Public Events Coordinator

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill believes diversity in nature promotes a healthy, vigorous garden. We believe that diversity among our staff promotes a healthy work environment and a vigorous organization. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. We believe in diversity of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion,ethnicity, national origin,ability, and all the other traits that make us unique. New England is an equal opportunity employer.

NEBG at Tower Hill does not require its staff to be vaccinated for Covid-19, but we urge everyone to receive an updated dose as they become available to protect themselves and each other.

The Public Events Coordinator is expected to carry out the responsibilities of the job in ways that support NEBG at TH’s mission and to its commitment to creating a diverse and welcoming organization.   

• Being welcoming to all staff and the public
• Be respectful of staff differences and preferences
• Use gender neutral communication styles
• Respect everyone’s pronouns

Responsibilities

• Work with the Public Events Specialist to plan and execute an annual calendar of over 50 public events.
• Assist with the coordination and planning of public events on- and off-site including plant shows, community-focused events, evening and weekend events, and more.
• Research, contact, secure, and schedule vendors, performers, entertainment, etc. for public events.
• Independently execute administrative duties to support events including creating room setups, creating event-specific signage, communicating internally and externally with event participants and staff, and assisting vendors, performers, and volunteers.
• Assist the Public Events Specialist with executing agreements, collecting payments, and submitting check requests.
• Work to develop positive relationships with leaders of partner organizations (for example: plant societies, volunteer organizations, cultural organizations, etc.).
• Communicate with other departments to coordinate and discuss event logistics such as lighting, staffing, and locations, to ensure that each event is prepared to run smoothly.
• Be present at and oversee day-of logistics for designated events including set-up and breakdown.
• Ensure that vendors, plant societies, partner organizations, vendors, and performers follow event protocols and NEBG policies during events.
• Create a welcoming and enjoyable experience for vendors, performers, visitors, and volunteers duringevents and provide guidance and support as needed.
• Work with the Public Events Specialist and Exhibitions Manager to explore ways to engage the community through community-focused or exhibition-related events.
• Provide support to the Exhibitions Manager as needed with exhibitions that have an accompanying event.
• Troubleshoot problemsand be willing to jump in as needed to fill event-related roles in facilities, operations, or education.
• Keep up with trends in public events and research and/or attend other local public events for inspiration.
• Assist the Public Events Specialist with conducting post-event evaluation to improve quality and efficiency of event operations.

Leadership and Interpersonal Relations 

• Ability to build working relationships and deal tactfully with a diverse community of volunteers, community partners, visitors, and staff while exercising cultural literacy and inclusion.
• Ability to resolve and present a calm and professional demeanor in difficult customer service situations.
• Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and follow up with other departments to acquire information needed for event planning and execution.
• Ability to effectively solve problems and troubleshoot issues independently and escalate problems as necessary.
• Ability to work independently or as a part of a team to achieve personal and shared goals.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude and be an ambassador for New England Botanic Garden.
• Highly responsible, reliable, and punctual.
• Willing to give and receive feedbackand cooperate with staff to solve problems.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience prioritizing workflow to meet deadlines and appropriately managing time and schedules.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and execute multiple projects at the same time.
• Ability to use clear, effective written and spoken communication.
• Adaptable and flexible; can shift gears comfortably and embrace change.

Schedule

The Public Events Coordinator is an hourly, full-time position and is non-exempt from overtime. The standard work schedule for this position is 40 hours per week. This position requires great flexibility and the ability to work regular weekends and evenings as needed. Occasional outdoor work is required.

Education and Experience

• High School diploma or GED.
• Two or more years of customer service, hospitality, event support, or other relevant job experience required.
• One or more years of event coordination experience in a professional setting a plus.
• Excellent record keeping, organization, and planning skills.
• Experience tracking, compiling, and reporting data a plus.
• Aptitude for learning new software systems.
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft Teams, Google Suite, and web-based customer/donor relationship management (CRM) tools a plus.

Physical Demands /Working Conditions: 

• Must be able to lift 25 pounds.
• Must be able to bend, squat, kneel, stand, and walk for extended periods of time and to navigate uneven grounds and stairs evenly.
• Must be able to work outside as necessary for more than four hours.
• Must be able to work with appropriate computer and communications equipment.

Note: Duties described above, other duties and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Safety                                                                                                                                                                   

• Works with an awareness of surroundings and vigilant to any possible threat to the safety of staff and the public, or to NEBG at TH property. Ensures all concerns are reported promptly.
• Reports all accidents and injuries immediately in accordance with published NEBG policy.
• Complies with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies, and the requirements of the job description.