Event Coordinator, Development, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Position Overview

Application Deadline: July 19, 2026

Salary: $25.77 to $33.13 per hour, depending on previous experience and relevant skills

Education Required: Minimum four-year degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in a related field

Experience Required: Minimum of four years of project management and event planning experience in a non-profit organisation, especially in development or fundraising

Description

Monterey Bay Aquarium is hiring a full-time, hybrid Event Coordinator, Development in Monterey, California, paying $25.77 to $33.13 per hour, with a priority deadline of 19 July 2026.

The Aquarium is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity, welcoming people from all walks of life and strongly encouraging applications from people of colour, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and people with disabilities.

The Event Coordinator, Development supports Membership and Development events and projects that drive contributed revenue, including major gifts, annual giving, gift planning, and membership initiatives, working alongside the leadership team, administrative team, other departments, and outside vendors.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate member and donor events, including high-level fundraising events such as the David Packard Award event and internal Aquarium work group events.
• Develop and present options for key event logistics and facilitate leadership decisions on setup, seating, and other details.
• Coordinate cross-functional internal resources and logistics to ensure accuracy of event details.
• Provide onsite supervision of staff to ensure event execution aligns with development specifications.
• Schedule and coordinate member and donor communications including event invites, RSVPs, and thank-you messages within the CRM.
• Draft and maintain the annual events calendar, including reserving the Aquarium, other event sites, and senior leadership availability.
• Provide administrative support for major gift level sponsorship solicitations and in-kind sponsorships.
• Coordinate development projects including Annual Review production and distribution, using project management platforms to track progress and timelines.
• Coordinate project and event expenses, working with external vendors on master contracts, scopes of work, and purchase orders.
• Facilitate project and event launch and debrief meetings; draft and distribute final reports or post-event summaries.
• Assist with CRM, ticketing, and CMS/eCommerce systems implementation and enhancement for Annual Giving.
• Propose and implement process improvements and train staff as needed.

Requirements

• Minimum four-year degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience in a related field.
• Minimum four years of project management and event planning experience in a non-profit organisation, especially in development or fundraising.
• Minimum two years of experience working with project management tools (Asana, Wrike, Trello, etc.).
• Superb customer service and written and oral communication skills.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, and critical thinking.
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Ability to work within and maintain Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Core Values.

Additional Notes

• Hybrid role; full-time.
• Occasional unassisted lifting up to 50 lbs; constant sitting, standing, walking, and bending in a typical office environment with offsite events.
• Priority deadline 19 July 2026; the role may close earlier due to application volume.

How to Apply

Apply through the Monterey Bay Aquarium UltiPro careers portal by 19 July 2026.