Director of Events

You:
An experienced, highly organized and energetic event professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You have a passion for planning and executing events that engage people, build relationships and advance a cause you believe in. Whether it’s a donor gathering, a staff retreat or a statewide summit, you are driven by the opportunity to create memorable experiences that support meaningful work. You are comfortable managing all the logistics, staying on top of details and ensuring events run smoothly, while keeping a sharp focus on maximizing impact and engagement. You’re happy to work in our Midland, MI office on the days you’re not traveling to an in-state event. You don’t mind staying on location overnight 4-5 times per year, primarily in Michigan with rare out-of-state travel.

Our job:
Many organizations host events, but not all understand their power as a tool for advocacy and engagement. Too often, events are run as separate silos, disconnected from the mission or just another box to check off. There are event planners out there who can handle logistics, but few who understand the deep connection between events and the ability to shape public policy, bring people together and advance a movement. The challenge is finding a place where events an integral part of growing a cause, expanding networks and advancing big ideas.

Us:
At the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, we’re committed to advancing liberty and promoting free-market values in Michigan and beyond. Through policy reform and research, we work to protect individual rights and expand opportunity. With a vision to grow our annual budget from $10 million to $15 million in the next two years, we’re looking for the right person to help drive that growth through events designed to share our research, engage our supporters, and amplify our voice in public policy debates. Events are central to building stronger relationships with donors, policymakers and the public and expanding the impact of our mission.

About the Director of Events Role:
In this role, you will oversee the planning and execution of 50+ events per year that advance our organizational objectives. Working closely with the Director of Advancement and other key staff, you will ensure each event aligns with our strategic goals and delivers measurable results. Your work will be integral to creating engaging experiences that build relationships, advance our policy goals and help grow our network of supporters. You'll oversee the entire event process — from strategic planning to vendor management — and ensure seamless execution. From intimate gatherings, an annual staff retreat, lawmaker summits, movie screenings, policy forums, estate planning workshops, and more, you will love the variety and energy of our events!

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Event Planning and Execution: Manage the end-to-end process for a variety of events, from conception to execution, ensuring they meet objectives and align with the Mackinac Center’s mission.
Maximize Event Impact: Develop strategies to engage attendees, increase visibility and achieve measurable outcomes that align with our organizational goals.
Vendor and Contractor Management: Oversee vendor relationships, negotiate contracts and ensure that services are delivered on time and within budget.
Collaborate Across Teams: Work with staff and leadership to align event content, messaging and strategy with the Mackinac Center’s overall objectives.
Engage Attendees: Focus on creating engaging, seamless experiences for guests, ensuring they leave with a stronger connection to our mission and a sense of belonging.
Track Performance: Measure the success of events, gathering feedback to continuously refine strategies and improve future events.
Other duties as assigned.

Ideal Candidate:

Passionate about Liberty: You are driven by the principles of free markets, limited government and individual liberty.
Event Planning Experience: You have a proven track record of managing events that create lasting impact and engagement, whether in your community, at another advocacy organization, a business or with your family.
Organized and Detail-Oriented: You have exceptional organizational skills and feel energized by the prospect of managing multiple events in different stages of the planning process simultaneously.
Results-Driven: You take pride in creating events that are not just well-executed but deliver on their objectives—whether that’s increased donor engagement, greater visibility for our mission or attracting new people to join the Mackinac Center.
Collaborative and Adaptable: You thrive in a team environment, working closely with teammates, senior leadership and external partners to achieve organizational goals.
Proactive and Resourceful: You anticipate challenges, solve problems before they arise and find creative ways to make each event better than the last.

About the Mackinac Center:

Working with us means joining a team that believes in the power of freedom to create positive change. You’ll support impactful projects, work with a collaborative and driven team, and help build meaningful donor relationships from behind the scenes. We offer a supportive environment where your skills will make a difference. You’ll have the opportunity to learn, grow, contribute and be challenged. We are looking for the right individual to help us leverage events as a key tool in our strategy. Our events are more than just gatherings — they are platforms to advance our mission, engage supporters and drive real change. Join us and help foster freedom for everyone!

Application Process

The Mackinac Center offers competitive salary and benefits, including but not limited to health/dental/life/disability insurance and 30 days of paid time off. This position is located in Midland, MI. To apply, please send cover letter and resume to:

Patricia Benner
Vice President for Operations
Email: careers@mackinac.org
Fax: (989) 631-0964

While we thank all applicants for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those whom we are considering for an interview. No telephone calls, please.