Job Description

Position Title: Manager, Stakeholder Engagement & Special Projects

Location: SOI Headquarters – Washington, DC

Department: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary range for US Staff: $58,225 - $68,400

Organization Overview:

Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health, and leadership. With nearly four million athletes and Unified Sports® partners and one million coaches and volunteers in more than 170 countries, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and nearly 50,000 games and competitions every year. Learn more at SpecialOlympics.org. 

Position Summary:

The Manager, Stakeholder Engagement and Special Projects will serve as a strategic partner within the Office of the CEO, supporting high-priority initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and global development efforts. This role works closely with the CEO and cross-functional teams to advance organizational priorities through communications, partnerships, fundraising, and special project execution.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, proactive professional with strong writing, research, and relationship management skills, capable of operating in a fast-paced, global environment.

Key Responsibilities

CEO Support & Strategic Communications

• Support the CEO through sustained correspondence with key stakeholders, including but not limited to established Special Olympics athletes, donors, members of the Board of Directors, organizational partners, institutional supporters, and government officials.
• Draft and manage high-level correspondence in close coordination with the Executive Assistant to the CEO and the wider international team. Correspondence to include but not limited to ongoing correspondence, briefing material, donor cultivation, and more.
• Serve as direct liaison with the SOI-Development team to support emerging and ongoing donor relations and partnership development work, namely in the area of family foundations, Trusts, and related institutional partners.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

• Serve as a liaison between the Office of the CEO and internal/external stakeholders to ensure alignment and effective communication
• Research and develop global partnership opportunities, including drafting concept papers, briefing notes, and supporting data collection and evaluation
• Support donor development efforts by assisting in managing key CEO relationships (e.g., major donors and institutional partners)
• Collaborate with Regional Offices on behalf of the CEO, serving as a primary liaison—particularly on development-related work and staff coordination

Special Projects & Initiatives

• Support and/or lead execution of special projects driven by the Office of the CEO, including:
• Donor receptions and cultivation events
• Corporate activations and partnership initiatives specifically with the CEO
• Strategic funding projects, including but not limited to existing partners as well as formal engagements with donor – focused activities
• Serve as a liaison to the GRID Department on CEO priority initiatives, including:
• Washington, DC-based Embassy engagements
• Global Coalition projects
• International Development opportunities
• Coordinate cross-functional project teams to ensure successful execution of CEO priorities in close coordination with the Executive Assistant to the CEO and the Chief Operating Officer of Special Olympics International.

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Support and help manage CEO-led fundraising efforts
• Identify, develop, and track new fundraising opportunities—both domestically and internationally—to secure resources for Special Olympics
• Assist in donor engagement strategies, cultivation plans, and stewardship activities

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in international relations, communications, public policy, business, or a related field
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, external affairs, nonprofit management, or similar
• Exceptional writing, editing, and presentation skills
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work across global teams
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, as needed
• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Ability to work effectively both independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team
• Adaptability and discretion in handling sensitive matters

Preferred

• Demonstrated interest in public- and private-sector partnership development
• Experience working with people with intellectual disabilities
• Understanding of and commitment to the Special Olympics movement, including its history and purpose
• Innovator — approaches the work environment by looking for opportunities to improve, taking thoughtful risks, and viewing failure as an opportunity to learn
• Change Agent — ability to generate new ideas and build consensus around them to help the organization change for the better
• Relationship Builder — sees relationships as an opportunity to change minds and is capable of building lasting interactions with people at every level of the organization across multiple functions
• Communicator — excellent verbal and written communication skills at all organizational levels; understands that effective communication requires effective listening and can build a case to achieve consensus and persuade others

*For USA based staff: Special Olympics offers full-time employees a generous and comprehensive benefits package, which includes: medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life insurance, disability, retirement, legal resources, and PTO.

Special Olympics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

**Special Olympics is an E-Verify Employer**