Events & Marketing Manager

Events & Marketing Manager

USA, Santa Barbara, CA - Onsite
Preferred Start Date: Mid-October 2026, ideally by October 19, 2026

Why This Work Matters
Public education is strongest when schools and communities are connected. The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (“SBEF”) helps turn community generosity, partnerships, and ideas into meaningful opportunities for students and educators throughout the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

The Events & Marketing Manager plays an important role in bringing that mission to life. Through thoughtfully produced events, compelling storytelling, and engaging communications, this position helps people understand SBEF’s impact, feel connected to the work, and see how they can be part of strengthening public education in Santa Barbara.

About Us
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation strengthens public education by connecting community resources with the needs and opportunities of students and educators throughout the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Through philanthropic investment, partnerships, programs, grants, and community engagement, SBEF helps create opportunities for students and educators that extend beyond what public funding alone can provide. 

SBEF is entering an important period of organizational growth and is strengthening its capacity to communicate impact, engage the community, grow philanthropic investment, and serve as a trusted partner in advancing public education in Santa Barbara. 

About the Position
At SBEF, events and external communications are important ways we bring people together around public education, share the Foundation’s impact, engage community partners, and support philanthropic investment.

We are seeking an Events & Marketing Manager who is energized by bringing people together around SBEF’s mission and who enjoys planning high-quality events, managing complex projects, creating clear and compelling communications, and building productive relationships with community partners. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable coordinating many moving pieces and executing hands-on marketing and communications work.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. The position is based onsite at SBEF’s office in the heart of Santa Barbara, with regular in-person work required for events, meetings, community engagement, and other organizational needs.

What You’ll Do (Duties & Responsibilities)

Event Planning & Production

• Lead the planning and execution of SBEF fundraising, community engagement, donor stewardship, program-related, and other organizational events from initial planning through event-day execution and post-event closeout.
  
• Own event project management, including timelines, approved budgets, venues, vendors, speakers, committees, registration, event materials, sponsorship fulfillment, production logistics, setup, execution, expense tracking, and coordination of contracts, invoices, and financial reconciliation with appropriate internal partners.
  
• Coordinate closely with Development, Programs, Operations, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, and other stakeholders to deliver well-organized events and a strong attendee and partner experience.

Marketing & Communications Strategy

• Lead SBEF’s external marketing and communications efforts and develop and implement the annual communications and marketing plan in partnership with the Executive Director.
  
• Manage an integrated external communications and event calendar aligned with programs, fundraising campaigns, district milestones, community engagement opportunities, and organizational priorities.
  
• Establish and maintain external communications approval protocols, editorial standards, accessibility practices, and language-access expectations; track key communications and event-engagement metrics and use data and insights to strengthen effectiveness.

Digital Marketing, Website & Email

• Own SBEF’s day-to-day website content governance and digital presence, including creating and updating website pages, program information, news, events, impact stories, and calls to action; monitor content for accuracy, accessibility, usability, and broken links; and coordinate outside website or technical vendors when specialized support is required.
  
• Develop and manage SBEF’s social media strategy, content calendar, email communications, and digital newsletters.
• Create, schedule, publish, segment, and evaluate content and campaigns designed to strengthen audience reach, engagement, and connection to SBEF’s mission.

Storytelling, Brand & Community Engagement

• Identify and develop compelling stories that demonstrate SBEF’s impact; partner with the Programs Manager to collect program outcomes, testimonials, photographs, and other content; translate program data into accessible public-facing communications; coordinate SBEF’s annual impact report; and maintain an organized digital asset library with appropriate usage approvals.
  
• Serve as the day-to-day steward of SBEF’s brand and visual identity. Ensure consistent use of organizational messaging and brand elements; develop and maintain templates and routine graphics; coordinate designers, printers, photographers, and other creative partners; and help ensure programs and fiscally sponsored initiatives appropriately represent their relationship with SBEF.
  
• Develop marketing strategies and promotional campaigns for SBEF programs, events, grant opportunities, volunteer initiatives, and community activities.
• Coordinate communications with SBUSD and other partners, maintain organizational listings and community calendars, and identify opportunities to expand SBEF’s visibility and engagement throughout the Santa Barbara community.

