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KPG Nursing

Mother Baby in Concord, MA

Concord, MA · On-site

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One uniquely charming feature is the annual literary festival that transforms the town into a lively celebration of American literature. These amenities combine to create an inviting, historically ...

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Cities throughout the state provide access to historic landmarks, arts events, literary festivals, and craft beverage scenes. About the Clinician's Workday Clinicians in this role will provide ...

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How much do literary festival jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average hourly pay for literary festival in the United States is $19.96, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $12.98 and $22.60 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a literary festival?

A literary festival is an event that celebrates books, authors, and the written word. It typically includes author readings, panel discussions, book signings, workshops, and other activities related to literature. Literary festivals provide a platform for writers to connect with readers, promote their work, and discuss current issues in literature and publishing. They can be large or small and may focus on various genres or themes. Attendees often have the opportunity to discover new books, meet favorite authors, and participate in a vibrant literary community.

What are some common responsibilities for professionals organizing a literary festival?

Professionals involved in organizing a Literary Festival typically manage a variety of tasks, including coordinating with authors and speakers, arranging event schedules, overseeing venue logistics, and promoting the festival to the public. They often work closely with publishers, local businesses, volunteers, and marketing teams to ensure the event runs smoothly. Flexibility, strong communication skills, and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously are essential, as the work environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven, especially as the festival date approaches.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a literary festival organizer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Literary Festival Organizer, you need strong project management skills, event planning experience, and a background in literature or the arts. Familiarity with event management software, budgeting tools, and marketing platforms is typically required. Excellent interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to network with authors and stakeholders set outstanding organizers apart. These skills ensure successful coordination, engaging programming, and a memorable festival experience for attendees and participants.

What is the difference between Literary Festival vs Literary Event Coordinator?

AspectLiterary FestivalLiterary Event Coordinator
Primary RoleOrganizing and hosting a large-scale literary event or series of eventsPlanning, coordinating, and managing individual literary events or smaller festivals
Work EnvironmentPublic venues, large event spaces, community centersEvent venues, libraries, bookstores, cultural centers
Required CredentialsBackground in event planning, literature, or communications; often a degree or experience in event managementExperience in event coordination, communication skills, possibly a degree in hospitality or related fields

While both roles involve organizing literary activities, a Literary Festival focuses on large-scale, multi-day events bringing together authors and audiences, whereas a Literary Event Coordinator manages individual or smaller literary events. The festival role is broader and often involves overseeing multiple aspects of a large event, while the coordinator handles specific event logistics and execution.

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What cities are hiring for Literary Festival jobs?

Cities with the most Literary Festival job openings:

What states have the most Literary Festival jobs?

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What job categories do people searching Literary Festival jobs look for?

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Literary Festival jobs near you
Infographic showing various Literary Festival job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 65% Full Time, 27% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $41,518 per year, or $20 per hour.

Manager - Festival Of The Book

Charlottesville, VA • On-site

University of Virginia
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools • 10K+ employees

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 35 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

209th of 622 rated colleges and universities

People enjoy working here

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Recommended by students

Learn more about University of Virginiaexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago

Job description

Manager, Virginia Festival of the Book
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council, dedicated to helping Virginians share their stories and connect through history, culture, and ideas. The Virginia Center for the Book-part of Virginia Humanities-serves as the Commonwealth's affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book and fosters statewide literary culture, reading, and community engagement through year-round programming, partnerships, and the annual Virginia Festival of the Book.
Position Summary
The Manager of the Virginia Festival of the Book supports and reports to the Director of the Virginia Center for the Book in developing and delivering high quality literary programming to the Virginia Festival of the Book and other Festival lead-up initiatives including statewide events throughout the year, as well as the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. This role requires strong communication skills, project management abilities, statewide relationship building, and familiarity with the publishing ecosystem. The Manager organizes key projects and activities related to the Festival, including logistics, assisting with managing partnerships and statewide engagement, and implementing programs. The Manager also represents the Center independently at select statewide events and meetings and contributes to overall Virginia Humanities initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Program Development
  • Collaborate with the Center for the Book Director, Virginia Humanities' staff, and other stakeholders to curate authors and programs for the Festival as well as year-round Center for the Book events.
  • Assist the director in creating and scheduling panel discussions and programs based on book themes or other literary ties for Festival events.
  • Manage venues, AV, and other logistics for the Festival other year-round lead up events.
  • With the director and other Virginia Humanities staff, determine interlocutors to interview authors and special guests.
  • Oversee author needs such as hotel bookings, comp tickets, and participation in special events.
  • Stay informed on publishing developments via Publishers Weekly , Publishers Marketplace , and related industry sources.

