Event Sales Manager

Job Title: Event Sales Manager
Reports To: Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement
Work Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt

About the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy:

Our vision: A vibrant park system that is welcoming, accessible, and enjoyed by all.
Our mission: We improve quality of life by enhancing and stewarding Pittsburgh’s parks in partnership with the community.

Position Summary:

The Event Sales Manager is an integral member of the Operations and Visitor Engagement team and is responsible for leading, growing, and stewarding the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy's event rental program across several park spaces, including Schenley Plaza, the Schenley Park Visitor Center, Mellon Square, and the Frick Environmental Center.

Reporting to the Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement, the Event Sales Manager serves as the primary point of contact for rental inquiries and manages the client experience from initial inquiry and site visit through contracting, event execution, and post-event follow-up. The position is responsible for achieving annual rental revenue goals, cultivating new and repeat business, and identifying opportunities to strengthen and grow PPC's earned-revenue event program.

Working closely with the Marketing team and Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement, the Event Sales Manager develops and promotes rental opportunities; builds relationships with prospective clients, event planners, vendors, caterers, and community partners; and ensures that events are executed safely, professionally, and in a manner consistent with PPC's mission and stewardship of public park spaces.

Rental events may include corporate meetings and retreats, weddings and celebrations, nonprofit and community gatherings, group events, and other private functions that generate earned revenue in support of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy's mission.

Position Duties:

• Owns the event rental sales process from initial inquiry through contracting, event execution, and post-event follow-up.
• Works with the Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement to establish annual rental revenue goals and strategies to achieve them.
• Proactively develops new rental business through outreach, relationship building, referrals, partnerships, and other lead-generation activities.
• Responds promptly to prospective clients, conducts site tours, develops proposals, and converts qualified inquiries into confirmed rentals.
• Maintains an active pipeline of prospective rentals and tracks inquiries, bookings, revenue, conversion rates, lead sources, repeat business, and other key performance measures.
• Cultivates relationships with past clients, event planners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other partners to generate repeat and referral business.
• Identifies opportunities to improve rental packages, pricing, policies, amenities, and the overall client experience based on market conditions, client feedback, and program performance.
• Works with PPC's Marketing team to develop print and digital promotional materials, strengthen the event rental website, and execute targeted marketing initiatives that generate qualified leads.
• Coordinates all aspects of confirmed event rentals and serves as the primary liaison among clients, vendors, PPC staff, and other stakeholders.
• Manages the organization-wide event calendar to ensure rental holds and confirmed events are accurately and promptly scheduled.
• Works closely with the Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement and OVE Ambassador team to ensure appropriate staffing and seamless event execution.
• Coordinates with City of Pittsburgh personnel, including Park Rangers, the Office of Film and Event Management, and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure rental events comply with PPC and City regulations and policies.
• Manages relationships with preferred vendors and caterers and coordinates event deliveries, load-in, and load-out to support safe and successful events.
• Works with PPC staff to ensure facilities and rental spaces are properly prepared, maintained, and cared for before, during, and after events.
• Works with the Director of Finance to coordinate contracts, deposits, invoicing, payments, and other financial components of the rental process.
• Keeps the Director of Operations and Visitor Engagement regularly informed regarding bookings, revenue performance, prospective business, challenges, and emerging needs.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of event sales, planning, and execution.
• Knowledge of current event industry trends, sales and marketing practices, and the Pittsburgh-area event marketplace.
• Strong sales, relationship-building, negotiation, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to develop new business, manage a sales pipeline, and achieve established revenue goals.
• Ability to independently manage multiple clients, events, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong organizational, time-management, communication, and project-management skills.
• Sound judgment and the ability to identify problems, recommend solutions, and make timely decisions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, respectful, and productive relationships with clients, vendors, colleagues, public agencies, and community partners.
• Commitment to providing exceptional service to a diverse client base.
• Desire to take ownership of the rental event program and serve as a collaborative member of the Operations and Visitor Engagement management team.

Training and Experience:

• Bachelors degree; and/or three (3) or more years of progressively responsible experience in event sales, venue rentals, hospitality, event planning, business development, or a related field.
• Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays, based on the event calendar.
• Demonstrated experience developing client relationships and achieving sales or revenue goals.
• Experience managing weddings, corporate events, private rentals, or other venue-based events strongly preferred.
• Experience with customer relationship management, event management, or related sales and scheduling systems preferred.
  

Compensation & Benefits:

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy offers a competitive compensation and benefits package for eligible full-time employees, including:

• Medical coverage through an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA)
• Employer-paid dental and vision insurance
• Retirement plan with an employer match of up to 8%
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• Paid parental, bereavement, and other applicable leave
• Professional development opportunities
• A flexible work environment with opportunities for hybrid work, based on position responsibilities and organizational needs
  

The PPC is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.