Event Coordinator

Flexible (20-40 hours per week)

Weekend availability required.

Reliable transportation required.

Benefits

*One “Shelf Talk” book each month *40% off books and merchandise *Access to Advanced Readers Copies (physical, electronic, audio) *PTO accrual *HRA account for tax-free reimbursement on health insurance premiums and qualifying medical costs

Job Summary

As the event manager, you'll be working closely with our team of booksellers, as well as outside organizations, to put on engaging and community-driven events. While you’ll enjoy connecting over all things literary with visitors, you will also be responsible for making sure on-the-day event logistics are taken care of.

Currently, Black Garnet Books hosts or participates in an average of 5-8 events a month. Our ideal event manager has a vision to expand the types and number of events we engage in! We’ve had figure drawing clubs, handcrafted art fairs, (18 ) burlesque collabs, boozy book fairs, free youth book fairs…what are we missing? What would you like to dream up?

An underlying focus of this position should be forging new relationships and collaborations with community members and organizations in order to build out thoughtful, goal-oriented event programming. As such, you should be highly organized, personable, and communicative in all situations, with or without guidance. You should have a keen eye for detail, and the ability to remain flexible and calm if things don’t go as planned.

Everyone at Black Garnet, including the store owner, is a bookseller! You will learn how to be one of the best booksellers on this side of the Mississippi and work at least one in-store shift a week to train and stay up to date with our Point-of-Sale system and best practices.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

*Leading onsite events (such as pop-ups, author signings, book clubs, book releases, and poetry readings, including welcoming small to large audiences and introducing authors) *Coordinating with offsite venues regarding scheduling, set up, break down, and other day-of logistics *Using existing data from past events, as well as current program goals, to determine whether to accept or decline event requests. *Managing and updating events on the Black Garnet Books website *Creating event graphics using Canva to be shared via our newsletter and social media *Tracking and communicating event orders, sales, and remaining event inventory for return with store manager *Writing and submitting event pitches for author and community events *Track event success using metrics such as attendance, units sold, preorders, attendee feedback, etc. *Remain knowledgeable about and answer questions related to merchandise, sales, promotions, and store policy *Upholding Black Garnet Book’s Mission and Value Statements in all work interactions

Some must haves:

*Reliable transportation to and from events with merchandise. Black Garnet is best known for our offsite pop-ups! *At least 1 years of event coordination/management experience. Please. *Demonstrable organizational skills. Are you an Airtable or Sheets person? Do you send a G-Cal invite to your friends to meet up for coffee? No shame here. *Confident communication skills. Are you a chatterbox who can also focus down? *Ability to lift boxes up to 35lbs. Books are heavy. You will become so strong.

It’s cool if you do, it’s cool if you don’t:

*Retail or sales experience. We can almost guarantee you’ve never used our Point of Sale system (Bookmanager), so this isn’t too important. But it’d be cool. *Proficiency in Canva. No worries, we all just learned how to use it this year. *Demonstrated interest in community building and engagement. If you’ve worked with or in community spaces/organizations, let us know! If your passion for community building is new, then we’d like to encourage it further!

Interested? Sweet, answer the questions below and attach your resume. We'll get in touch within two weeks if we'd like an interview!

Black Garnet Books is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows non-discriminatory practices.

Available shifts and compensation: We have available shifts all days of the week. Compensation is $22.00/hour.

About Black Garnet Books: Black Garnet Books is an independent bookstore in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul, MN. Black Garnet exists to address racial inequality within the publishing and literary industries, both nationally and within the state of Minnesota. In an effort to do so, we’ve curated our shelves to focus on literature by authors and illustrators of color, ensuring that any purchase made at our store directly supports the continued telling of our stories. Care is at the heart of our interactions - for ourselves, for each other, and for our community. We do not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or any other behaviors that perpetuate white supremacy or the oppression of marginalized peoples. We are committed to demonstrating what it looks like to live in opposition to oppression by fostering a communal space where each of us can be ourselves, wholly and authentically. Learn more about us at www.blackgarnetbooks.com.

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