2. Partnerships & Community Engagement
  • Help build and sustain partnerships with nonprofits, publishers, bookstores, community groups, and statewide literary collaborators.
  • Manage offsite and onsite sales with booksellers for all Center for the Book events.

3. Submission & Selection Management
  • Oversee the annual book submissions process for authors and publicists, including outreach and ensuring submission completeness.
  • With the director, conduct initial review of all submissions and oversee managing review committees and evaluations.

4. Communications & Media Coordination
  • Manage bulk and individualized author, moderator, and special guest communications, including media requests for author interviews.
  • Assist with identifying authors to feature in Virginia Humanities or Center for the Book interviews; conduct or assign interviews as needed.
  • Create e-newsletters and coordinate with VH Communications team for social media posts

5. Data, Reporting & Evaluation
  • Deliver post program reports to publishers and publicists, including attendance, bookseller data, and other metrics.
  • Plan and implement strategies for collecting survey, participant, and event evaluation data to measure and report the Center for the Book's metrics and impact.
  • Support and refine internal program databases.

6. Statewide Outreach & Public Representation
  • Support the director in representing the Center independently at statewide events, meetings, and community engagements to expand Festival visibility and partnerships.
  • Assist with conducting statewide outreach-virtually and in person-to strengthen relationships across the Commonwealth and bring attention to the Festival.

7. Volunteer Coordination
  • Oversee recruiting, scheduling, training, and supporting volunteers, interns, and event ambassadors, as well as all volunteer communications.

8. Program Administration, Budget Support & Technology
  • Oversee budget tracking, program expenditures, and documentation.
  • Work with VH finance team to ensure all payments are made in a timely fashion.
  • Maintain organized, accurate program records, evaluation materials, and administrative documentation.
  • Learn and effectively use agency technology platforms, including CVENT and other event management, communication, and data systems.

Required Qualifications
Education
  • Bachelor's degree

Experience
  • 3 years experience in one or more of the following:
  • Literary programming, book festivals, or cultural event planning
  • Publishing (editorial, publicity, author relations)
  • Public library or statewide humanities based program work
  • Nonprofit program management or community partnership development

Preferred:
  • Bachelors or higher degree in Library & Information Science, Literature, English, Creative Writing, Public Humanities, Communications, or a related field.
  • Deep understanding of the current publishing and literary landscape and a thorough knowledge of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, including youth literature.
  • Experience developing partnerships with libraries, educators, and literacy organizations.
  • Experience coordinating statewide initiatives or representing an organization publicly.

Additional Requirements
  • Strong communication and organizational skills. Comfort with public speaking and communicating with audiences of varied sizes.
  • Ability to be flexible, adaptive, and solution-oriented when facing setbacks or quickly-changing program needs.
  • Some frequency of weekends will be required for events and special projects fall-spring. In addition, must be available for the Virginia Festival of the Book each spring and National Book Festival each August or September.
  • Valid driver's license (due to statewide travel)
  • Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds.

To Apply:
External applicants Apply here. Internal applicants may search for R0085095 and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website .
Complete an application online with the following required documents:
  • CV/Resume
  • Cover letter
  • A Writing Sample Using the Below Prompt:

Create a hypothetical Virginia Festival of the Book panel discussion involving three books that have been published or that are coming out in 2026 or 2027. Write a program description and title in the style of the event descriptions on the 2026 Virginia Festival of the Book Schedule , located at vabook.org.
Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission.
Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.
References will be completed via UVA's standardized process Skill Survey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process.
This position reports to Virginia Humanities' Director, Center for the Book. Compensation Range: $65,000 - $70,000 commensurate with education and experience.
This is an Exempt level, benefited position. This position is a restricted position and is dependent
upon project need, availability of funding, and performance.
Working Conditions
Virginia Humanities maintains a hybrid work environment, with offices based in Charlottesville and regular in-person needs in town. The role also requires statewide travel and evening/weekend work, especially fall through spring.
Job Profile
J2168 - Events and Venues Professional 2
Career Stream and Level
Professional-P2
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment .
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About University of Virginia

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The University of Virginia is distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing, through education, leaders who are well-prepared to shape the future of the nation.

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Charlottesville, VA, US

Year founded

1819

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