Media Relations & Public Communications

• Draft press releases, media advisories, talking points, public-facing organizational announcements, and other external communications. 
• Maintain and develop local media relationships, identify earned-media opportunities, and coordinate media inquiries, escalation, spokesperson protocols, and crisis or issues communications with the Executive Director.

Development & Fundraising Support

• Partner with the Director of Development on sponsorship activation and event-related fundraising support, including sponsorship collateral, benefits, recognition, fulfillment tracking, coordinated outreach, donor communications, stewardship materials, fundraising campaigns, and related digital and print communications.

What You’ll Need (Job Requirements)

Skills

• Proven project-management and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail and the discipline to manage multiple deadlines, deliverables, and stakeholders effectively.
  
• Exceptional written, editing, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to create clear, persuasive, audience-appropriate external communications.
  
• Strong storytelling and content-development skills, with the ability to translate organizational priorities, program outcomes, and impact into compelling communications for diverse audiences.
  
• Proficiency in developing and executing social media, digital content, email marketing, website content, and integrated marketing and communications campaigns.
  
• Strong technology skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace and comfort working across website content-management systems, email-marketing platforms, social media management tools, donor/CRM databases, event registration or management platforms, digital forms, analytics, and collaboration tools.
• Experience with platforms such as WordPress, Constant Contact, Hootsuite, and DonorPerfect is preferred.
  
• Graphic-design skills and experience with tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite are a plus, along with a strong visual sense for event, digital, and print marketing materials.

Abilities

• Independently plans and executes complex, high-visibility events while maintaining a strong experience for attendees, donors, sponsors, partners, and other stakeholders.
  
• Navigates competing priorities, shifting timelines, and evolving organizational needs with composure, sound judgment, adaptability, and strong follow-through.
  
• Anticipates needs, identifies issues early, and moves work forward with initiative, resourcefulness, and practical problem-solving.
  
• Builds productive working relationships across functions and with external partners, vendors, volunteers, donors, sponsors, educators, and community stakeholders.
  
• Exercises discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive communications, public-facing issues, donor and sponsor interactions, and matters requiring escalation.
  
• Translates organizational strategy into coordinated execution, effectively connecting events, marketing, communications, community engagement, and organizational priorities.
  
• Represents SBEF professionally and credibly in community, partner, donor, media, and event settings and maintains flexibility to support occasional evening and weekend events and community activities.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, event management, nonprofit management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
  
• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience across event planning and production and marketing, communications, public relations, or related functions, including demonstrated responsibility for independently planning and executing complex events.
  
• Experience with nonprofit fundraising events, sponsorship activation and fulfillment, donor or community engagement events, or education/community-based organizations is highly desirable.
  
• Familiarity with the Santa Barbara community and a demonstrated interest in contributing to its educational and civic well-being is highly desirable.
  
• Experience with media relations, issues or crisis communications, accessibility, language access, or bilingual/multilingual communications is highly desirable.

Benefits
SBEF values the time, contributions, and well-being of our employees. SBEF offers a benefits package that includes accrued vacation and sick time, paid holidays, medical, dental, and vision insurance, and participation in a 403(b) retirement plan.

SBEF is committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment where employees are encouraged to contribute their ideas, perspectives, and expertise while working together to strengthen opportunities for students and educators throughout the Santa Barbara community.

Compensation Transparency
SBEF is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices and transparency throughout the hiring process. The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $72,500 and $85,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and other job-related factors, while considering internal equity. SBEF welcomes conversations about compensation during the interview process so candidates have a clear understanding of the compensation associated with the role.

Employment Eligibility & Background Check
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. SBEF is unable to provide employment-based visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future.

This position is subject to a California Department of Justice/FBI Live Scan background check following a conditional offer of employment. SBEF considers criminal history and makes employment decisions in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act where applicable.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Reasonable Accommodation
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or creed, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy or related medical condition, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, reproductive health decision-making, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

SBEF is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities and to accommodating sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, and observances as required by law. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process may contact jobs@santabarbaraeducation.org and provide their contact information and the nature of the accommodation requested.

We kindly request that third-party recruiters or agencies refrain from contacting us regarding this position.