Director, Events & Special Initiatives

ABOUT FREEDOM HOUSE

Established more than 80 years ago on the core conviction that freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people, Freedom House is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to defend and expand freedom globally to help secure a world where all are free. Around the world, repressive regimes are preventing billions of people from exercising their fundamental rights.

We identify and analyze threats to freedom, mobilize decision makers to respond to those threats and seize opportunities for progress, and support activists and organizations working to defend and expand freedom. We are dedicated to ensuring that the United States serves as a positive model of democratic practice at home and a consistent champion of freedom globally. By gathering authoritative data and leveraging our global networks, Freedom House is an unwavering beacon in protecting human rights and promoting democratic governance.

Freedom House is seeking a dynamic and highly organized Director, Events & Special Initiatives to serve as the organization's senior lead for events and special initiatives. The Director will develop and execute an organization-wide events and special initiatives strategy that advances Freedom House's mission, fundraising goals, campaign priorities, visibility, and stakeholder engagement. This role combines strategic portfolio leadership with hands‑on execution and requires strong independent judgment, enterprise-level project ownership, budget and financial stewardship, vendor and contract management, donor-facing coordination, executive advising, and measurable event outcomes.

This is an exciting moment for Freedom House, with new leadership, the organization's 85th Anniversary, and the launch of Investing in Freedom's Future, a five-year, $85 million campaign to strengthen Freedom House's flagship research, deepen engagement with policymakers, expand direct assistance to human rights defenders, and invest in new work to push back against authoritarian abuses. We are seeking a candidate who can hit the ground running by independently planning and executing public, donor-focused, Board, campaign, and high-level engagement events in Washington, DC, key metropolitan cities across the United States, and abroad.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, this role will work closely with the Development and Communications teams to ensure alignment on messaging, branding, fundraising goals, campaign priorities, visibility, and strategic positioning across all events and convenings. The Director will serve as a senior internal advisor to the Chief Advancement Officer and senior leadership on event strategy, audience and stakeholder engagement, portfolio priorities, event investment, and resource needs.

The role will also collaborate across the organization, including with C-suite, mid-level, and junior-level staff, to design and execute events that position Freedom House's thought leadership, drive donor and partnership cultivation, support campaign-related engagement, and strengthen Freedom House's visibility and impact worldwide.

• Develop and execute an organization-wide events and special initiatives strategy aligned with Freedom House's mission, fundraising, campaign, visibility, and stakeholder‑engagement priorities.
• Establish annual portfolio goals, budgets, performance measures, strategic priorities, and resource plans; advise the Chief Advancement Officer and senior leadership on results, risks, opportunities, and resource needs.
• Lead the full lifecycle of events, including galas, fundraisers, convenings, special initiatives, campaign-related events,…