Waterfowl Chesapeake (WC) is a regional non-profit organization based in Easton, MD, dedicated to supporting communities across Delmarva that care about waterfowl and waterfowl habitat restoration and conservation.

The Festival and Events Manager will play a lead role in planning, orchestrating, implementing and evaluating Waterfowl Chesapeake’s events with particular focus on the annual Waterfowl Festival – our premier friend and fund raising event held each November.

The Waterfowl Festival, now in its 47th year, is one of the nation’s finest wildlife art and sportsman’s events, annually hosting many internationally recognized artists and exhibitors. For three days the town of Easton transforms into a destination for approximately 15,000 art lovers, sporting life enthusiasts, and families. The Festival is largely run by a cadre of dedicated volunteer chairs. Professional, positive, customer-service-oriented implementation is critical in this position.

About the position

The Festival and Events Manager is a new, part-time position for Waterfowl Chesapeake. The successful candidate will help build our community presence and visibility as we grow the organization. He/she should be highly organized, creative, energetic and have strong, positive customer service experience at all times, especially during Waterfowl Festival when we have some of the most public interaction with our constituencies – visitors, volunteers, sportsmen/women and waterfowl enthusiasts. The Events Manager will need to be a thoughtful problem-solver that enjoys working as part of a team while independently making decisions and setting deadlines or goals. He/she will support efforts to build successful fundraising channels and must have excellent verbal and written communications skills.

Specific responsibilities include

Planning:
• Working with the staff and WC Board to develop events in support of WC’s fundraising and program goals each year;
• Evaluating, researching and implementing new event management systems and processes to improve efficiencies;
• With the WF Board, establishing a vision for a dynamic 50th anniversary Festival and creating goals and work plans to achieve this vision in the next three years, starting with the 2017 event;
• With the WF Board, exploring new opportunities to engage new WF exhibitors and artists and/or offer new programming;
• Serving as the primary liaison between event Chairs/WC staff/WF Board and contractors/venues/visitors; and,
• Ensuring WF Chairs’ needs are understood, met and that they are fully updated on all logistics & planning each year;

Operations:
• Coordinating details of events including planning for, securing and overseeing all contracts and agreements including those for caterers, entertainment, educational exhibitors, rentals and service contracts, venues, and other logistics as needed;
• Visiting any off-site venues to plan layout, seating and set up and coordination;
• Scheduling speakers, vendors and participants;
• Coordinating some special events during the Festival (such as Opening Ceremonies, VIP areas); and,
• Supporting event rentals of the Waterfowl building by other local organizations.

Engagement & Evaluation:
• Collaborating and supporting marketing and promotional efforts related to events such as reviewing and editing online or print content and contributing to design concepts;
• Working with WC staff and WF Board to build overall sponsor engagement;
• Being pro-active in the recruiting, training and management of volunteers, including development of a recruitment plan to be implemented over the 10-month period;
• Anticipating issues/challenges, initiating steps/procedures to effectively address/resolve same and troubleshooting any issues; and,
• Identifying opportunities for improving events by conducting post-event evaluations, including prompt de-briefings with critical volunteers.

Relationships:
• Serving as primary liaison between event Chairs/WC staff/WF Board and contractors/venues/visitors;
• Ensuring WF Chairs’ needs are understood, met and that they are fully updated on all logistics & planning for their venues;
• Assisting in development of plans and schedules for visitor transportation routes, security coverage, signage, delivery of set up items required at each venue;
• Maintaining smooth, ongoing communications with all venue representatives;
• Providing reports and presentations as needed to the Waterfowl Chesapeake Board and monthly reports to Festival Board;
• Supporting the Town of Easton’s Waterfowl Festival Commission as needed; and,
• Creating an improved process for managing registration and questions from artists, vendors and exhibitors.

Details

Term/Hours
The Festival & Events Manager is currently offered as a four-year contract position, renewable each year, with the expectation that the position may evolve into a full-time staff position at some point during that period. For most of the year, the weekly work schedule is flexible with an expectation of no less than 15 hours/week. A consistent weekly schedule will be established in concert with the WC Executive Director upon start. Hours will increase as the Waterfowl Festival approaches and culminate in a minimum of 40 hours/week on-site starting in mid-September. During the two weeks prior to and including the Waterfowl Festival, the Festival and Events Manager should expect to work as many hours as it takes to ensure a seamless event.

Stipend/Benefits/Reporting
The 2017 stipend is $25,000, based on an expectation of 1100 hours worked per year. There are no paid holidays or benefits offered for 2017. This position reports primarily to the Waterfowl Chesapeake Executive Director.

To Apply

Application package should be emailed to info@waterfowlchesapeake.org and must include professional cover letter, resume and one sample of relevant work such as an event or customer service plan, marketing materials or professional presentation. Waterfowl Chesapeake, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation.

Deadline to apply:
Monday, February 20, 2017 by 5pm