Job Listing: Facility Events Coordinator at Lewis Ginter

Name of Organization – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Henrico, VA

Closes – Until Filled 

Title – Facility Events Coordinator 

Compensation – $17 to $18 per hour 

Type – Full Time, Non-exempt 

Apply – To apply, please send resume and cover letter to HR@lewisginter.org 

Summary – The Facility Events office coordinates over 300 events a year at the Garden in 12 different venues and gardens, which includes corporate, nonprofit, wedding and private events. Proceeds from facility rentals directly support the Garden’s mission as being a primary resource for learning about the botanical world. This position demonstrates our core value of hospitality by ensuring that customer service is first and foremost. We achieve this by providing a welcoming and helpful experience to all guests, and demonstrating a positive and supportive environment for staff and volunteers. 

Responsibilities – 

Sales & Client Engagement:

• Collaborates with supervisor in marketing efforts to targeting repeat, new and unrealized rental clients and ensures rental program materials are stocked in designated key areas (RVC/KEC) to maximize rental opportunities.
• Thoroughly understands and can clearly communicate rental programs, fee structures, and terms and conditions, to potential clients.
• Supports the coordination of all details of corporate, non-profit, wedding and private rental events from inquiry to execution.
• Keeps calendar database updated of all Garden activity and rental events and ensures departments have details needed to effectively manage schedules and execute set ups, including, accurate headcounts, event timelines, vendor details, etc.
• Provides facility tours for scheduled appointments and drop-ins, and AV checks for booked events as needed.
• Addresses and resolves rental guest needs and concerns in a cheerful and professional manner, keeping supervisor informed of any concerns that may negatively affect goals of department or Garden.

Finance and Accounting:

• Prepares rental contracts, collects deposits and fees in accordance with required timelines.
• Processes payments for all security deposits and rental, equipment and service fees and refunds as appropriate, including being able to fairly assess fees for damages when needed.
• Assists in departmental growth strategies that encourages increased rental revenue while simultaneously ensuring facilities remain a resource for all departments.

Event Management:

• Works collaboratively with other departments and our exclusive caterer for all event needs and is able to resolve issues in a professional and cooperative manner.
• Provides on-site coordination of rental events, including creating and posting temporary signage, coordination of guest arrivals and routing, AV assistance and serves as POC during event or through Facility Event Staff Assistant resources.
• Ensures expeditious response to phone and email inquiries before, during and after events.
• Ensures rental spaces are functional and in readied condition using set up diagrams, and using the Gardens maintenance/operations ticketing system.

General Responsibilities:

• Able to work a flexible schedule to include early morning and late evening hours, including covering evening and weekend events.
• Serves as an advocate for all guests, with direct responsibility for rental event clients and guests.
• Responds to guest feedback, keeping supervisors informed of desired results, and working towards established goals within budgetary and mission-driven constraints.
• Willingly and cheerfully integrates the efforts of all departments and is able to nurture positive relationships that exemplify the Gardens core values of hospitality and integrity.
• Perform duties with an eye to the horticultural and educational mission of the Garden, and to preserving the beauty of the displays.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications – 

• Is a highly organized, proactive, goal oriented, intuitive and empathetic individual who enjoys working with people, and is flexible and adaptable to ever-changing requirements of our guests.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, self-motivated and disciplined.
• An enthusiastic spirit who is energetic, quick-thinking, cheerful and courteous, who is able to engage readily and promptly with guests, members and staff.
• Has the ability to communicate clearly, effectively and comfortably in written and spoken word with guests, clients, volunteers and vendors.
• Is a positive and motivating presence who embraces change and challenge.
• Has excellent customer service and communications skills.
• Knowledgeable about facility rental events, terms and conditions, especially key terms that may affect multiple events.
• Make recommendations for facility rental event logistics, and improvements as needed.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions:

• Ability to lift 20-30 pounds intermittently.
• Ability to work outdoors in all seasonal extremes.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Ability to navigate the Gardens campus in most weather conditions.
• The position requires familiarity with all public areas of the 82-acre property.
• Note: Duties described above, other duties and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Education and Experience

• Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in the business, hospitality or related field.
•  A minimum of one-year supervisory experience of events/hospitality staff desired.
• Demonstrated ability with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with AllSeated, Tessitura or other comparable databases.
• Other combinations of education/experience appropriate to the job will be considered.

Each Employee of Lewis Ginter:

• Must comply with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies and the requirements of their individual job descriptions.
• Must conduct herself or himself and perform all duties in a manner consistent with a public garden serving multigenerational and multicultural individuals and families, and in accordance with directed practices and procedures.
• Must be aware of surroundings and vigilant to threats to the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff or to the security of their property, ensuring that all concerns are reported promptly.
• Must report all mishaps, injuries, and incidents immediately and ultimately in writing to supervisor(s) and to Human Resources.
• Must ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
• Must perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

About – Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a non-profit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 5,500 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter engages over 17,000 students in innovative and exciting education programs. This cadre of identified learners is just a fraction of the more than 400,000 annual visitors to the Garden. In recent years, the Garden has been honored with inclusion in several top ten lists for botanical gardens in North America.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the ground of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.