WORK AREA: Business Support Development for PASA’s 2019 Winter Conference
REPORTS TO: Conference Manager
LOCATION: Remote with regular trips to our headquarters in Millheim, PA (generally not more than once a month) and to Lancaster, PA (frequency will vary)
EST. HOURS: 10 hrs/week from now to August; 20 hrs/week from September to December, with some weeks requiring more hours; 30 to 40 hrs/week from January to late February
About us: PASA, a Pennsylvania-based sustainable agriculture association, strives to build a more economically-just, environmentally-regenerative, and community-focused food system through education and research that directly supports farmers.
About our annual winter conference: Each February, thousands of farmers, homesteaders, educators, and agriculture and food system professionals gather for four days of educational workshops, presentations, and panel discussions on a wide range of food and farming topics at our annual winter conference. The educational programming is interspersed with networking and social events, an expansive trade show, and regionally sourced meals. The “Future Farmers” program offers fun and educational activities for children as well. Attendees from more than 30 states and six countries gather at our hallmark event each winter, and leave energized and inspired for the season to come.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The primary responsibility of the Conference Business Support Cultivator is to raise revenue for the conference through sponsorships, trade show exhibiting, and several forms of advertising. The revenue raised through these various ways of supporting the conference is expected to be over $150,000, and we hope to reach $175,000 to $200,000. This person will oversee the relationships with our supporters from ask to acknowledgement; this includes the management of the trade show.
To reach and exceed our goal, this person will cultivate relationships with existing and potential supporters, and possess the ability to understand and meet the unique needs of each supporting business. Having a strong customer service approach is key to cultivating relationships with the organizations and businesses that support our conference in a variety of ways. A professional manner is also essential for working with suppliers and venue staff.
The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating the trade show; working with sponsors and exhibitors to arrange the details of their support and exhibiting needs including registration; collecting all advertising materials; overseeing the general information tables; coordinating exhibitor load in and out; and finalizing our records and acknowledging the supporting businesses following the event. The Support Cultivator will also participate in reflecting on the event with the PASA staff during the post-conference wrap up meeting.
Leading up to the conference, this position may require occasional travel to the Lancaster area to meet with potential supporters or event venue staff. Additionally, some travel to the Millheim office for in-person work with the Conference Manager will be necessary at times. Reliable transportation is essential. However, most of the work will be done remotely, so this person must also communicate effectively using chat, email, phone, and video conferencing.
During the conference, the Support Cultivator will be required to assist sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees with a variety of issues. Troubleshooting may be required, so the ability to think on one’s feet is a must. The Support Cultivator will be expected to be in attendance for the duration of the event (Tuesday evening, February 5th to Saturday evening, February 9th or Sunday morning, February 10th). PASA provides lodging, parking, and meals while on-site.
Finally, the conference is pulled together by a team of PASA employees, as well as volunteers and board members. The Development Coordinator will be an integral part of this team and must be able to work in that setting.
QUALIFICATIONS
Demonstrable past success in sponsorship development and relationship management, or minimum three years of relatable experience
Developed connections within sustainable agriculture community
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to relate to a wide variety of people and communicate effectively and pleasantly, with a good phone personality and
customer service attitude
Computer expertise—in particular, working with spreadsheets and databases—and keen attention to detail and data organization
Ability to manage large amounts of information, prioritize workload, and meet deadlines, as well as to work long hours and weekends when needed
Commitment to PASA’s mission is essential; interest in fulfilling this position for multiple seasons a plus
COMPENSATION
This is a commission-based contract position. PASA will compensate this person with 10% of paid support up to the $150,000 target ($15,000). If the $150,000 goal is met, the commission rate will increase to 25% on additional revenue. PASA will regularly advance a portion of the expected bonus of $15,000. Any bonus earned on revenue above $150,000 will be disbursed following successful wrap up of the event.
TO APPLY
Submit cover letter, resume, and references electronically to: christina@pasafarming.org, or fax to (814) 349-9840 or mail to PO Box 419, Millheim, PA 16854.
We will begin interviews as soon as we receive a qualified application. Questions about the position are welcome.
