Regional Events Manager

Who We Are: 

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is Massachusetts’ premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org. 

Posting Information: 

Salary/Hourly Rate: $65-75,000 

Hours per week: 40 

Job Classification: Full-Time, Exempt 

Job Type: Onsite 

Location: Southeast Region, MA (offices at the Bradley Estate in Canton and Weir River Farm in Hingham) 

What You’ll Do: 

Your Impact: 

Ready to create memorable special events with the Trustees’ beautiful Southeast properties as your canvas? In this role, you’ll use your creativity and organizational superpowers to bring to life Winterlights, a Trustees Signature Event, as well as facilitate special events like weddings, parties, and public gatherings that people will remember for years to come. 

The Role:

As the Regional Events Manager you will be a part of our Public Engagement team and report to the Regional Vice President. You’ll be responsible for Winterlights at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton, leading the creative design for this December illumination event, as well as managing daily operations and social media marketing. During the summer season, you’ll be the point of contact for Fireside Catering weddings at Bradley and will oversee other private rentals across The Trustees’ other Southeast properties including Bird Park in Walpole, the Governor Ames Estate in Easton, Armstong-Kelley Park in Osterville, and Weir River Farm in Hingham.  You will occasionally support our Public Engagement team, helping at public events, concerts, and festivals across the region. 

You are an enthusiastic partner, collaborating with state-wide colleagues in Retail, Enterprise Partnerships, Stewardship, Horticulture, and Public Engagement. You’ll also manage seasonal staff for setup, breakdown, and run-of-show, and flex your strong customer service skills, providing a magical and memorable experience for thousands of visitors each year. 

In This Role You Will: 

Lead Bradley Winterlights 

• Planning, design, and installation:  

• Develop and administer the Winterlights budget. Collaborate with Event Managers from other Trustees Winterlights sites across the state to design, purchase, and implement new indoor and outdoor show elements and update/refresh traditional features. 

• In partnership with the Winterlights Tech Manager, participate in physical set-up of the show, including moving elements out of storage, testing displays, and using ladders and other equipment to install lights on buildings and trees.  

• Develop and execute a staffing plan and master schedule, hiring, training, and coordinating the seasonal event team and volunteers.  

• Manage the seasonal Assistant Event Manager, overseeing social media marketing, permitting, ticket sales, and gift shop/concessions inventory 

• Analyze data to understand trends and create a strategy for driving ticket revenue to ambitious NET Gain goals. 

• Run-of-show operations (opens Friday after Thanksgiving and runs Wednesday - Sunday through the first weekend of January):  

• Serve as the shift manager each night at Winterlights: monitor weather and ticket sales, arrive prior to the event staff to ensure daily operations run smoothly, and stay on-site through the duration of nightly closing and clean-up.   

• Manage staffing needs throughout the event, making sure all critical roles are filled, and staff can deliver an excellent experience to our visitors.  

• Troubleshoot problems and deploy staff and resources to make sure the show runs smoothly.   

• Represent the Trustees to our visitors throughout the show, offering insight into our mission, membership, and experiences across the state.   

• Coordinate site logistics prior to and during weather events to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff. 

• Monitor and restock inventory for concession stand and gift shop 

• Breakdown and clean-up (second week of January through the end of the month. Depending on site constraints and weather, breakdown may extend into February.) 

• In partnership with the Tech Manager, develop and implement an efficient breakdown, inventory, and clean up schedule for all interior and exterior displays.  

• Complete final reporting to Trustees statewide staff including total revenue and spending data, visitor experience feedback, and proposed show improvements.  

Manage events across other Southeast properties 

• Weddings at the Bradley Estate 

• Act as the main point of contact for our external wedding contractor, managing the internal calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts and overseeing payment schedule.  

• Coordinate Horticulture, Facilities, and Stewardship teams to provide exceptional customer service and client experience on the property. 

• Other regional events  

• Maintain the regional event calendar of property rentals, birthday parties, and community events. 

