Careers

Volunteer Coordination

• Serve as the organization’s Volunteer Coordinator, with primary responsibility for volunteer management for the annual Texas Book Festival.
• Recruit, engage, and retain volunteers, including Volunteer Committee Chairs (VCCs), to support Festival and year-round programming.
• Manage volunteer systems and communications, including volunteer registration, scheduling, training, and ongoing communication before, during, and after events
• Develop and refine volunteer policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure a welcoming, organized, and effective volunteer experience.
• Lead the annual Jan Hughes Volunteer of the Year Award process, including nominations, selection, recognition, and celebration of the recipient.

Annual Festival Coordination and Logistics

• Liaise with Festival logistics team to help manage Festival venues, tents, maps, banners, signage, exhibitors, and food vendors and to help produce Festival-related materials including footprint map layout, badges, parking passes, and load-in information.
• Coordinate venue contracts, catering, bartending and staffing for Festival author hospitality events and ensure that branded signage is installed at events.
• Work with Lit Crawl Coordinator to select venues, staff, and create runs of shows for Lit Crawl programming.
• During Festival Weekend, manage VCC communication and assist Jann Girard with Festival set-up and break down, including step and repeat banners, Authors’ Green Room set up and supplies, trash collection, signage, uHaul rentals, seasonal staff work distribution, and VCC supply deployment and return.
• Liaise with Author Registration and Guides VCCs.
• Oversee production of TBF merchandise, including Festival poster, T-shirts, totes and other merch for sale, volunteer and VCC t-shirts and giveaway collateral; work with merchandise vendors on deadlines and deliverables.
• Oversee sales of TBF exhibitor booths, including website management, creation and tracking of invoices, and communicating with exhibitors leading up to Festival weekend.
• Negotiate room blocks at local hotels.

School and Community Programs Logistical Support

• Work with the Director of Youth Programs to schedule travel, lodging, and meals related to Reading Rock Stars and Real Reads visits throughout the state, for authors and TBF staff.
• Create and distribute travel itineraries for all authors and staff; serve as primary contact for travel questions and concerns.
• Coordinate distribution of signed bookplates to authors and schools.
• Track programming expenses.

General support

• Maintain an updated inventory of TBF storage unit.
• Manage and order supply requests from TBF staff, working within supply budget, including branded letterhead and other stationery.
• Manage office equipment (printer, phones, server, ipads, wifi hotspot), scheduling maintenance as needed and researching best prices for toner cartridges and paper
• Assist with retention and organization of paper and electronic files
• Keep office organized and clean, stocked with necessary supplies.
• Coordinate book donations and consignment of unwanted books.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Actively participate in and contribute to the organization’s long-term strategic goals and success.
• Actively contribute to a positive, professional, and respectful work environment. 
• Staff TBF events around Austin and beyond in the absence of a conflict; support TBF team members when they need help with event production and staffing, traveling for school outreach programs and working at the annual Gala.
• Embrace the all-in commitment required to make the annual Festival a success and understand that evening and weekend work will be expected from time to time. Flexible hours and generous time off in the off-season are provided in recognition of extra work time needed for the Festival.

• Bachelor’s degree (or requisite experience)
• At least two years of relevant work experience in event planning and execution
• Experience in recruiting, motivating, and managing volunteers 
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and presentation) 
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Strong technological aptitude: familiarity with and flexibility across platforms and operating systems expected
• Ability to think creatively, to problem solve and promote the Texas Book Festival
• Dedication and enthusiasm for fulfilling the Texas Book Festival mission
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends when needed
• Frequent travel required (including driving Festival U-Haul annually) and ability to lift 40 lbs