Job Description

About Shepherd Center

With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain.An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd is the only rehabilitation facility in the nation with an intensive care unit on-site, allowing us to care for the most complex patients and begin the rehabilitation process sooner. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.

Shepherd Center's culture is one of hope, humor, and hard work. You willenjoy career growth, strong relationships with co-workers, strong support from leadership, andfun activitiesthat have kept over 12% of staff members working at Shepherd for more than 20 years

The Special Events Associate plays a key role in advancing the mission of the Shepherd Center Foundation by managing, planning, and executing signature fundraising events that inspire donor engagement and generate philanthropic support. This position collaborates closely with volunteer leaders, vendors, donors, and internal teams to deliver high quality events that meet fundraising goals, strengthen donor relationships, and uphold Shepherd Center’s brand standards.

Event Planning & Execution

• Manage and execute all aspects of the Foundation’s signature fundraising events, including Derby Day and Pecans on Peachtree.
• Oversee event logistics, timelines, budgets, committees, volunteers, and vendor relationships to ensure events are delivered on schedule and to Shepherd Center standards.
• Develop and manage event budgets and marketing plans; ensure fundraising goals are met and expenses remain within 25% of gross revenue.
• Build and manage event sponsorship pages using the Foundation’s online giving platform.
• Ensure all events align with Shepherd Center brand guidelines, expectations, and donor stewardship standards

Volunteer & Vendor Coordination

• Recruit, train, supervise, and support volunteers involved in event logistics, fundraising activities, and day‑of execution.
• Manage vendor relationships, ensuring contract adherence, timely communication, and high‑quality service delivery.
• Process vendor contracts and invoices; maintain accurate financial records.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to assess vendor performance and monitor progress on schedules and milestones.

Fundraising, Sponsorship & Donor Engagement

• Partner with the Philanthropy and Advancement teams to identify, cultivate, and secure event sponsorships and in‑kind donations.
• Support volunteer and staff efforts to prospect, solicit, and steward sponsors and donors.
• Develop and maintain sponsorship materials and donor engagement tools.
• Work closely with Donor Services to coordinate event gift entry, acknowledgment, and stewardship.
• Update the donor database to reflect interactions with donors, volunteers, and participants.

Marketing, Communications & Stewardship

• Collaborate with Marketing and PR teams to plan and implement event‑related social media, advertising, and media relations strategies.
• Provide event information for Shepherd Center publications, social media, and external media outlets.
• Support donor relations before, during, and after events to ensure a positive and meaningful donor experience.

Administrative & Cross‑Team Support

• Provide administrative support to the Cause and Community Engagement Manager and cross‑support to team members as needed.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of patient information, donor data, and prospect research.
• Participate in professional development to stay current on philanthropic trends and best practices.
• Complete all Shepherd Center core competencies and job‑specific competencies as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

PREFERRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree from a four‑year college or university, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

PREFERRED MINIMUM CERTIFICATION

• Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) preferred.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of three years of managing donor or corporate events and experience working in non-profit development, or a marketing related field preferred.
• Experience volunteering with a non-profit organization or group.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS

• Strong knowledge of the Atlanta social and business community.
• Excellent customer service, organizational, and time‑management skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and team‑building abilities.
• Aptitude for conflict resolution and problem‑solving.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with high attention to detail.
• Proficiency in MS Office, email platforms, and social media.
• Competence in financial analysis and special event planning.
• Completion of mandatory education, orientation, and annual competency assessments by required deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must be able to lift 25 to 50 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office environment with frequent interruptions. Occasional Evening and weekend hours and working offsite for events and meetings.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree from a four-year college or university

REQUIRED MINIMUM CERTIFICATION:

• Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP)

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REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of three to five years of managing donor or corporate events and experience working in non-profit development, or a marketing related field.
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive information preferred.
• Proficiency in prioritizing tasks; ability to think strategically; demonstrates high skills in persuasion and influence; demonstrates high standards of ethics and integrity; project and time management skills; impeccable verbal and written presentation skills; solid business acumen; strong attention to detail.
• Able to interact and build relationships with all levels of management, including C-level; pronounced problem resolution skills and intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS:

• Must have sound knowledge of the Atlanta Social and Business Community.

• Exhibits strong customer service, organizational and time management skills.

• Completes mandatory education and annual competency assessment requirements by determined due date.

• Displays excellent team building, communication, and interpersonal skills and aptitude for conflict resolution and problem-solving.

• Must be able to demonstrate good verbal and written communication skills and possess excellent attention to detail.

• Computer skills in MS Office, Email and Social Media platforms.

• Must be competent in the areas of financial analysis and special event planning.

• Completes orientation and initial assessment of competency successfully by determined due date.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be able to life 25 to 50 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• No potential for exposure to blood and body fluids.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified.