Title: Farms Forever Event Coordinator
Status: Part-time contract, April 1-November 30
Compensation: hourly/DOE

Farms Forever:
This is our 5th annual fundraising dinner to benefit the Community Farmland Trust. The goal is to celebrate our achievements, bring together our supporters, and raise money for future work. We feature a multi-course dinner for 175 attendees from local farms, crafted by local chefs with a passion for farmland preservation. There are also local wines, ciders, and beer, and a silent auction filled with food and farm related items. Farms Forever will take place October 24, 2015, at the Expo Center of the Thurston County Fairgrounds.

Position Description:
The Event Coordinator is responsible for the planning and coordination of Farms Forever. This is a contracted position with an estimate of 175 hours (not to exceed 200 hours), including planning, coordination, and follow-up. The contractor will work with a staff member and an event committee, and report monthly to the Executive Committee of the Board.

Qualifications

• Experience in nonprofit event coordination
• Experience with self-directed project coordination
• Able to build relationships with donors, businesses, and community groups
• Experience managing volunteers
• Able to meet deadlines
• Responsive communication
• Problem solving skills
• Committed to the cause of farmland preservation
• Able to work with a timeline to manage and coordinate responsibilities
• Proficient with Word, Excel, social media, and basic website development

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage all event details as appropriate
• Report to and collaborate with staff to ensure a successful event
• Implement an action plan for the event
• Coordinate with the facility and rental companies
• Work with the Kitchen Coordinator to plan the menu, donations, and details of the dinner
• Prepare and implement a marketing campaign in coordination with the Media Sponsor
• Manage the event committee to solicit auction items, develop the program, promote the event, and recruit volunteers
• Produce a monthly written report of progress to the Board’s Executive Committee
• Coordinate with staff to develop donor relations
• Create and maintain a record keeping system to track ticket sales, donations, auction sales, checkout procedure, and volunteer information
• Prepare and implement a system for the silent auction
• Be the point person and troubleshooter during the planning process and the day of the event
• Evaluation and debrief with staff and volunteers

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter, resume, and three professional references by March 25th, 2015.

Thank you for your interest in South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust!