National Mall, Washington, DC

Public Engagement Coordinator

A non-profit established in 1998, The Cultural Landscape Foundation® (TCLF) connects people to places. TCLF educates and engages the public to make our shared landscape heritage more visible, identify its value, and empower its stewards. TCLF achieves this mission through the ongoing development of its three core programs:

  • What’s Out There®, North America’s largest and most exhaustive database of cultural landscapes;
  • Pioneers of American Landscape Design®, an in-depth multimedia library, inclusive of video oral histories, chronicling the lives of significant landscape architects and educators;
  • Landslide®, an ongoing collection of important landscapes and landscape features that are threatened and at-risk.

TCLF is headquartered in light-filled offices in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s, Dupont Circle neighborhood. If you thrive when given a diverse set of tasks, please get in touch!  Check us out at www.tclf.org.

Scope and Impact

We are seeking a Public Engagement Coordinator responsible for the planning and execution of multiple key foundation events. Public programs open TCLF to wider audiences, offering opportunities to engage and draw people out into their communities and to explore the unique landscape legacy and local character of other cities. Our annual programs range from major conferences to more intimate tours by smaller groups of exquisite residential gardens and take place across the U.S.

General Description

The Public Engagement Coordinator will work closely with TCLF Executive Leadership to execute events and programs for TCLF.

Overarching job details include:
Manage pre-event details such as event collateral, registration, and invitation process
Manage customer service for TCLF events
Maintain and update events pages on the website and on Eventbrite
Manage event details as assigned
Attend events as needed to oversee set-up, execution, and/or wrap-up of event.

Specific program responsibilities include:

Annual Silent Auction

Held in one of the largest booths at the American Society of Landscape Architects Conference on Landscape Architecture 2019, TCLF's annual silent auction features more than 90 pieces of art created by landscape architects, architects, artists, photographers, and others. This year’s auction will be held in San Diego, California, on November 16-17.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Create an event listing on the TCLF website. Assemble a list of potential auction donors and search for new donors.Work with donor artists to complete the donation information form. Work with staff at ASLA in addition to tradeshow vendors to arrange the booth setup. Compile auction catalog. Create wall placards for each art piece.  Arrange for framing of certain pieces of art.  As pieces arrive at TCLF, take inventory of each item including weight measurements, and number the boxes that the pieces arrive in, opening each to inspect the piece for damage. Put together a list of suggested minimum bid amounts. Set up shipping of auction items to the auction site.  Line-up volunteers to help with TCLF auction. Find a shipper in the auction site area that will do on-site packing/shipping of bid winning items to new owners.  Travel to the site of conference for auction booth setup over two days, then working at the booth the following two days.  At the close of the auction, working with shipper to remove the art pieces from the booth and transport them to the shipper’s truck.  Follow through on any issues that may arise as the event is wrapped up.

Garden Dialogues

In 2019, Garden Dialogues focuses on the work of twelve to fifteen practitioners in destinations including Connecticut, the Hamptons, New York, San Francisco, Baton Rouge, and Seal Harbor, Maine and others. Held on various weekend days from April to October, each Dialogue will visit two or three of an individual designer’s projects; some Dialogues will include a luncheon while others will have a reception.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Work closely with TCLF leadership and landscape architecture firms to successfully arrange tours. Determine the date and time for the Dialogue; gather project information such as project name, site description, client address and meeting place, special instructions, images; determine firm tour guides; assist with marketing the event by securing partnerships with local ASLA chapters or botanical gardens, local event calendars; post and make updates to website content; coordinate event registration and check-in lists; coordinate production of eblasts and brochure with TCLF visual content staff, assist with processing of event contracts, certificates of insurance, and event requests as needed; process tax receipts and LA CES® credits.

Traveling Exhibitions

TCLF has three traveling photographic exhibitions on the road – “The Landscape Architectural Legacy of Dan Kiley”, which started in November 2013, “The New American Garden: The Landscape Architecture of Oehme, van Sweden,” which began in October 2015, and “The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin”, which began in November 2016.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Act as principal liaison between TCLF and all present and future exhibition venues; maintain a spread sheet indicating all past, present and future bookings for the exhibitions; maintain and update dedicated exhibition microsites; work with TCLF Executive Leadership to reach out to and negotiate future exhibition rentals at museums, universities and cultural institutions; arrange shipping through USA Art; work with TCLF legal counsel to negotiate exhibition rental contracts; manage gallery guides orders and sales; and handle all other exhibition-related logistics as needed.

Prosecco & Prose

Receptions held at TCLF headquarters with the author on-hand to sign his/her book.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Arrange for purchase of books from publishers; create, send, and manage electronic invitations; order food and beverage; clean-up after the event.

And assist with other foundation events as assigned.

Preparation and Knowledge

  • Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university (or equivalent experience)
  • 2-3 years progressively responsible and successful meeting and event-planning experience with a professional association or other organization, including overall knowledge/experience of registration, logistics, CEUs, program development, and audio-visual support
  • Methodical and strategic thinking, combined with creativity
  • High degree of accuracy and excellent attention to detail
  • Ability to interact professionally at all levels, both internally and externally
  • Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and meet hard deadlines
  • Positive, energetic, can-do attitude; a team player, but one who takes the initiative
  • Must be able to remain calm under pressure, and at times make decisions quickly, with maturity and sound judgment
  • Exceptional computer skills, including demonstrated proficiency with Windows-based MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database management. Salesforce.com, Eventbrite, and Adobe CS a plus
  • Social media familiarity and experience, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter
  • Passion for and commitment to TCLF’s mission
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Salary will be commensurate with experience. TCLF offers an attractive benefits package with health, Rx, vision, and dental plans; paid leave and holidays; and a Matching-Simple IRA retirement plan. Please send application materials (cover letter and resume) as PDF attachments using the subject line “Public Engagement Coordinator – Your Name” to team@tclf.org.

TCLF is an Equal Opportunity employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse staff. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or other categories protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Experience: Planning and executing complex events simultaneously and on deadline: 2 years (preferred)

Education: Bachelor’s degree

Application Deadline: February 4, 2019