Coordinator, World Voices Festival and Literary Programs

PEN America, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks a creative, motivated and detail-oriented World Voices Festival and Literary Programs coordinator to support the day-to-day operations of the World Voices Festival and literary programs department, and assist with curation, logistics, and outreach for a year-round schedule of public events. The coordinator will support our ambition for engaging a growing audience with high-quality and innovative events that address our literary and free expression advocacy missions. This is a full-time position based at PEN America’s New York City headquarters and reports to the senior director of literary programs.

The successful candidate will be part of a close-knit, mission-driven staff in a professional environment. This candidate understands tight deadlines and is able to coordinate with a network of internal and external partners to assist with the work. The individual will find value in the position’s exposure to prominent and emerging voices in the literary scene and pressing challenges for free expression in the United States and internationally.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the senior director of literary programs and senior producer with the execution of World Voices Festival and literary programs, including curation, event logistics, ticketing, talent management, front of house, back of house, and post-event follow-up to ensure a seamless experience for participants, audience, staff, seasonal contractors, and volunteers
• Assist in researching prospective authors, their work, and issues for the curatorial team, and contribute ideas for innovative programming that help draw new audiences and cultivate new stakeholders
• Coordinate with Free Expression Programs and Membership and National Engagement departments to collaborate on the World Voices Festival programming opportunities
• Help build and maintain strong relationships with new and established partners and sponsors including cultural venues, organizations, and other outlets to support marketing, grassroot outreach, and audience development for the World Voices Festival and other literary programs 
• Support the senior producer and seasonal box office contractor to ensure timely and accurate box office reporting for the World Voices Festival and other literary programs 
• Administer all electronic communications for the World Voices Festival and literary programs: coordinate with the communications to create web pages on pen.org, build and disseminate email blasts, create graphic design artwork, printing of event marketing materials, and facilitate social media promotion
• In collaboration with other literary programs team members, help curate and execute the PEN Ten interview series and other editorial content originating from the literary programs department, such as reading lists
• Track and categorize expenses according to budgets for the World Voices Festival and literary programs
• Maintain and update the World Voices Festival and literary programs department data and filing system on Google Drive
• Coordinate hiring and training of interns and volunteers for the literary programs department
• Support the writing and production of major funder applications and reports
• Other responsibilities as defined by the senior director of literary programs

All PEN America staff are considered to be stakeholders in the development of our shared organization. As such, staff play a role in varied activities within the workplace as part of their job responsibilities. These may include committees or task forces to work on office issues, diversity and inclusion, strategy projects, training, or other initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and strong academic credentials
• At least one year of experience of event planning and producing events
• Superb organizational and process management skills
• Excellent attention to detail and proofreading skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, and ability to think creatively and collaboratively
• Formidable work ethic and high energy level, with ability to multi-task effectively
• Demonstrated interest in literature and the literary community 
• Exemplary team player with professional demeanor and ability to work independently
• Familiarity with G-Suite, WordPress, Donor Perfect, and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, etc.) 
• Willing to work some nights and weekends to support PEN America events when agreed upon in advance with supervisor

Salary and Benefits: PEN America offers competitive compensation and benefits, commensurate with experience.

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume, unedited writing sample, and the contact information for three references. Submit the entire application to jobs@pen.org. Please use “Coordinator, World Voices Festival and Literary Programs” with your name as the subject of your email (for example, “Coordinator, World Voices Festival and Literary Programs – Jane Doe”). Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

PEN America is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

No phone calls, please.  

About PEN America:

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.