• Manage event operations: oversee the Event Rental webpage, field client inquiries, plan and execute event details, maintain client files, coordinate event vendors, and track data. 

• Hire, train, and coordinate seasonal part-time event assistants. 

• Support public event programming as necessary (festivals, concerts, picnics, etc.) 

• Manage the event budget and meet revenue targets. 

• Synchronize all contract staff including deliveries, caterers, and entertainment.  

• Supervise set-up, day-of operations, and clean-up, or manage part-time event assistants to do so. 

• Evaluate and report on the success of the function.  

• Perform other assigned tasks that support private event sales  

What You’ll Need: 

Skills and Experience:    

• Degree from an accredited college or university (preferred) 

• Creativity, organization, and ambition to create The Trustees’ most magical visitor experiences. 

• Event management 

• 2 to 4 years of sales and management in hospitality, preferably in cultural institutions  

• 2+ years of self-managed experience in event services, meeting management, event coordination or planning. 

• Demonstrated ability to strategically interpret and execute client vision while reinforcing organization objectives.  

• Technical expertise:  

• Understanding of holiday lighting, including different types of fixtures, features, and controls a plus.  

• Must have the vision to design practical, creative, and impactful lighting installations 

• Excellent organizational and event management skills; ability to initiate, plan, prioritize and oversee multiple events successfully.    

• Persuasive communicator, excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to foster client and vendor relationships. 

• Results and deadline driven with strong ability to work independently.  

• Positive, outgoing, and attentive demeanor, professional appearance, consistently delivering high-impact customer service. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, with ability to learn a sales and venue management program. 

• Comfortable pulling, analyzing, and reporting data from a variety of platforms and sources 

• Flexibility to adapt to a varied work schedule and event scheduling demands. 

• Willingness to work outside in all weather conditions including rain and snow. 

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment. 

• A valid driver’s license, as well as a satisfactory driving record as outlined in The Trustees’ driving policy. [if needed] 

• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check. 

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.  

Questions? Contact our People team at people@thetrustees.org 

Your Benefits: 

• Sick time: 80 hours   

• Vacation time: 15 days per year  

• Early release time: 36 hours per year  

• Floating holidays/personal days: 15 Floating Holidays (13 observed holidays; 2 floating)  

• Health insurance: You are eligible to participate in the Trustees health insurance benefit via Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). BCBS also offers additional benefits, such as fitness reimbursement and rewards for healthy habits.  

• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance  (FT/PT) 

• Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave  (FT/PT) 

• Life Insurance  (FT/PT) 

• 401k with 5% match after 1 year of employment (FT/PT) 

• Employee Assistance Program: Free access to a confidential service that helps employees and their communities with personal and work-related issues, such as mental health support, counseling, and financial advice.  

• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.  

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.  

• Day of Wonder: Spend one workday per year to exploring a Trustees property  (FTE/PT) 

• Day of Service: Spend one workday per year to helping with a project at a Trustees property  (FTE/PT) 

Equal Opportunity and Diversity: 

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.    

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity. 

 It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.  

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org. Your Benefits: 

• Sick time: 80 hours   

• Vacation time: 15 days per year  

• Early release time: 36 hours per year  

• Floating holidays/personal days: 15 Floating Holidays (13 observed holidays; 2 floating)  

• Health insurance: You are eligible to participate in the Trustees health insurance benefit via Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). BCBS also offers additional benefits, such as fitness reimbursement and rewards for healthy habits.  

• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance  (FT/PT) 

• Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave  (FT/PT) 

• Life Insurance  (FT/PT) 

• 401k with 5% match after 1 year of employment (FT/PT) 

• Employee Assistance Program: Free access to a confidential service that helps employees and their communities with personal and work-related issues, such as mental health support, counseling, and financial advice.  

• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.  

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.  

• Day of Wonder: Spend one workday per year to exploring a Trustees property  (FTE/PT) 

• Day of Service: Spend one workday per year to helping with a project at a Trustees property  (FTE/PT) 

Equal Opportunity and Diversity: 

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.    

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity. 

 It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.  

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org.