Event and Business Development Manager

Location

Hillsborough, NJ | United States

Job description

Title: Event and Business Development Manager

Location: Duke Farms, Hillsborough, NJ

Reports to: Deputy Executive Director, Operations and Sustainability

Status: Full Time, Exempt

How to Apply: Please send a resume and cover letter. Application reviews will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Located in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey, Duke Farms is a leader in environmental stewardship and inspires visitors to become informed stewards of the land. It is a place of education, enjoyment and research that enhances the environmental health of the region. Through the beauty of its natural setting, the diversity of its wildlife, and the scope and quality of its educational programs, demonstrations and research, Duke Farms inspires people to transform their approach to conservation and to start building a more sustainable future.

As a center of the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), Duke Farms advances the foundation’s mission to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future by investing in artists and the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, child well-being and greater mutual understanding among diverse communities. In addition to Duke Farms, DDF operates five national grantmaking programs as well as Shangri La, a center for engagement with Islamic arts and cultures. DDF’s activities are guided by the will of Doris Duke, who endowed the foundation with financial assets that currently total over $2 billion. (To learn more about the foundation, visit dorisduke.org .)

Duke Farms restores nature and ecosystems, demonstrates equitable climate transition strategies, and engages leaders and visitors with the wonder of nature and the power to spark change. Our wide-ranging sustainability efforts include the operation of a 1,000-acre park and associated infrastructure supporting over 200,000 public visitors a year.

POSITION

The Event and Business Development Manager plays a key role at Duke Farms, leading a dynamic, new team focused on conceiving, planning and implementing creative strategies to engage audiences through Duke Farms’ unique campus.

Over the past 10 years, Duke Farms has transitioned from a private estate to a vibrant regional amenity and emerging agroecological center. The organization is now poised to have an even greater impact on environmental conservation and sustainability by becoming a world-class, nationally recognized center for applied conservation.

At the heart of this new vision is Duke Farms’ role as a unique platform for conversations, dialogues and experiences that advance a nature-positive, carbon-negative future—for the region, the country and the world.

The Event and Business Development Manager will play the lead role in transforming Duke Farms’ ambitious vision into concrete and repeatable high-impact experiences that solidify its central role in restoring nature, demonstrating sustainability and engaging influential leaders.

The Manager leads a team of coordinators, associates and seasonal staff, and works within a matrixed organization to support growth while maintaining excellence. This role requires a blend of enthusiasm and energy, creativity, event management acumen, organization and business development prowess, helping to position Duke Farms as a leader in convening services, driving impact.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Identification of Key Opportunities for Impact

• Develop and own the strategy for engagement, translating the vision of Duke Farms and DDF to audiences we reach in distinctive and authentic ways.

• Create repeatable experiences that move audiences to impact and action for a more creative, equitable and sustainable world.

• Operate convenings and engagement in a way that is fiscally responsible, managing costs and revenue to support the sustainability of our mission and foundation.

Business Development

• Build and grow partnerships that expand our impact, creatively looking for ways to attract resources to our powerful mission and work.

• Collaborate with the Influence & Marketing and other teams to set and achieve impact targets for each convening and experience.

• Partner with the Business Manager and Controller to implement and optimize financial planning & analysis (FP&A) and other tools, aiming to efficiently manage and evaluate spending and revenue generation.

Management

• Lead and inspire a team to provide event operations and engagement, creatively looking for ways to attract resources to the powerful mission and work of Duke Farms and DDF.

• Manage all procedures and, in collaboration with the team, attend to details to ensure that Duke Farms events, hospitality and engagement operate at a smooth and high level of excellence.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and accountability.

• Develop and manage all engagement and convening activities as a world-class center, maximizing impact.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated and relevant experience in business development, events and hospitality, working with all levels of an operational center—from housekeeping to C-level executives.

• A startup mentality; a hunger to build new experiences, products and systems.

• Thrives on constant activity and a drive for continuous improvement.

• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service abilities, with a focus on effectively interacting with a diverse clientele. The ideal candidate should demonstrate the capacity to remain composed and responsive in high-pressure environments.

• Excellent organizational skills while thriving on constant activity, handling multiple tasks in a fast-paced, changing environment, continually focused on driving impact.

• Extremely collaborative with proven consensus-building skills with internal and external groups.

• Ability to work flexible hours, including mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays.

• Able to traverse the 2,700-plus-acre Duke Farms property as well as travel to other locations indoors, outdoors and under various weather conditions.

• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds.

• Valid driver’s license.

COMPENSATION and BENEFITS

• Anticipated hiring salary is $62,400-$78,000, with the final offer depending on experience.

• Industry-leading benefits.

OUR VALUES

The following values underpin everything we do in pursuit of our mission across the Doris Duke Foundation:

Integrity: We must be honest and ethical in all that we undertake. As a private foundation, we are accountable to the many stakeholders affected by our work.

Excellence: We will insist on the highest standards of performance in fulfilling our mission, will ground our work in best practices and will make decisions based on the best available information.

Openness and Imagination: We will be listening and learning organizations that are responsive to ideas and opinions from a variety of sources. We value imagination and creativity, the ability to think in new ways about the work we do and how we do it.

Collaboration: We value a collaborative and supportive environment in which to advance our mission and objectives. Creating a working environment that promotes trust, honesty and respect within our organizations is as important as earning the trust and respect of our colleagues and peers in the fields in which we work.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: We believe in the essential value that a diverse set of perspectives, experiences and abilities brings to the table. Our commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice is an ongoing, active engagement reflected in our funding areas, grantees, museums, centers, board and staff. At the core of our work is a dedication to serving and learning from organizations and individuals addressing inequities and working toward a more just, healthy and inclusive society. (Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and how we incorporate this value into our work.)

The Doris Duke Foundation is committed to inclusive hiring and equal employment opportunity. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, orientations and communities to apply. Our recruiting and employment practices adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. We provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation in the job application process is needed, please contact us here .

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