, and website backend maintenance is a plus.
• Schedule: Ability to work flexible hours, including required early morning Saturday training sessions from November through June, Saturday events and occasional evening event hours.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional customer service, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with a proven ability to prioritize workloads, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to philanthropy ethics codes and patient privacy standards.
• Demonstrate strength in relationship management.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
• A collaborative team player who can operate independently with minimal direction, while actively bringing issues to the larger team to find the best collaborative solutions.

Schedule

Normal working schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The position requires flexibility to work outside of normal business hours, including required early-morning Saturday training sessions from November through June, Saturday events, and occasional evening event hours. This is currently a hybrid position, subject to change at any time. The typical schedule is remote on Mondays and Fridays (work from home), with the expectation of working onsite when needed and onsite in the office Tuesday through Thursday.

Pay

$48,000 to $60,000