Public Programs Coordinator  

Position: Public Programs Coordinator

Category: Full-Time, Regular

Employee type: Salaried, Non-exempt

Reports to: Senior Artistic Director

Work schedule: Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; some evenings and weekend hours required

Salary: $55,000

Benefits: Employer-paid health and dental insurance, group term life insurance, and long-term disability; flex benefit plans including medical, dependent care, and transportation; 401(k) plan with employer match; generous vacation and holiday policy

 

Organization:  

Literary Arts is a nonprofit literary organization based in Portland, OR. Our mission is to engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

Our programs create opportunities for readers and writers of all ages and walks of life to engage with stories. We provide programs in concert halls, classrooms, our community space, and on the radio. Literary Arts is committed to remaining a dynamic and responsive organization that will continue to evolve with our community’s needs and deepen our equity work across all our programs.

 

Position:  

Literary Arts seeks an enthusiastic, well-organized individual to support our public programs, which includes but is not limited to Portland Arts & Lectures (PA&L) and Special Events (SE), Portland Book Festival (PBF), and The Archive Project (TAP). This position plays a key role in the daily operations of an established and dynamic literary nonprofit organization, offering wide-ranging experiences to a candidate seeking a career in arts administration and/or event management.

The Public Programs Coordinator serves as support to Literary Arts’ Senior Artistic Director. Duties of the position include administrative support for public programs, including data entry and management, communicating with partners and vendors, and on-site event support, including but not limited to PA&L, SE, and PBF. Event work will require some evenings and weekends, always with substantial advance notice. This position is also responsible for writing for various print and digital projects, updating digital assets, front line customer service support, and working to engage readers across the work of Literary Arts.

The Public Programs Coordinator actively participates in ongoing efforts to further an organizational culture that supports and reinforces the equity, diversity, and inclusion goals of Literary Arts.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Portland Book Festival: (40%)

• General assistance to the Senior Artistic Director.
• Logistic and communication support with authors and publicists.
• Oversee book submission process, including processing applications and communication with applicants.
• Recruitment, processing, and communication with book fair exhibitors.
• Support volunteer recruitment and communications.
• Communicating with and logistics support for third-party vendors, including book fair exhibitor set up, audio-visual partners, venue partners, food carts and more.
• Copywriting, including maintaining and updating website and digital assets.
• Oversee seasonal festival event intern(s).

Portland Arts & Lectures and Special Events: (15%)

• Research, copywriting and maintaining and updating website and digital assets.
• Production support, including coordination with venues and third-party vendors.
• Day-of oversight of technical production elements.

The Archive Project: (25%)

• Project management of pre-production and production of weekly radio show and podcast.
• Work with marketing and broadcast partners to facilitate weekly distribution.
• Copywriting and maintaining and updating website and digital assets.
• Maintain records for recording releases and rights and pursue new rights to old recordings.
• As needed, attend events with partner organizations to record.

Other/General (20%)

• Administrative support to the Senior Artistic Director, including managing and prioritizing scheduling and calendar.
• Coordination for internal staff and council meetings and gatherings.
• Event and customer service support via phone, email, and in person as needed.
• Other duties as assigned by the Senior Artistic Director.

 

Skills and Competencies:  

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.

• At least three (3) years’ experience working on public events in a professional or volunteer capacity.
• Working knowledge of basic project or event logistical planning. Experience in technical production a plus but not required.
• Ability to interact positively with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Exceptional organizing and project management skills and attention to detail.
• Strong time management skills, including the ability to set and meet deadlines, manage multiple tasks, and show flexibility with tasks.
• Familiarity with contemporary literature and authors.
• Fluency with Mac and Microsoft business applications, particularly Microsoft Excel and Word. Familiarity with WordPress, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Audition a plus but not required.

 

Qualities: 

• Commitment to literature and its place in our society.
• Desire to communicate and collaborate with your team and cross-departmentally.
• Comfortable in an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to appropriately manage highly confidential information.
• Creative problem-solving aptitude.
• Commitment to the mission of Literary Arts.

 

Experience:  

Literary Arts acknowledges and celebrates all types of learning: academic, career, and on-the-job training, as well as volunteer and military service. Literary Arts’ goal is to hire and retain individuals who have demonstrated success performing the essential duties of the position and/or who possess the qualities to learn new skills quickly. Experience working with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds is strongly recommended for this role.

 

Job Conditions:  

Office layout is an open concept, with three common spaces used for meetings, events, and workshops. Approximately 75% of the workday is spent on an unshared computer workstation. The rest of the time is spent in meetings, at events, and performing tasks around the office. This role requires evening work at events, approximately 1–2 evenings a month, and very occasional weekend event work. Employees are generally expected to work in the office Monday through Thursday, with Fridays work from home.

 

Equipment Used:  

MacBook, copier/printer, postage machine, and other standard office equipment. Literary Arts provides an adjustable office chair; a standing desk can be requested.

 

Physical Demands:  

Concentrated periods of computer keyboarding are required throughout the workweek. Extended periods of sitting are also required for meetings. Some lifting of boxes may be requested. Work is performed in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment with frequent interruptions and reorganizing of priorities.

 

Application Information:  

To apply for this position, please submit a résumé and cover letter, sent as a single combined PDF file, to applications@literary-arts.org with the subject line “Public Programs Coordinator.” Applications that do not follow these guidelines will not be considered. Please address in your cover letter the importance of diversity and inclusion in the arts.

After you submit your application materials, you will be invited to participate in a voluntary survey. Literary Arts is committed to DEI initiatives, and data collected from these surveys allows us to measure and show the progress we are making in a concrete way.

First review of applications will be Monday, March 18, 2024.