Strawbery Banke Museum is seeking a creative and experienced Director of Events to oversee its signature events, community gatherings and private rentals, delivering memorable visitor experiences while growing the museum's events programme and generating revenue.
Located in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Strawbery Banke Museum is a living history museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting more than 300 years of local history. Its nearly ten-acre campus features historic buildings, gardens, exhibitions and gathering spaces that connect visitors with the stories of the people who lived and worked in the neighbourhood.
The Director of Events will play a key leadership role in developing and delivering successful events, collaborating across museum departments and strengthening the organisation's position as a distinctive destination for community gatherings and private functions.
About the role
The Director of Events is responsible for overseeing the museum's signature events, community events and site rentals for external individuals and organisations.
The successful candidate will lead staff from multiple departments in planning and delivering events, evaluate their financial performance and identify opportunities to grow the museum's rental and community events business.
The position also serves as the primary contact for site rentals and is supported by paid staff and volunteers.
Key responsibilities
- Plan, coordinate and oversee the museum's signature events, community gatherings and private rentals.
- Lead cross-departmental teams to ensure events are delivered successfully and professionally.
- Develop creative event concepts and engaging experiences that reflect the museum's unique historic setting.
- Manage relationships with external clients, event organisers, suppliers and community partners.
- Serve as the main point of contact for site rentals, coordinating enquiries and event requirements.
- Grow the museum's site rental and community events programmes year on year.
- Evaluate event performance, including return on investment, and identify opportunities to improve revenue and operational efficiency.
- Collaborate with museum colleagues to coordinate staffing, facilities, logistics and event delivery.
- Support and coordinate paid staff and volunteers involved in event operations.
- Maintain high standards of visitor experience, customer service and event organisation.
Experience and requirements
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
- Experience planning and delivering events, ideally within a museum, cultural attraction, heritage organisation or comparable venue.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
- Experience coordinating staff, volunteers, suppliers and external stakeholders.
- Commercial awareness and an understanding of event budgets, revenue generation and return on investment.
- Excellent communication, relationship management and customer service skills.
- Creativity and the ability to develop engaging visitor and community experiences.
- The ability to manage multiple events and competing priorities effectively.
- A collaborative leadership style and a commitment to the museum's mission.
Salary and benefits
The position offers an annual salary of $60,000–$70,000.
Benefits include health, dental and vision insurance, retirement benefits with employer matching, paid time off and life insurance.
Some evening and weekend work may be required to support museum events.
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Director of Events in Portsmouth employer: Blooloop
At CONDUCTR, we pride ourselves on being a vibrant and inclusive workplace that fosters creativity and innovation. As a Junior Creative, you'll have the opportunity to grow within a dynamic team that values collaboration and personal development, all while working in the heart of Manchester. With a competitive benefits package and recognition as a Great Place to Work®, we are committed to creating unforgettable experiences for both our clients and our employees.
