What does a manager of special events do?
A manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution. They analyze the event purpose, manage participants' list, coordinate with suppliers for resources, allocate budget accurately, and ensure that the program outlines and agendas are polished on time. A manager of special events must have excellent communication and organizational skills to deliver a successful event and resolve complications as they arise.
Manager of special events responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real manager of special events resumes:
- Negotiate contracts and manage project budgets to ensure optimal return on cost and measurable ROI.
- Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
- Assist in planning, developing and producing PowerPoint and video presentations.
- Measure and track ROI on a per school basis to create weekly schedule.
- Control the up keep and organization of the entire foundation website and Facebook page.
- Greet customers immediately upon entry into the VIP room and make wine and liquor suggestions.
- Coordinate travel and accommodations for all celebrity chefs, guest speakers and VIP event attendees.
- Research marketing strategies for promotional events and present findings via PowerPoint presentations.
- Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
- Establish a NYC route, along with daily systems and top locations for efficient distribution of over 50,000 bottles.
- Create web portal utilizing SEO to transform previous generic website into a keyword optimize site ranking number one on Google.
- Update website content and deploy SEO techniques, including the optimization of heading tags, images, copy and SEO articles.
- Organize POS coordination and warehouse inventory for all local event activity.
Manager of special events skills and personality traits
We calculated that 21% of Managers Of Special Events are proficient in Customer Service, Event Planning, and Event Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Speaking skills, Writing skills, and Leadership skills.
We break down the percentage of Managers Of Special Events that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 21%
Major responsibilities included: customer service, donor solicitation/relations; event registration, event facilitation, volunteer supervision.
- Event Planning, 13%
Developed strategies to increase overall event transaction volume through strategic event planning and brand positioning.
- Event Management, 9%
Demonstrate success in all aspects of event management, utilizing project management guidelines as a discipline.
- Event Logistics, 4%
Negotiated cost effective contracts and coordinated event logistics including preparing, managing, and maintaining financial records and statistical reports.
- PowerPoint, 4%
Assisted in planning, developing and producing PowerPoint and video presentations.
- Inventory Control, 2%
Coordinated high-profile events including budgeting, scheduling, product placement, and inventory control.
Most managers of special events use their skills in "customer service," "event planning," and "event management" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential manager of special events responsibilities here:
Speaking skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a manager of special events to have is speaking skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "public relations and fundraising managers regularly speak on behalf of their organization." Managers of special events often use speaking skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "acted as spokesperson to the media and attended trade shows. "
Writing skills. Many manager of special events duties rely on writing skills. "managers must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches," so a manager of special events will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways manager of special events responsibilities rely on writing skills: "cultivated, motivated and mobilized volunteer committees in planning, recruited teams, solicited event sponsorships and underwriting opportunities. "
Leadership skills. managers of special events are also known for leadership skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to manager of special events responsibilities, because "public relations and fundraising managers often lead large teams of specialists or fundraisers and must be able to guide their activities." A manager of special events resume example shows how leadership skills is used in the workplace: "worked with corporate leadership to secure event sponsorships. "
Problem-solving skills. For certain manager of special events responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a manager of special events rely on this skill, as "managers sometimes must explain how the company or client is handling sensitive issues." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what managers of special events do: "implemented new methods to increase ticket sales, resolved patron issues. "
Organizational skills. Another common skill required for manager of special events responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of managers of special events all the time, as "public relations and fundraising managers are often in charge of running several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills." An excerpt from a real manager of special events resume shows how this skill is central to what a manager of special events does: "created and distributed all organizational press releases. "
Communication skills. Another skill commonly found on manager of special events job descriptions is "communication skills." It can come up quite often in manager of special events duties, since "managers deal with the public regularly; therefore, they must be friendly enough to build a rapport with, and receive cooperation from, their media contacts and donors." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day manager of special events responsibilities: "created all promotional materials and communications to generate publicity. "
The three companies that hire the most manager of special eventss are:
- Centene4 managers of special events jobs
- Marriott International4 managers of special events jobs
- Planned Parenthood4 managers of special events jobs
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Compare different managers of special events
Manager of special events vs. Development director
A development director is an individual who is responsible for securing funds and sponsors for non-profit organizations. Development directors must actively seek new business partners and develop relationships with volunteers and donors. They meet with members of the development team to help advertise and promote brand awareness and funding. Development directors must possess skills and experience in managing human resources, marketing, and budgeting functions. They must also obtain a bachelor's degree in business management, public relations, or related field.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, manager of special events responsibilities require skills like "event management," "event logistics," "powerpoint," and "inventory control." Meanwhile a typical development director has skills in areas such as "digital marketing," "oversight," "patients," and "lead generation." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Development directors tend to reach higher levels of education than managers of special events. In fact, development directors are 10.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Manager of special events vs. Community relations director
A community relations director is an individual who is responsible for managing positive relationships with community members, nonprofit organizations, and fellow employees surrounding an organization. Community relations directors must plan, organize, and manage activities to help the organization achieve its public relations goal. They need to interface with vital community groups so that they can ensure the organization is producing effective results. Community relations managers must also assist in preparing a variety of publicity materials such as speeches and media content.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, manager of special events responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "event management," "event logistics," and "powerpoint." Meanwhile, a community relations director has duties that require skills in areas such as "community relations," "memory care," "sales process," and "senior care." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, community relations directors earn a higher salary than managers of special events. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, community relations directors earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $87,495. Whereas managers of special events have higher pay in the non profits industry, with an average salary of $60,955.In general, community relations directors achieve similar levels of education than managers of special events. They're 4.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Manager of special events vs. Public relations director
A public relations director is an individual who is employed to design and implement marketing strategies that can cultivate the relationship between a company and the media. Public relations directors collaborate with the internal team to boost brand awareness and maximize brand consistency in all advertising efforts. They must arrange interviews and press releases so that they can promote their company and its products or services. They also maintain relationships with the media and should manage sensitive issues to maintain the company's good reputation.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from manager of special events resumes include skills like "customer service," "event logistics," "inventory control," and "audio visual," whereas a public relations director is more likely to list skills in "web content," "pr campaigns," "crisis communications," and "fact sheets. "
Public relations directors earn the highest salary when working in the internet industry, where they receive an average salary of $114,632. Comparatively, managers of special events have the highest earning potential in the non profits industry, with an average salary of $60,955.Most public relations directors achieve a similar degree level compared to managers of special events. For example, they're 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Manager of special events vs. Communications director
A communications director is responsible for monitoring and supervising the overall media relations from internal to external communications. A communications director's duties include managing campaigns, providing organizational updates to the employees, supporting social media marketing, developing effective communication strategies to build the organization's reputation, and efficiently leading team members in handling events that represent the business. Communications directors must have strong leadership and communication skills to provide support for the company's daily operations and strategies.
Types of manager of special events
Updated January 8, 2025
