Position: Event Manager

About ACE Scholarships

ACE Scholarships is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 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 140,000 scholarships worth over $390 million.

This school year, ACE is serving approximately 16,000+ children in Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming and is actively pursuing additional expansion opportunities with the support of national funding partners. ACE is also actively preparing for the Education Freedom Tax Credit Program, which takes effect in January 2027.

For more information, visit www.acescholarships.org and www.educationfreedom.org.

Our Mission

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 Values:

ACE Founding Principles: Our founding principles are the foundation of ACE and our North Star. We honor ACE’s founders by remaining committed to these principles, and we passionately advocate for the Mission and Vision these principles support.

Accountability: We embrace personal responsibility by taking ownership of our work and focusing on results. We expect both to give and to receive honest feedback.

Innovation: We know ideas matter. We prefer the risks and rewards that come with creativity to the certainty that attends stagnation.

Adaptability: We position ourselves to take advantage of opportunities, embracing strategic and operational change when it makes our work more impactful.

Optimism: We believe our best days are ahead, and we embrace a forward-thinking mindset. We will make mistakes, but we will remain cheerful in the face of adversity and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Kindness: We value everyone on our team, respect differences, and trust one another. This requires courage and strength, as it involves celebrating and giving our undivided attention to others.

Our Founding Principles:

• Free enterprise and democracy work
• Parents know the best education environment for their kids
• Private schools offer great value and have open seats
• All people are created equal and deserve an equal chance to pursue the American Dream

Position Overview

ACE Scholarships is seeking an experienced Event Manager to lead the planning and execution of high-profile donor, fundraising, and organizational events nationwide. This individual will play a critical role in delivering exceptional experiences that advance ACE's mission while managing complex event logistics, vendor partnerships, budgets, and stakeholder relationships. Events include board meetings, donor receptions, small- and large-scale fundraising events, conferences, trade shows, and other mission-driven events as needed.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record managing large-scale events, conferences, galas, or conventions with 200+ attendees and is comfortable overseeing all phases of event execution from strategic planning through post-event evaluation. The primary focus of this role will be supporting and executing ACE's flagship fundraising and donor engagement events, including our annual luncheon with attendance approaching 2,000 guests.

This role requires a highly organized, solutions-oriented event professional who can manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, communicates effectively with internal and external stakeholders, and is passionate about creating polished, high-impact experiences that support ACE Scholarships’ mission.

ACE Scholarships is recognized for producing exceptional fundraising and donor events, including receiving the 2025 ICON Award for Best Fundraising Gala from the Colorado Event Alliance. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to award-winning events while helping shape and elevate the organization's event strategy and execution nationwide.

Event Planning & Execution

• Lead the planning and execution of board meetings, donor receptions, fundraising events, conferences, trade shows, and other mission-driven events across ACE Scholarships markets.
• Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, event timelines, agenda development, production schedules, staffing plans, and run-of-show documents from concept through post-event evaluation.
• Own all event logistics, including venue management, registration, catering, audiovisual production, transportation, entertainment, room layouts, seating plans, and attendee experience.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned events, managing relationships with venues, vendors, consultants, internal stakeholders, sponsors, board members, and donors.
• Lead on-site event execution, overseeing event setup, guest experience, vendor management, issue resolution, and event breakdown.
• Anticipate operational challenges and develop contingency plans to ensure seamless event delivery.
• Identify, evaluate, and secure event venues while negotiating contracts and managing vendor agreements.
• Manage event budgets, monitor expenses, track financial performance, and complete post-event reconciliation and reporting.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to establish event goals and ensure successful outcomes that support fundraising, donor engagement, and organizational priorities.
• Evaluate event performance, attendee feedback, and operational outcomes to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Conferences, Trade Shows & Brand Experience Management

• Lead the planning, organization, transportation, and deployment of event collateral, promotional materials, signage, exhibits, and branded assets.
• Manage inventory, logistics, and quality control of event materials and trade show assets.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to produce and deliver high-quality event materials that align with ACE's brand standards.
• Develop attendee engagement strategies and recommend creative enhancements that strengthen event impact and guest experiences.
• Review and approve event-related materials to ensure consistency, accuracy, and brand alignment.
• Coordinate project timelines and deliverables for conference and trade show participation across multiple markets.

Qualifications & Skills

• 3+ years of professional event planning, event production, or event operations experience required
• Demonstrated experience leading events with 200+ attendees; experience managing events with 1,000+ attendees strongly preferred.
• Proven experience managing fundraising galas, donor cultivation events, conferences, conventions, corporate events, or similarly complex large-scale experiences.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills with the ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with experience interacting professionally with executive leadership, board members, donors, sponsors, vendors, and external partners.
• Proven ability to independently manage event logistics, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations.
• Experience negotiating venue and vendor contracts preferred.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving challenges.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a high-performing team environment.
• Experience with event registration platforms, event technology, and Microsoft Office applications preferred.
• Strong technology skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, ClickUp (or comparable project management software), and other event management tools used to oversee timelines, budgets, logistics, and stakeholder communication.
• Ability to lift and move event materials and assist with event setup and breakdown as needed.
• Availability to travel and work evenings and weekends as required to support events.
• Passion for ACE Scholarships' mission and commitment to expanding educational opportunity.

Location & Reporting

• Full-time, in-office position based in the South Denver area (Denver Tech Center/Inverness).
• Reports to the Director of Events.
• No direct reports.

FLSA Status

Exempt

Travel: 5-10%, can service anywhere from 1 to 5 out of state events per year

Compensation & Benefits

Annual salary of $60,000 to $70,000 based on experience and alignment with internal pay bands. Plus eligible for performance based bonuses.

In addition, this role is eligible for ACE’s benefits package which includes, but is not limited to:

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Free, Employer-paid Short-term, Long-term, and AD&D insurance
• 401(k) with 6% employer match with immediate vesting
• Monthly cellphone stipend
• Scholarships for employee’s children actively enrolled in a K–12 private school ($3,500 per child, up to $10,500 per year)
• On-site amenities at Colorado home office including:
• Employer-paid parking (in-office)
• Gym, café, and building security (in-office)
• In-office coffee, snack bar, and walking treadmill (in-office)