HIRING Full Time Event Manager Bay Area 2024

Event Manager

Full Time Exempt Employee

About Make it Mariko

Make it Mariko (pronounced MAH-ree-ko) is an award-winning creative events agency led by women of color that creates magical, meaningful moments for the community. We are experience curators, community activators, corporate planners, nonprofit advocates, and event enthusiasts.

We are committed to curating creative, inclusive, and diverse spaces in the events industry to challenge the status quo and pave the way for a new generation of event experience curators. Our company was founded in 2015 by Gina Mariko Rosales and we have a wide network of creative partners, vendors, and clients that we work with throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

We do Experience Design, Planning & Production for:

Events & Curated Experiences
Brand Activations & Launches
Corporate Events
Festivals (like UNDISCOVERED SF & POC Food & Wine Festival)
Conferences & Summits
Social Impact Events
Special Events (Holiday Parties, milestone birthdays, etc)
Weddings

Learn more about our company values and hear our origin store here: www.makeitmariko.com/about.

About the Role

The Make It Mariko Event Manager will work closely with Founder & Chief Experience Officer (CEO), Gina Rosales, to plan multiple client events including UNDISCOVERED SF Creative Market, corporate and nonprofit events, and weddings. This will be a Full Time Exempt Employee position with lots of room for growth within our growing agency.

We’re looking for someone with past experience managing events/weddings including venue & vendor management, event layouts, loading packets, and event design. This is a great opportunity for a talented events person who LOVES the logistical side of events, who wants to work on larger scale events, be a part of a small, growing team, and manage high impact projects directly with clients.

We’re looking for someone who already knows they love events and weddings, and are looking for a place to set down some roots and grow in the industry.

Make It Mariko is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our team. Women of color are highly encouraged to apply.

What We’re Looking For:

At least 3-4 years professional experience working directly in Events, Project Management, and/or Marketing. Past Client Experience is a plus.
Someone who LOVES the nitty gritty logistical details of events. You think well organized spreadsheets are sexy, slide decks are your best friend, and you pride yourself on being detail oriented.
Must have some past experience with weddings.
Someone who has active working relationships with Bay Area vendors already (rentals, DJs, A/V, lighting, designers, photographers, etc) is preferred.
Demonstrated ability to deliver an exceptional experience for clients.
Strong problem solver who is resourceful and can find creative solutions to any challenge.
Great interpersonal skills – you enjoy interacting with people and building new relationships.
Impact driven work – We work hard, and we work smart. We are looking for someone who stays focused on goals and impact.
Strong communication skills – verbal, written and presentation – and can confidently pitch in both a 1:1 and group setting.
Someone who thrives in ambiguity and is highly attuned to people’s needs.
Past experience working with artists/arts orgs, social justice orgs, or nonprofits is a plus
Confident creative writing skills. Must use the Oxford comma 😉
Understands culturally sensitive language and understands how to write/speak appropriately about POC & marginalized communities
Ability to work remotely and work in San Francisco at least twice a week (Tuesdays or Thursdays), but potentially more depending on need.
Flexibility to work evenings or weekends depending on when events are happening.

Key Responsibilities:

Event Planning and Coordination

Develop event concepts, themes, and objectives in collaboration with clients and stakeholders
Create detailed event plans, timelines, loading schedules, and Run of Show
Coordinate logistical aspects of events including venue selection, rentals, catering & bar, decor, A/V, security, transportation, and accommodations
Update client slide decks & documents frequently
Project management using ClickUp. Communicate directly with the team, schedule meetings, take notes, and follow up with updates and action items.
Write copy for events and guest communications as needed

Marketing

Assist with writing copy for relevant event blogs

Vendor and Stakeholder Management

Identify and negotiate with vendors and suppliers to secure necessary services and products.
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, vendors, and stakeholders.

Staffing & Day-of Event Management

Oversee event setup, execution, and teardown
Create staffing plans for events and schedule staff
Manage event staff, including volunteers and temporary workers
Ensure events run smoothly and address any issues or emergencies that arise.

Budget Management

Prepare and manage event budgets, ensuring all expenses are tracked and within budget
Negotiate contracts and pricing with vendors
Provide detailed financial reports and event debriefs

Client and Attendee Engagement

Serve as the main point of contact for clients and attendees before, during, and after events.
Gather feedback from clients and attendees to improve future events

Compliance and Risk Management

Ensure all events comply with local, state, and federal regulations
Identify potential risks and develop contingency plans
Maintain safety and security protocols

Why you might be excited about Make it Mariko:

We are working on BIG, high impact projects this year like working towards running our own venue!
You will be constantly surrounded by and introduced to amazingly talented and inspiring creatives and artists.
You will get invited to a lot of awesome industry parties, events, happy hours, and karaoke of course 🙂 These events are the best way to build your network in this industry.
You’ll be able to work remotely and set your own schedule for the most part.

Why you might NOT be excited about us:

We operate like a lean, mean startup. Everyone pitches in and helps as needed. No one is too good to clean up garbage or carry barricades, even our CEO.
The work moves fast and changes happen frequently in this industry. If you don’t manage change well, this is not the company for you.
We like working in person when we can, and we’re San Francisco based (and proud!). Most industry parties and community events happen in SF as well.
We often deal with complex challenges and ambiguous goals. The pace changes often, clients often don’t know what they want, and they pay us to figure that out for them.

Additional Details & How to Apply

Hours: Full Time Exempt position (40 hours per week)

Compensation: Budgeted Salary Range: $65K – 75K, commensurate with experience

Employee Benefits:

Monthly stipends for Healthcare and Cell phone
Monthly travel stipend for commuting to office
Annual company retreat
Annual company Anniversary party
Professional Development opportunities

Location: San Francisco, CA

We will co-work together at least twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and potentially more depending on need from our San Francisco office, which is currently located at Balay Kreative Studios (863 Mission St) in SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District. We are committed to building community in the cultural district with our events, and are looking for someone who feels equally excited about this work. All other work can be done remotely.

How To Apply

Please email jobs@makeitmariko.com with the subject line “Your Name / EVENT MANAGER”, and include the following:

A Cover Letter in the form of an email describing your interest, experience, and background. Please make sure to address the following:
1. Why you want to join the Make it Mariko team
2. Your relevant experience for this role based on this job description (What events have you planned before? How many attendees? What companies have you worked for?)
Resume (PDFs only)
Video Introduction – Create a short video (less than 2 minutes!) to introduce yourself and tell us in your own words why you’re interested in working with Make it Mariko. This should be a super casual video just shot on your phone – no need to do fancy editing or captions. Keep it short and sweet and just be yourself 🙂
OPTIONAL: Event Portfolio showing past events you’ve worked on and your role and that can showcase your design style.

Pro Tips

NO CALLS. Questions are encouraged during the interview process.
Please follow directions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
We can spot a Chat GPT cover letter within seconds. We will spend just as much time reviewing your application as you spend writing it. So please make sure to personalize.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the right candidate is found. Interviews will begin immediately.