Blackwood is a 33-acre teaching farm located in Hempstead, TX, about an hour outside of Houston. The farm is home to two entities, Blackwood Living and Blackwood Educational Land Institute, that together make up the Blackwood family.

At Blackwood Living, our goal is to provide an experience of gathering as a reflection of our customer’s values. We balance an aesthetic of natural and manicured and we don’t like to create fluff without purpose. Blackwood Living offers a venue for private events, corporate retreats, weddings, and a number of other celebrations.

Blackwood Living is about people and community, and a life based on the essentials. Less about minimalism, more about celebrating who and what we value most. Food, water and shelter may be the tenets of survival, but our need to connect and to belong to a community is just as significant.

It’s impossible for us to talk about Blackwood Living without also considering our non-profit and educational programs as they are symbiotic in nature. When Blackwood Land is not hosting an event or experience on site for students or families, Blackwood Living create experiences for entertainment, private parties, and corporate retreats.

As Event Coordinator, you will be primarily responsible for booking, contracting, and managing events from inception to completion. You will establish and maintain client relations. These events include weddings, retreats, and other public functions on site and off site. Farm events include Farm-to-Table Dinners, Mornings in the Country, Blackwood Bounty CSA, and more. This position requires being in direct communication with our Farm team and the ideal candidate will be committed to organizing unique, memorable events of the highest quality. S/he should be passionate about the Blackwood mission, detail oriented, and creative. This role requires excellent leadership skills and the ability to delegate responsibilities while overseeing the big picture.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Coordinate all aspects of Blackwood Living event production including planning, marketing, managing registration, securing sponsorships and vendors, communicating with all outside and internal parties, managing contracts, deliveries, supplies, permits, set-up/teardown, volunteers, and more
• Lead onsite coordinator for all Blackwood Living events. Must be available weekends.
• Develop marketing strategies, advertising promotions, printed materials, marketing collateral, and publicity pieces that will effectively promote events to various audiences and generate a consistent Living audience, working with Program Director to ensure marketing is consistent between Blackwood Land and Living
• Write copy for Blackwood Living platforms including website, social media, newsletter, collateral, and more
• Build and manage Blackwood Living social media including Facebook and Instagram
• Maintain and update Blackwood Living website including creating pages, building registration forms, and managing online shop
• Management of shared event Google Drive documents with Blackwood Land and Living staff including timely input of all details related to the event
• Assist with managing Airbnb cabin rental reservations
• Provide daily and weekly updates to program staff and delegate duties to applicable parties
• Recruit, schedule, and manage volunteers for general event duties and specialized teams, in coordination with Blackwood Land volunteer program
• Develop and manage event budgets with assistance from Program and Farm staff. Work to meet or exceed established financial goals for events.
• Process and manage invoicing for all clients in Quickbooks and Square
• Work with Farm Director to coordinate produce for events such a Morning in the Country, Farm Dinners, and private events (retreats, weekend workshops, culinary experiences, etc.)
• Liaison between event sponsors, vendors, and clients to accurately identify needs and manage relationships
• Ability to conduct market and vendor research, gather information, and negotiate contracts and contributions
• Maintain compliance with regards to permits, insurance, health, safety, local and state laws
• Assist with sponsor acknowledgement and thank you notes

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Highly proficient with MS Office, Google Apps and Drive
• Experience with social media management including Facebook, Instagram, and Google Adwords,
• Experience with Mailchimp, Wordpress, Quickbooks. Dropbox, Adobe design suite, and Canva
• Ability to successfully manage all elements within time limits and on a budget
• Proven successful experience in event planning or organization and fundraising
• Outstanding time management and communication skills
• Proactive approach to problem solving and handling any challenges that might arise. Ability to quickly troubleshoot any problems that may arise on event day.
• Exceptional multitasking skills to manage multiple projects independently and consistently
• Ability to work across multiple functions in multiple environments, both urban and rural
• Demonstrates initiative and is a self-starter
• Positive attitude and ability to stay calm under pressure
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Must possess valid driver’s license and vehicle

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of time
• Must be able to occasionally lift up to 30lbs
• Ability to look at a computer screen for extended periods of time
• Ability to work outside for extended periods of time, regardless of weather conditions

EMPLOYEE CONDUCT

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive work environment and work towards our mission.