Event Manager

2467 18th St. NW, Washington, DC, United States, 20009

Position: Full-Time

Lost City Books is seeking an Event Manager to join our team! We are a tight-knit, creative and collaborative group who all have varied tastes in books but all share a deep love of reading! Our shop aims to serve the Adams Morgan and DC community through a carefully curated collection of new, used, and rare books, as well as author events, book clubs, and more.

The Event Manager works closely with the Lost City Leadership Team to ensure the success of all events, marketing, and outreach for Lost City Books. The Event Manager is an exemplary bookseller and a spokesperson for the store. They are creative and have a fastidious attention to detail. They generate ideas, initiatives, and programs for the store, including book clubs, author events, “non-book” events, and marketing promotions. They pitch events to authors, publishers, and other parties, and respond to all outside generated event ideas that are pitched to Lost City Books. The Event Manager works toward success for all immediate goals of our events and programming while also working toward the overall financial and operational success of the bookstore.

Lost City Books is interested in hosting events celebrating international literature, experimental fiction, radical histories, weirdo genre fiction, and works by authors from underrepresented communities. We like working with indie presses. We host literary salons, translation panels, reading groups, poetry open mics, and author talks, aiming to foster the literary community in DC. Our booksellers each have their unique niche, whether it's queer horror comics, anarchist sci-fi, or quirky philosophical novels from radical small presses, and we love when our events can reflect their broad spectrum of literary taste.

Other details:
Pay range: $51,500 ($24.76/hr) to $61,800 ($29.71/hr), 5% of salary bonus
Salaried position, exempt from overtime
40 hours per week, some evenings and weekend shifts expected

Expectations and responsibilities:
- Be the point person for all events and programming at Lost City Books
- Lead and host all in store and out of store events
- Work and fill bookseller, supervisor shifts as necessary
- Contribute to the overall success and efficiency of the bookstore by assisting customers, working the register, shelving books, restocking the floor, keeping event areas tidy and organized, etc.
- Generate event and programming ideas; follow through with their operational success
- Follow local and national book news and trends
- Review event grids and publisher catalogues on Edelweiss in order to pitch events
- Curate event programming for the store that aligns with Lost City’s priorities and appeals to our customers while also bringing in new faces
- Communicate and coordinate with authors, publisher contacts, community leaders, and local and national organizations seeking to partner with Lost City Books on events and programming
- Coordinate book club dates, book club member outreach, and promotion of book clubs with hosts
- Assist buyers with ordering event books and other supplies
- Coordinate social media promotion, newsletter content, and event schedule
- Initiate promotions, marketing strategies, and outreach
- Attend Leadership Team meetings and coordinate with other department managers to contribute to the overall functioning of the store
- Occasionally travel to attend professional conferences, educational sessions, and workshops

Requirements:
- Must meet the general principles of Lost City at all times
- Must be motivated, high energy, and positive
- Skilled communicator
- Excellent customer service
- Thorough understanding of LCB’s systems
- Minimum 2 years of experience as an event manager or other relevant position, thorough understanding of publishing and the book industry and a drive to continue to learn more
- This is a physically demanding job that sometimes requires working long days, standing for long periods, carrying boxes and chairs, and moving heavy items. Physical stamina and the ability to lift 40 pounds are necessary.

- Weekend and evening availability is a must! This position is specifically for shifts that include evenings and weekend work.

- This is not a short term position. We are looking to hire someone interested in working with us for at least one year.

Candidates from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in bookselling and publishing are highly encouraged to apply!

To submit your application, click here.

About Lost City Books:

Lost City Books is an independent bookstore offering used, new, and rare books to the Adams Morgan and greater D.C. community.