Event Director 2022

Full Time Employee

About Make it Mariko

Make it Mariko (pronounced MAH-ree-ko) is a Bay Area event production & design company creating magical, meaningful moments for the community. We are experience curators, community organizers, 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.

Types of events we work on:

Brand Launches & Activations
Corporate & Community Conferences
Corporate Leadership Summits & Internal Events (like Holiday Parties)
Community Festivals (like UNDISCOVERED SF, our flagship event)
Nonprofit Fundraisers
Weddings

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

Make it Mariko is looking to build our new team with refreshed and renewed energy for 2022 and beyond!

About the Role

The Make it Mariko Event Director will work closely with Founder & Chief Experience Officer (CEO), Gina Rosales, and be her right hand person for a variety of events and projects in 2022. We are looking for a seasoned marketing & events professional who has a proven track record of Client & Project Management experience, strong vendor relationships already built, and can get to work quickly with minimal direction. The Event Director will do a range of event planning work ranging from talking to clients, vendor & venue management, working with designers, managing day-of events independently, writing event copy, event design, event budgeting/accounting, and more.

This is a great opportunity for someone in the events industry who wants to work on a more intimate team and work on multiple high impact community and corporate events in the San Francisco Bay Area creative community. You will be working directly with our clients and most importantly, with our amazing creative vendor community of POC producers, stage managers, photographers, videographers, graphic designers, DJs, performers, and more. We’re looking for someone who is as passionate about our mission as us, and who wants to grow and build with us.

We will co-work together at least 2 times per week from our San Francisco office at Balay Kreative Studios in SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District, and the rest of the work is done remotely. 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. You’re expected to be available for client and team meetings that happen during the weekdays between 10:30am-6pm, but outside of that you will set your own hours.

This year we are working on BIG projects, like putting plans in motion to purchase our first Event Space/Ranch! I’m looking for someone who can help take the lead on Make it Mariko client events, so that I can carve out time to work on the Ranch project.

Women of Color are highly encouraged to apply.

About Your Manager: Gina Mariko Rosales

Hello! I’m a Filipino & Japanese American founder and proud #Pinayista with 12+ years experience in event planning, nonprofit operations, and corporate marketing & events. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and I currently live in San Francisco.
I worked for Google/Google X for 7 years most recently as their Head of Marketing Events. I also run my own nonprofit community called Pinayista.
I’m semi-fresh off of a 3 month sabbatical and I’m looking to reimagine my life and my business so that it better serves my new goals of peace, rest, and connection.
I’m looking to find the right strategic partner who I can trust to manage the day to day client work so I can focus on bigger picture projects, creative direction, and business development. I hope that you’re equally passionate about creating magical, meaningful moments through events as I am.
I care about your career growth and want to make sure you are successful in this industry.
I appreciate sarcasm, lots of laughter, karaoke, wine nights, and direct, honest communication. I see my team as my family and I love hanging out outside of work.

What You’ll Be Doing:

Event & Project Management (90%)

Project manage various client events to ensure we’re staying on track for deadlines and deliverables. Communicate directly with our clients, schedule meetings, take notes at client meetings, and follow up with updates and action items via Clickup.
Venue & Vendor research & proposal creation for client presentations
Vendor quotes & contract review
Work with graphic designers to create design assets for events & swag
Write copy for events and marketing materials
Event design & layout creation, including designing spaces for ideal attendee experience
Work with event sponsors to design custom brand activations
Accounting & budgeting for events and receipt organization
Manage Day-of Coordination independently including clean up and vendor load out
Permit coordination with various city agencies (will provide training on this)
Collaborate across the team to improve team processes, efficiency, and overall happiness
General research, planning, and outreach for events, venues, vendors, or key stakeholders as needed
Eventually manage an Event Coordinator

Apps used: Google GSuite (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Slides, Sheets, Docs), Clickup, LastPass, Bill.com, AllSeated

Event Marketing (10%)

Write impact-focused event blogs after each event with photo wrap ups
Behind the scenes Insta Stories during events
Graphic design & videography coordination when relevant for Client events

Apps used: Mailchimp, Later.com, WordPress, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn

General

Respond to messages in a timely manner and escalate as needed
Build strong relationships with industry professionals, influencers, performers, and community members
Attend weekly team meetings
Professionally represent Make it Mariko at all events

What we’re looking for:

At least 4 years professional experience working directly in Events, Marketing, and/or Business Development. *Must have experience working directly with clients in the past.*
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 purpose. We believe in REST.
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. Being an event planner is often like being a psychologist, as we need to figure out what is best for our client.
Working knowledge of all the apps listed above are a plus. Training will be provided to learn HOW we specifically use each app as a company, but we expect that team members are tech savvy and can learn new apps independently. Please list out in your application each app that you have experience working with.
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 2 days a week
Must be fully vaccinated and stay up to date with Covid booster shots
Ideally has access to a car

Why you might be excited about Make it Mariko:

We are working on BIG, high impact projects this year including purchasing our first Event Space (30+ acres in the Bay Area), all funded by women of color investors! Read about our first attempt at buying here.
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 🙂
We believe in REST. We don’t work on weekends unless it’s an actual event day. You’ll be able to work remotely (besides co working days) 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 have covid protocols in place at our studio.
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 & Compensation

Base salary commensurate with experience
5% commission payments on any event planning revenue from brand new client leads and inquiries originally brought into Make it Mariko and closed by you
Unlimited PTO (with prior approval) and unlimited Sick Days
Monthly phone stipend
Annual company trip

To Apply: Please email jobs@makeitmariko.com with the subject line “Your Name / Event Director”, and include the following:

A Cover Letter describing your interest, experience, and background. Please make sure to address the following:
- Your relevant experience for this role based on this job description
- Why you want to join the Make it Mariko team
- What apps you’re already familiar with from those listed above
Resume (PDFs only!)
Attach or provide a link to a past writing sample or event lookbook that accurately reflects your writing and/or design style.

NO CALLS OR DMs PLEASE.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the right candidate is found. Interviews will begin immediately. Please share with anyone interested.