Rental Events Coordinator

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a community hub where people gather to celebrate Latinx culture through transformative exhibitions, music, dance, culinary arts, and multigenerational art-making and storytelling experiences.

Housed in two historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles, LA Plaza is adjacent to Olvera Street at El Pueblo de Los Angeles. It includes a museum, a 30,000-square-foot outdoor space with a performance stage, an edible garden, and LA Cocina de Gloria Molina, a teaching kitchen and flexible event space that spotlights the history, culture, and influence of Mexican and Mexican American cuisine.

Established in 2011, LA Plaza is a Los Angeles County cultural institution and a Smithsonian affiliate museum. More information is available at www.lapca.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the Rental Events Manager, and working closely with the Venue Production Coordinator, the Rental Events Coordinator acts as a liaison and a primary point of contact for internal and external events, developing and maintaining client and vendor relationships to ensure excellent customer service, proper planning, and execution of events.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as primary point of contact for rental inquiries and responds in a timely, effective, and proactive manner.

• Responsible for pre-event and on-site communication with clients to ensure accurate fulfillment of events.

• Coordinate event details with rental client and maintain an appropriate event planning timeline.

• Proactively anticipate and troubleshoot any emerging issues during planning process and on event day.

• Support the management of events on the day of, including event set-up, communication with staff (security, janitorial and others), organizing vendors, and managing load-out.

• Maintain an efficient billing system; prepare, submit, and reconcile invoices, purchase orders, and other financial transactions.

• Communicate with other LA Plaza departments to ensure all outside contract staff have been scheduled.

• Maintain and update the rental events calendar for organization. • Provide follow-up after event to ensure satisfaction of clients.

• Other duties as assigned

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum two years of event coordinating/management experience, preferably at a cultural institution or non-profit organization.

• Must have excellent organizational, customer service and verbal/written communication skills.

• Self-starter comfortable with taking initiative.

• Familiarity and experience working with Latinx communities desirable; bilingual skills preferred.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

• Internet competency and strong computer proficiency, including the Microsoft Office software suite (primarily Word, Excel, SharePoint, etc.) and a familiarity with QuickBooks or other accounting software.

• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the job; frequent sitting and standing, walking, typing, bending, kneeling, crouching, climbing stairs and ladders, lifting, pulling, and carrying up to 30 pounds.

• Must be available to work evenings and weekends when needed and have a valid California driver’s license and comprehensive automobile insurance coverage, as required by law.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

• Full Time, Non-Exempt
• Schedule fluctuates depending on event calendar, and often includes weekend or late-night hours. Work-from-home days are available when calendar permits.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PACKAGE

• Salary $44,000 per year
• $50.00 monthly cell phone/internet stipend 
•  Free parking
• Individual health, dental, and vision care
• Non-match 401K
• Direct Deposit of paycheck
• Employee discount in LA Tienda
• Optional AFLAC coverage
• 90-day introductory period
• Mileage reimbursement
• Facility rental fee waived for one (1) personal event per year.
• Paid holidays (13), five mental health days annually, plus two-weeks paid time off the last week of December and first week of January annually. For 2025, Thanksgiving closure Monday, November 24, to Wednesday, November 26, in addition to the scheduled holiday closures on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Extensive interaction with clients and LA Plaza staff in-person, as well as by phone/video calls and email.
• Office environment in a museum setting.
• Significant computer work (repetitive movement – typing).
• Event days are fast paced and require quick decision making and problem solving.
• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the job, including frequent sitting standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, climbing stairs, lifting, pulling, and carrying up to 30 pounds.
• LA Plaza will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the responsibilities of the position.