Position: Senior Event Planner & Production Manager

About ACE Scholarships

ACE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, founded in 2000 in Denver, Colorado, to provide low-income children with equal access to quality K-12 private schools through partial scholarship support. Over the past 25 years, ACE has delivered more than 100,000 scholarships. This school year, ACE will serve more than 14,000 children in Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Hawaii, and is actively pursuing other expansion opportunities. For more information, visit the ACE website at www.acescholarships.org.

Our Mission is to advance K-12 educational freedom, with a focus on securing financial support for families so they may access the quality education of their choice.

Our Vision is that every child has equal access to a quality education.

Guiding Principles and Convictions:
1. The American public education system if flawed

2. Free enterprise and democracy work

3. Parents know the best education environment for their kids

4. Private schools offer great value and have open seats

5. All people are created equal and deserve and equal chance to pursue the American Dream

Position Overview:

The Senior Event Planner & Production Manager will play a critical role in leading the planning, production, and execution of a wide variety of high-impact events across all ACE Scholarships markets. This includes board meetings, cocktail receptions, large-scale fundraising galas, and additional mission-driven events.

This role combines traditional event planning responsibilities with creative content development and live production execution. The ideal candidate will be both strategically minded and operationally excellent, someone who thrives on managing multiple timelines while crafting compelling guest experiences.

You’ll work closely with the National Events Manager and cross-functional teams to ensure all aspects of each event—from vision to execution—are delivered with excellence, creativity, and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Event Planning & Coordination

• Lead full event lifecycles from concept through post-event analysis.
• Collaborate with the development team and lead multiple event planning meetings.
• Develop and manage project timelines, action plans, and run-of-show documents.
• Plan event elements including registration, site selection, seating, dining, audiovisual, décor, vendor sourcing, and entertainment.
• Research, select, negotiate, and maintain strong relationships with vendors and venues.
• Ensure all events stay within budget and prepare all associated financial reconciliations and documentation.
• Collect invoices and ensure timely vendor payments.
• Monitor deadlines, anticipate potential issues, and create contingency plans.
• Creative Production & Content Development
• Collaborate with leadership on event creative direction and themes.
• Co-develop scripts, stage direction, and talking points for speakers and hosts.
• Assist in the production of multimedia content such as videos, graphics, and social media campaigns.
• Brainstorm and implement engaging audience experiences and interactive activations.
• Provide communication and marketing support as needed.
• Assist with the development of event collateral and promotional materials.
• Maintain design consistency, data accuracy, and timeliness of deliverables.

On-Site Event Execution

• Serve as the key contact on-site for all logistics and production needs.
• Assist with setup, breakdown, and execution of the event environment.
• Manage stage cues, transitions, and speaker coordination.
• Ensure seamless integration of lighting, sound, and video components.
• Lead problem-solving in real-time and assist with manual labor as needed.

Post-Event Activities

• Conduct post-event evaluations and collect feedback for improvements.
• Support with post-event content distribution and recap documentation.
• Provide debriefs to stakeholders and leadership.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding and enthusiasm for ACE Scholarships' mission and school choice.
• Strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and high professional standards.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including speechwriting or scripting.
• Ability to think strategically while managing tactical responsibilities.
• Exceptional project management and time management skills.
• Confident, creative thinker who can balance artistic vision with flawless execution.
• Capable of working independently and managing multiple simultaneous projects
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Canva, Adobe Acrobat, Teams, and Google Workspace; familiarity with project management tools.
• Familiarity with A/V, staging, and production technologies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Event Management, Hospitality, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• 3–5 years of experience in event planning, production, and/or content coordination, preferably in nonprofit, corporate, or agency settings.
• Proven ability to manage logistics, vendors, budgets, and creative development.

Location and Reporting

• Location: Based in Denver, CO (Denver Tech Center)
• Reports To: National Events Manager
• Direct Reports: None

FLSA Status

Exempt, Full-time

Travel Requirements

Approximately 10-15% travel, supporting 5–10 out-of-state events annually.

Compensation
$60,000 - $75,000 salary (DOE) and benefit package, including health, dental and vision insurance; 401(k), with corporate match; plus other benefits.