Events and Communications Specialist

Commute Seattle is a 501c(3) nonprofit Transportation Management Association founded in 2004 with a mission to make it easy for everyone across Puget Sound to walk, ride, or roll to Seattle’s opportunities. We are supported by local governments and transit agencies and are part of a larger organization consisting of the Downtown Seattle Association and Metropolitan Improvement District. Commute Seattle partners with employers and institutions to implement sustainable transportation options and trip reduction strategies that positively change commute behavior, improve quality of life, and support economic and environmental goals.

The Events and Communications Specialist is a vital part of a team supporting a nationally recognized Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program in a city with cutting edge multi-modal transportation and new mobility programs.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Events and Communications Specialist works as part of a team to develop and implement events and communications for key audiences, including people who work at businesses affected by Washington’s Commute Trip Reduction law and large buildings with city-mandated Transportation Management Programs.

This person will promote the use of transit, walking, biking, and other sustainable modes of transportation through educational events and communication materials.

Core elements of this role include:

• Produce and coordinate frequent educational events, including an ongoing webinar series for Employee and Building Transportation coordinators, outreach tabling events such as Bike Everywhere Day, workshops and skill development courses, and fee-for-service events such as transportation fairs.
• Regular coordination with event partners, vendors, public agency contacts, and internal staff.
• Drafting communications materials including monthly e-newsletters and resource one-sheets for Employee and Building Transportation Coordinators.
• Enthusiasm for creating new programming and commitment to expanding access to transportation information.

This work is carried out as part of a team and under a service contract agreement with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Events Curation, Production, and Implementation (50%)

• Plan and execute high
• quality educational events including webinars, workshops, seminars, and resource-sharing activities.
• Help create and oversee event budgets and track event expenses
• Track registrations, solicit attendee feedback, and create post-event wrap-up reports.
• Coordinate outreach to speakers and gather needed promotional material (speaker bios, headshots, etc.).
• Schedule necessary planning meetings and follow up on identified planning/next steps.
• Work with outside vendors and internal Administrative Specialist to secure food & beverage, décor, audio-visual, entertainment, etc., as needed.
• Identify collateral/promotional needs for events (slides, signage, website updates, etc.) and work closely with the Communications Director on the creation and execution of branded event materials.
• Staff all in-person and virtual events, triage any issues, and incorporate opportunities for improvement into future events.
• Create and manage an accurate and up-to-date annual events calendar, avoiding conflicts with other potentially competitive external and internal events.
• Attend coalition calls and partner meetings to cultivate relationships and gain deeper understanding of programs and partners.

Communications Support (40%)

• Produce monthly e-newsletter, for two distinct audiences, including writing and curating content, in collaboration with the Communications Director.
• Manage routine email list maintenance, including adding and tagging new contacts.
• Draft and publish educational content and event listings to the Commute Seattle website using WordPress.
• Develop themes and content for monthly resource one-sheets.

Administration, Professional Development, Team, and Culture (10%)

• Attend training, conferences, and other professional development and networking opportunities.
• Develop meeting agendas, lead, and facilitate the events meeting.
• Attend weekly staff meetings, regular cross-team collaborative meetings, stand-up, and all hands meetings.
• Participate in team- and culture-building events.
• Other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience producing in-person and virtual events
• Familiarity with email campaign tools (e.g. Mailchimp), CRM database, Zoom webinars, and WordPress.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Experience working with multicultural communities or diverse stakeholder groups.

CHARACTERISTICS

Reflect the Downtown Seattle Association’s core values of Collaboration, Perseverance, Innovation, Excellence, and Integrity

• Demonstrates empathy and active listening when working with customers, coworkers, and funders.
• Commitment to equity, with an understanding of how structural barriers impact access to transportation.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities; brings a proactive and systems-thinking mindset to problem solving.
• Collaborative and communicative, with a desire to contribute to a thriving, mobile, and sustainable Seattle.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & ACCESSIBILITY

• Ability to work comfortably at a workstation, with options for ergonomic accommodations such as adjustable chairs, standing desks, or other equipment.
• Ability to lift, bend, and carry event materials up to 25 lbs.
• Proficiency using computer input devices such as keyboards and mice, or alternative input methods.
• Capability to access and interpret information from computer screens.
• Excellent written communication skills for composing emails, reports, and other documents.
• Strong verbal communication skills for interacting with colleagues and clients in person, over the phone, and via video conference.
• Work in person, in a downtown Seattle office environment with moderate noise levels and occasional interruptions multiple days a week, with quiet workspaces or noise-canceling headphones provided.