Creative Placemaking Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) is seeking a creative and energetic individual to serve as the organization’s Events & Activations Manager. This role is responsible for managing and supporting a diverse portfolio of experiences ranging from outdoor community programming and festivals, placemaking and sponsor activations, stakeholder receptions, and business gatherings.

The Events Manager is a key member of the Events Department and will work actively with the team to evolve, transform, and refine the events and activations calendar to deliver experiences in one of the fastest growing urban districts in the region. The ideal candidate is a self-starter and innovative thinker with unmatched attention to detail and project management skills, and experience in the events industry.

The Events Manager thrives in a fast-paced, strategic, and collaborative environment. The ideal candidate has experience managing both large-scale outdoor public programming and polished stakeholder events. This person will report directly to the Director of Events & Activations.

• Support the development and execution of an annual events and activations calendar of approximately 100 programs across BID audiences, priorities, and program areas.

• Manage assigned events from concept through completion, ensuring programs advance National Landing’s goals to build community, activate public spaces, strengthen the district brand, and support stakeholder engagement.

• Research event trends, placemaking strategies, potential partners, and emerging best practices to help evolve the BID’s programming and audience experience.

• Assist in defining event goals, success metrics, and post-event evaluation practices to measure impact, attendance, engagement, sponsor value, and operational effectiveness.

• Lead planning and day-of execution for assigned events, translating event goals into detailed production plans, staffing needs, vendor coordination, and onsite operations.

• Serve as onsite lead or key production support, managing vendors, staff, volunteers, registration, speakers, sponsors, elected officials, business leaders, and other key stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain detailed event plans, timelines, run-of-show documents, briefing materials, staffing plans, and production checklists.

• Create and implement contingency plans for outdoor events, including weather, safety, site logistics, and operational adjustments.

• Coordinate event logistics, including permitting, licensing, insurance, contracts, vendor agreements, site plans, sanitation, public safety coordination, emergency preparedness, road closures, and property owner coordination.

• Support event budget development, expense tracking, payment processing, reconciliation, and vendor management to ensure events are delivered on time and within budget.

• Maintain organized records for event contacts, contracts, permits, sponsor deliverables, vendor information, and planning documents.

• Track project milestones, deadlines, deliverables, and follow-up items across multiple concurrent events.

• Support the development and fulfillment of sponsorship opportunities for signature events and activations.

• Track and deliver sponsor benefits, including onsite recognition, signage, activations, reporting, and post-event recap materials.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with sponsors, vendors, artists, property managers, County departments, community organizations, elected officials, corporate partners, and venue partners.

• Respond to event-related inquiries from community members, partners, stakeholders, and participating businesses in a timely and professional manner.

• Coordinate with the Marketing & Communications team on event promotion, registration, invitations, signage, creative assets, sponsor recognition, partner visibility, and post-event reporting.

• Provide accurate and timely event information, deadlines, logistics, and deliverables to support marketing campaigns and audience engagement.

• Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of event management experience, preferably including large-scale public events, placemaking activations, and executive or stakeholder-facing events.

• Demonstrated experience planning and producing outdoor events, including permitting, vendor coordination, site logistics, public safety coordination, weather contingency planning, and onsite execution.

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple events, deadlines, vendors, partners, and priorities simultaneously.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with comfort interacting with community members, sponsors, executives, elected officials, vendors, and public-sector partners.

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with strong follow-through, accuracy, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Enthusiastic about events, community and placemaking, with a proven ability to deliver memorable experiences.

• Creative, proactive, and solutions-oriented, with a positive attitude and the flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities, evolving event needs, and real-time problem-solving.

• Team-oriented and collaborative, with the ability to work across departments, support shared goals, and contribute to the success of the overall events and activations program.

• Experience with sponsorships, partnerships, arts and cultural programming, or business/community engagement preferred.

• Familiarity with Arlington, National Landing, business improvement districts, chambers of commerce, or similar place-based organizations a plus.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; experience with Asana, event management platforms, site-planning tools, or Adobe Creative Suite a plus.

• Valid driver’s license and willingness to operate BID vehicles or electric carts; owning a personal vehicle is not required.

• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift, push, or pull event equipment, including the ability to lift up to 50 pounds with assistance.

This is a regular, full-time, in-person position. Hours may vary depending on the event schedule to include early mornings, evenings and weekends. BID staff typically work remotely on Fridays, when possible.