Venue Sales & Events Manager - Crane Estate

Who We Are:

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is Massachusetts’ premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org. 

Posting Information:

• Act as the main point of contact for all wedding and private event bookings at your venue, managing every step of the process including responding to initial inquiries, conducting tours, answering questions, closing on the booking for each event, and day-of coordination and management.  

• Own and achieve annual booking, revenue, profitability, and utilization goals for assigned venue(s).  

• Actively support lead generation and venue promotion by partnering with the exclusive caterer, photographers, planners, and industry professionals to increase awareness and drive new business. 

• Oversee event planning, coordination, and day-of execution for assigned events.  

• Collaborate with property staff for support of events and management of the events calendar, communicating event details clearly and accurately to all stakeholders.  

• Ensure adherence to Trustees policies, venue standards, historic preservation requirements, safety procedures, and operational expectations.  

• Manage venue timelines, logistics, staffing coordination, setup, execution, and post-event follow-up.  

• Supervise set-up and day-of operations for private events, including deliveries, wedding parties, all vendors, parking, and guest registration.  

• Coordinate with property staff to ensure that events are closed out following appropriate procedures.  

• Complete post-event evaluation of event success, and follow-up as needed with caterer, vendors and/or staff.  

• Serve as the primary client relationship manager throughout the sales and event lifecycle.  

• Act as a trusted advisor, providing expert recommendations and guidance from inquiry through event execution.  

• Provide direction and recommendations to clients, strategically presenting options appropriate for the event and venue.   

• Create outstanding experiences that generate positive reviews, referrals, and repeat business.  

• Maintain high standards of communication, responsiveness, professionalism, and service excellence.  

• Champion a One Trustees Portfolio approach by collaborating across venues and sharing qualified leads when another venue is a better fit.  

• Identify opportunities to connect event clients and guests to additional Trustees experiences, memberships, programs, retail offerings, and philanthropic initiatives.  

• Support development of ancillary revenue opportunities associated with private events, such as retail gifts. 

• Maintain accurate records within venue management systems. 

• Evaluate event success and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. 

• Coordinate with property team to ensure that event calendar is optimized and not in conflict with programming and other mission-related uses. 
• Perform other assigned tasks that support private event sales and execution and the mission of the organization. 

This is a full-time, exempt position (40 hours a week) reporting directly to the Regional Vice President with a dotted line to the Director of Enterprise Partnerships.

What You’ll Need: 

Skills and Experience: 

• Demonstrated history of meeting or exceeding revenue and sales goals.  

• Proven ability to generate new business and build a strong sales pipeline. Strong consultative selling, negotiation, and closing skills, with hospitality and service-oriented mindset.  

• Degree from an accredited college or university, or comparable experience. 

• 5 to 9 years of sales and management in hospitality, preferably in cultural institutions   
• 2+ years of self-managed experience in weddings, corporate events, and event management and coordination.

• Excellent organizational and event management skills; ability to initiate, plan, prioritize and oversee multiple events successfully.    

• Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently.  

• Persuasive communicator, excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to foster client and vendor relationships. 

• Superior knowledge of event/meeting logistics including catering, audio/visual, strategic event layout, and general event operations/management.  

• Results and deadline driven with strong ability to work independently.  

• Positive, outgoing, and attentive demeanor, professional appearance, and consistently delivers high-impact customer service experience. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, with ability to learn a sales and venue management program. 

• Flexibility to adapt to a varied work schedule and event scheduling demands. 

Preferred: 

• Familiarity with Tripleseat booking platform and Canva. 

• Past catering or venue sales experience at cultural institutions. 

• Understanding of sustainable practices for weddings and other events. 

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment. 

• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check. 

• Must be able to stand, walk, reach and bend for more than 50% of working hours. 

• Must be able to lift upwards of 40 pounds. 

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.    

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity. 

 It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.  

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org.