Communications Coordinator

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival produces an annual cherry blossom festival in celebration of Vancouver’s approximately 20,000 cherry trees blossoming in March and April. The festival’s goals are to:

• Connect – We connect people through engaging, accessible, inclusive and family-friendly programming. We build community and cross-cultural understanding.
• Celebrate – We celebrate Vancouver’s love affair with the cherry blossom, enjoying each moment of the fleeting season.
• Collaborate – We collaborate with dedicated volunteers and community partners to build innovative arts and cultural programs.
• Educate – We educate people about the story of the cherry tree and its life in Vancouver.

THE ROLE

This position is for someone who possesses both an eye for design and the organizational skills to manage many details. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is a small, but far reaching non-profit organization. As such, each member of our team wears many hats and needs to be flexible in order to make the annual festival a success.

The primary focus of this position is to work closely with the Executive Director on the creation and distribution of communications including proposals and reports for sponsors and community partners, newsletters, website content and updates, press releases and social media content. This position is also responsible for managing the VCBF google drive, mailchimp, dropbox and other digital resources.

COMMUNICATIONS:

• Maintain open lines of communication with Festival networks, utilizing platforms such as gmail and Mailchimp, as well as relevant social media channels.
• Regularly review and update festival-related information on the vcbf.ca website.
• Enhance festival visibility by creating engaging content to be used on various social media channels managed by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
• Actively engage with social media followers and collaborate with sponsors, community partners, and other influencers.
• Create graphics using Canva or Adobe programs or utilize Festival-owned images (giving due credit to photographers) to promote Festival programs and events.
• Stay up-to-date with social media trends while upholding a professional and respectful online presence.

PROJECT COORDINATION (including The Big Picnic, Sakura Days Japan Fair, and the Haiku Invitational, among others):

• Assist with the administration and execution of events, rehearsals, and workshops, including ticketing platforms like Eventbrite and Tickit.
• Coordinate logistics with volunteers, community partners, and talent involved in events.
• Maintain ongoing communication with program participants via email.

ADMINISTRATION:

• Provide support to the Executive Director by handling administrative tasks, such as processing invoices, organizing tax receipts, and managing documents on platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive.
• Stay in touch with web developers to address any technical issues related to the vcbf.ca website.

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS:

• Attend both in-person and online events and programs to oversee and manage assigned responsibilities.
• Capture photos and videos using a personal camera for real-time social media sharing or for later use in creating Instagram reels and TikToks.
• Provide assistance at the Festival information booth, supporting staff, volunteers, sponsors, community partners, and vendors.

This is a contract position with variable hours. Expected start date: April 22, 2024.

From May – November the hours will likely be between 10-20 hours per week. From December until the end of April, the hours will be between 25-40 hours per week. Working times may vary and will include evenings and weekends at times, especially during festival season.

This can be a primarily work from home position with one required office day during the off-season and increased office time closer to the festival season.

The contract amount will range from $1000-$4160 per month depending on the number of hours worked.

Expected Skills and Experience:

• Event production or project management experience
• Demonstrated ability to create work plans and manage many details
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Experience creating content with Canva or Adobe programs
• Ability to problem solve and analyze situations from multiple perspectives
• Competence with Google Suite, Adobe Suite or Canva, mailchimp and ticketing platforms
• Ability to develop rapport with sponsors, volunteers and community partners
• Drivers License an asset

Desired Personal Attributes:

• Energy and enthusiasm for community building events
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Self-motivated
• Positive Attitude

Please reply to [email protected] with a resume and a cover letter that highlights your skills and experience that are relevant to this position and why you would like to be part of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Please feel free to include samples of your design creations or written pieces.

Deadline to apply is: April 6, 2024