Job Description

Manager, Events & Engagement

Good Reason Houston exists to ensure that every child, in every neighborhood of Houston, has access to a world-class public education and the opportunity to thrive in the Houston of tomorrow. From a child's first day of Pre-K to their first day on the job, we work to make sure every student is prepared for success in school, career, and life.

Anchored in a cradle-to-career vision, Good Reason Houston is driven by a bold North Star Goal: to double the rate of public school graduates earning a living wage by 2040, positioning economic mobility as the ultimate measure of student success. Achieving this goal requires collaboration across sectors, and Good Reason Houston serves as Houston's regional education backbone, uniting public school systems, higher education institutions, employers, and civic leaders around a shared vision for student success.

Good Reason Houston builds awareness of, advocates for, and advises school systems on measures aimed to improve the quality of education available to all. Today the organization partners with 25 public school systems that collectively serve 700,000 students across 900 public schools in the Houston region. We seek to cultivate a shared regional vision for educational quality, to build the capacity for change required within districts and the greater Houston community, and to foster collective ownership to support student-level results for kids across our city.

Good Reason Houston's Manager, Engagement Experience plays a critical role in bringing our mission to life by designing and delivering meaningful convenings that build trust, deepen relationships, and move our audiences to action. This role owns the full lifecycle of Good Reason Houston's events and convenings, from planning and execution to post-event follow-up, ensuring that each experience strengthens long-term engagement with families, educators, civic leaders, funders, and partners.

This role owns the end-to-end operational execution of ConnectEd, our flagship annual awareness event serving approximately 1,000 attendees, as well designing and managing a monthly calendar of convenings and community engagement events that advance organizational goals across thought leadership, fundraising, and community connection.

This role requires meticulous project management, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to deliver high-quality events that reflect Good Reason Houston's values and elevate our brand across the Houston civic landscape. The Manager, Engagement Experience ensures every detail, from registration to run-of-show, creates meaningful experiences that inspire action and deepen relationships with our stakeholders.

Primary Responsibilities

Event Planning & Execution (60%)

• Lead full lifecycle of operational management of ConnectEd, Good Reason Houston's flagship annual fundraising event (~1,000 attendees), including venue selection, vendor management, budget oversight in coordination with your manager, timeline development, program design, and day-of coordination
• Plan and execute approximately 10 convenings and/or events annually, ranging from intimate listening sessions and community dialogues, to mid-sized thought leadership forums, teacher celebrations (averaging 300-600 people), partner convenings, and larger community celebrations such as Houston Schools That Inspire school celebrations.
• Develop detailed project plans, run-of-show documents, and contingency plans for all events to ensure seamless execution
• Manage event budgets, track expenses, negotiate vendor contracts, and ensure cost-effectiveness while maintaining quality standards
• Coordinate operations of registration systems, attendee communications, and operations of post-event follow-up to ensure strong participant experience and data capturing
• Source and manage relationships with external vendors including venues, caterers, AV providers, photographers, and other event partners
• Coordinate logistics for speaking engagements, panels, and presentations, including speaker preparation, AV needs, and materials
• Ensure all events align with Good Reason Houston's brand standards, accessibility requirements, and organizational values

Cross-Functional Collaboration (20%)

• Partner closely with event owners to co-design event vision, audience strategy, and engagement goals, tailoring participation to maximize strategic and relationship-building impact
• Partner with Advancement team on fundraising event strategy, donor engagement, and sponsorship fulfillment
• Coordinate across various divisions to ensure appropriate participation and engagement at relevant events
• Participate in cross-divisional planning meetings to ensure events support broader strategic objectives

Operations & Systems (20%)

• Maintain organization-wide events calendar in coordination with the Managing Director of Public Engagement
• Build and maintain event planning templates, checklists, and standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and efficiency
• Establish and maintain best-in-class success criteria for organizational events; monitor performance against those criteria and lead after-action reviews to inform continuous improvement and future event strategy.
• Manage event-related technology platforms (registration, surveying, project management tools)
• Partner with Operations to ensure effective vendor contracting, compliance, and payment processes, supporting strong vendor relationships and ensuring alignment with organizational policies and financial controls
• Support operational needs for the Public Affairs and Engagement team as assigned

Other duties as assigned by the Managing Director, Public Engagement.

Our Team

Our core values reflect the principles that ground and guide our work. They serve as the foundation for how we show up, internally with our colleagues and externally with our partners and communities. These values shape how we make decisions, collaborate across teams, and navigate challenges. They are the throughline that connects our culture to our impact.

CURIOUS

We are curious we ask, listen, and learn with humility to grow our understanding and improve how we work in service of students.

CONNECTORS

We are connectorswe build meaningful, authentic relationships that create momentum for lasting change with and for Houston students, families, and communities.

ROOTED

We are rooted we show up with purpose and persistence, grounded in our mission and in deep commitment to Houston.

FORWARD-THINKING

We are forward-thinkerswe champion an optimistic vision for Houston's future and tackle complex challenges with boldness, creativity, and strategic action.

STUDENT-CENTERED

We are students-centeredremoving barriers, expanding opportunity, and shaping systems to improve outcomes for students with the greatest needs.

Qualifications & Skills

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience, ideally in event management, project management, and coordination settings
• Proven experience managing large-scale events (500+ attendees) and complex, multi-stakeholder convenings
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets of $100K+
• Experience working across multiple departments and managing diverse stakeholder expectations
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with evolving priorities

Required Skills

• Extremely strong organization skills and attention to detail
• Strong relationship management
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with ability to interact professionally with diverse audiences including donors, district leaders, community members, and vendors
• Self-starter with strong sense of ownership and initiative
• Exceptional project management skills with proven ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as required for event execution. These hours will be planned in advance, with schedule adjustments made to ensure a balanced workload.
• Calm under pressure with strong problem-solving skills and ability to navigate ambiguity
• Commitment to creating inclusive, accessible events that reflect Good Reason Houston's values

Preferred Qualifications

• 3-5 years in professional event planning and management experience, specifically in nonprofit, education, or civic engagement settings

Preferred Skills

• Ability to produce quality work under tight deadlines
• Ability to internalize feedback with open demeanor and adapt quickly based on changing information
• Vendor negotiation skills
• Proficiency in event management software and registration platforms (e.g., Eventbrite, Cvent, or similar)
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel for budget tracking and PowerPoint for event materials
• Experience using Monday.com or other project management software

Working at Good Reason Houston

Good Reason Houston offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position. The starting salary for this position is $75,000 annually, with offer commensurate with candidate experience. New hires are offered a salary depending on qualifications,

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