Events & Donor Engagement Associate

Rare inspires change so people and nature thrive. For 50 years, across 60 countries, we have inspired and empowered millions of people and their communities to shift their behaviors and practices to protect our shared planet. We are a global leader in driving social change for people and nature and believe that the cumulative power of individual and community action is a vital pathway to safeguarding and restoring our shared waters, lands, and climate.  Rare’s organizational culture is results-oriented, and entrepreneurial, and our global programs cover the thematic areas of climate change, fisheries and marine conservation, sustainable agriculture food security, and Green Recovery.  

Rare is seeking an Events & Donor Engagement Associate to support the planning and delivery of donor engagement experiences across Latin America. 

Based in Bogotá, Colombia, this position reports to the Senior Manager of Events & Experiences on Rare's Marketing & Public Affairs team and works closely with colleagues across Development, Development Operations, regional program teams, and external partners. 

The Associate will join Rare at an exciting time as the organization prepares for its flagship donor learning journey in Colombia in January 2027. This role will play a critical part in coordinating logistics and delivering an exceptional on-the-ground experience while also supporting additional donor trips, virtual donor engagement events, and other strategic events throughout the year. 

This position is ideal for an organized, hospitality-focused professional who enjoys managing complex logistics, building relationships, and creating memorable experiences that strengthen donor engagement with Rare's mission. 

This is an 18-month, term-limited contract position with the potential to transition into a full-time role as Rare's donor engagement portfolio continues to grow. 

• Coordinate logistics for Rare's flagship donor journey in Colombia, with an immediate focus on the January 2027 program.  
• Manage hotel accommodations, transportation, restaurants, guides, translators, and vendor relationships.
• Prepare itineraries, rooming lists, travel schedules, operational documents, and participant materials.  
• Coordinate with regional program teams to support field visits, community engagement activities, and site readiness.  
• Conduct site visits, support contingency planning, and coordinate travel safety and risk management.
• Support logistics for one to two additional donor engagement trips across Latin America annually.  

• Serve as the on-site logistics lead during donor experiences, ensuring daily operations run smoothly while Rare staff focus on donor engagement and program delivery.  
• Deliver exceptional hospitality by coordinating guest arrivals, accommodations, dietary needs, accessibility requests, and participant communications.  
• Monitor vendor performance and proactively resolve logistical challenges to maintain a high-quality guest experience.  
• Represent Rare professionally with donors, community partners, vendors, and local stakeholders.  

• Coordinate logistics for approximately three to four virtual donor salons or webinars each year, including speaker support, registration, technical rehearsals, and participant communications.  
• Provide operational support for additional Marketing & Public Affairs events, including global priority events, donor receptions, partner gatherings, and other organizational events.  

• Build and manage relationships with vendors throughout Latin America that reflect Rare's commitment to ethical tourism, conservation, and community-centered engagement.
• Assist with procurement, budget tracking, contracts, reservations, invoices, and payments.
• Collaborate across Marketing & Public Affairs, Development, Development Operations, Finance, Operations, and regional program teams to support successful event execution.  
• Support registration platforms, CRM data, participant communications, and other event technology.  
• Coordinate post-event evaluations, including participant feedback, reporting, ROI measurement, and recommendations for continuous improvement. 

• Represent the Marketing and Public Affairs Team in Colombia to facilitate collaboration between the two teams. 
• Identify storytelling opportunities and support content creation.  
• Ensure all donor experiences reflect Rare's commitment to community-led conservation.    

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Event Management, Communications, Marketing, Tourism, Business Administration, International Relations, or a related field. Or equivalent relevant professional experience and expertise. 
• Two to four years of experience in event coordination, hospitality, donor engagement, executive travel, destination management, or related logistics-focused work.  
• Experience coordinating group travel or complex events.  
• Total fluency in English and Spanish.  
• Strong Microsoft Office skills.  
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout Latin America and to the US.  

• Experience working in nonprofit or international development organizations.  
• Experience supporting donor cultivation or fundraising events.  
• Familiarity with Salesforce, Zoom Webinar, Asana project management, event registration platforms, or similar technologies.  
• Knowledge of sustainable tourism or conservation programming.  

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.  
• Outstanding hospitality and customer service orientation.  
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.  
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, multicultural environment.  
• Professional judgment, adaptability, and a collaborative approach.  
• Commitment to ethical tourism, conservation, and community-centered engagement. 

Rare is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic.