Community Engagement and Events Manager

About Project 2 Heal

Project 2 Heal increases the availability of service dogs for veterans, children with special needs, and adults with disabilities. We breed, nurture, socialize, and prepare purpose-bred Labrador Retriever puppies for donation to carefully selected service dog organizations nationwide.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a relationship-centered, highly organized manager to lead our general volunteer program and community events. You will create welcoming, reliable experiences that turn initial participation into lasting involvement with Project 2 Heal.

What You Will Own

Volunteer engagement

• Manage the general volunteer journey from inquiry and orientation through training, placement, scheduling, recognition, and retention.
• Match volunteers with program needs based on interests, availability, experience, and completed training; communicate assignments and fill coverage gaps.
• Maintain accurate applications, waivers, training records, schedules, and activity data while developing volunteer leaders and recognizing contributions.

Community events

• Lead the planning and growth of Project 2 Heal’s community event portfolio, including Stress Down Days, signature events, graduations, and training sessions.
• Develop the annual event calendar and create objectives, timelines, budgets, staffing plans, run-of-show documents, and success measures.
• Partner with event committees to organize meetings, guide work plans and assignments, clarify responsibilities, and maintain follow-through.
• Coordinate venues, hosts, vendors, registration, supplies, insurance documentation, auctions, volunteers, and day-of logistics.
• Lead event execution and post-event debriefs, evaluating participation, sponsor experience, net revenue, community reach, and opportunities for improvement.

Community partnerships and development support

• Build relationships with companies, community organizations, event hosts, collaborators, volunteers, and participants.
• Coordinate sponsorship outreach, fulfillment, recognition, renewal, and event-related stewardship under Executive Director guidance.
• Track commitments and next steps, and make warm handoffs of promising donor, sponsor, or partner relationships to the Executive Director.

Program coordination and storytelling

• Recruit, schedule, prepare, and support volunteers for Litter Care, puppy socialization, Puppy Fitness, Kids Club, graduations, events, and special initiatives.
• Provide administrative and communication support for Chaperone and Puppy Raiser volunteers. 
• Coordinate practical field photography and stories for Marketing, and create repeatable calendars, templates, playbooks, and dashboards that support growth.

Success in This Role

• Build and maintain a trained volunteer base that can reliably support programs and events.
• Engage a broader group of volunteers so opportunities and responsibilities do not repeatedly fall to the same small group.
• Improve volunteer retention, understand why volunteers become inactive or leave, and address recurring concerns.
• Keep signature events fresh, well attended, well supported, and valuable to participants, sponsors, and the community.
• Grow Pints 4 Pups and Putt 4 Pups over time through increased participation, sponsorship, community reach, and net revenue.
• Turn event and volunteer participation into lasting relationships through accurate records, clear communication, and consistent follow-up.

What You Bring

• Experience coordinating volunteers, community programs, events, or constituent relationships in a nonprofit or mission-driven setting.
• Strong project management, organization, written and verbal communication, relationship-building, and follow-through.
• Ability to manage multiple schedules, stakeholders, deadlines, and event details while creating a welcoming experience.
• Comfort with sponsorship support, donor stewardship, event revenue, and CRM records; direct fundraising experience is a plus but not required.
• Sound judgment, initiative, adaptability, and willingness to work both strategically and hands-on.
• Commitment to safe, respectful engagement with people and animals, plus availability for occasional evening and weekend events.

Why Join Project 2 Heal

Shape a growing community-engagement function while staying close to the people, puppies, and partnerships behind the mission. You will work directly with the Executive Director, gain broad nonprofit leadership exposure, and have room to grow with the organization.